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"bio": "Srishti Prabha is a producer and reporter for KQED news and podcasts. They also work on longform human-interest features as a Beat Reporting Fellow with KALW. Their reporting has appeared on NPR, Morning Edition, All Things Considered, The California Report Magazine, and more. Most recently, Prabha covered education for CapRadio as a Report for America corps member, focusing on issues affecting communities of color in the Sacramento region. They previously served as managing editor of India Currents, where they reported on immigration, cultural identity, and health in South Asian communities. Prabha's work has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club, the California News Publishers Association, and the Edward R. Murrow Awards.",
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"slug": "xavier-becerra-says-he-will-fight-for-california-who-did-he-fight-for-as-ag",
"title": "Xavier Becerra Says He Will Fight for California. Who Did He Fight for as AG?",
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"content": "\u003cp>As California’s attorney general during the first Trump presidency, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a> made headlines as a hero of the Democratic resistance, suing the Trump administration more than 120 times to defend key progressive policies, including the Affordable Care Act, the environment and immigrant and workers rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as Becerra rises to the top of the Democratic field for governor, critics say that on some issues closer to home, he sided with powerful interest groups, including law enforcement and fossil fuel companies — and that on housing, he was as likely to use his power as attorney general to block development as to push for more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As attorney general, Becerra declined to investigate oil companies accused of misleading investors and the public on climate change. And perhaps most notably, Becerra’s office went to court to fight against the release of police misconduct records following California’s passage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11695714/new-state-laws-reduce-secrecy-around-police-misconduct-shootings\">a landmark transparency law\u003c/a> — and once threatened journalists with criminal charges for possessing records his office had sent them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Xavier Becerra just seems to reflexively have been against any of these measures to improve transparency into police records,” said Jason Paladino, one of the reporters threatened by Becerra’s office. “When you look at the fact that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2019/02/xavier-becerra-police-accountability-progressives/\">one of his major backers throughout his campaigns has been the police unions\u003c/a>, it’s hard to not make that connection that he’s got this powerful constituency in the state, which he feels somewhat beholden to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a characterization that Becerra and his supporters reject. Jonathan Underland, a spokesperson for his campaign, said Becerra has “always made decisions based on protecting Californians and defending the law, not on politics or who supported his campaigns.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Those close to Becerra when he was attorney general paint a picture of a hardworking, principled leader who came into office prepared to push back on President Donald Trump and protect Californians — and whose views on issues including the environment and housing were shaped by his upbringing as the son of working-class immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not everyone was aggressive in those early days [of Trump],” said Amanda Renteria, who served as Becerra’s chief operating officer for his first year as attorney general. “He really was like, nope, we know what’s coming at us and we’re gonna be ready … from the first conversation I had, he had a real insight about what it meant to have a Trump administration and be in the state of California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra surged in the polls after the exit of former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who suspended his campaign in April \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">amid sexual assault allegations\u003c/a> he has denied.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A complicated record in California\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The attorney general’s office has launched three California governors and is perhaps the position in state government most analogous to the top job: attorneys general confront many of the same policy challenges a governor faces, from housing and homelessness to public safety and the environment, and they oversee a staff of more than 5,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The record Becerra built in Sacramento, particularly on three issues where California’s next governor will face immediate tests — police accountability; climate and the oil industry; and housing — offers the clearest window into how he might actually govern, and whose interests he would protect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet much of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/us/politics/xavier-becerra-migrant-children.html\">the scrutiny of Becerra’s record\u003c/a> since he surged in the crowded field has centered on his time leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11779670\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11779670 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra in August announcing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s so-called “public charge” rule. A federal judge in California sided with them on Friday.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra in August 2019 announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s so-called “public charge” rule. A federal judge in California sided with them. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As California continues to face hostility from a second Trump administration, those federal fights he took on as attorney general are newly relevant — and Becerra has framed himself as the best person to wage them. But on other issues, critics say Becerra struck a cautious tone and was unwilling to buck the status quo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes environmentalists’ critiques of how he handled the fossil fuel industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“His time as attorney general was a story of what he didn’t do,” said Kassie Siegel, climate political director at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund. “He did sue the Trump administration 120 times, but he didn’t do the things his successor did that were needed and that he was called on to do.”[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]Melanie Fontes Rainer spent nine years working for Becerra, first in the attorney general’s office and then when he was the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Fontes Rainer, who led a healthcare unit as an assistant attorney general, said Becerra had the foresight when he was appointed attorney general to create that new unit, which focused exclusively on healthcare policy and was able to lead California’s fight against Trump’s attacks on the Affordable Care Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At that point, nobody had sued the president in this manner and had necessarily taken on this national role in protecting, whether it was national civil rights or national healthcare,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The expertise in that healthcare unit allowed California to be a leader in other areas, Fontes Rainer said, such as successful actions \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-announces-573-million-nationwide-settlement-mckinsey\">against companies involved in the opioid crisis\u003c/a>. She said Becerra was eager to take on important, progressive issues: \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-applauds-landmark-supreme-court-decision-daca\">winning on behalf of DACA recipients\u003c/a> at the U.S. Supreme Court; \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-state-unions-employers-and-workers-reach-settlement\">suing Sutter Health\u003c/a> on behalf of patients and workers; \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-takes-action-defend-women%E2%80%99s-constitutional-reproductive\">protecting abortion\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-joins-multistate-coalition-defending-civil-rights-lgbt\"> LGBTQ rights.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He expects you to work your ass off, because he works his ass off,” she said, adding that Becerra is willing to take on powerful interests if the moment calls for it. “He is never gonna be the leader who is all about himself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics, though, say there were clearly some groups that Becerra didn’t want to challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A fight over transparency\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Becerra received heat for several incidents involving law enforcement, including his \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/ag-xavier-becerra-vallejo-shooting-investigation/\">refusal\u003c/a> to investigate a police shooting in Vallejo — a case his successor \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/13/us/california-attorney-general-sean-monterrosa-shooting\">later pursued\u003c/a> — and his failure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-jail-snitch-becerra-20190427-story.html\">probe\u003c/a> a jailhouse informant scandal in Orange County that led to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-civil-rights-violations-orange-county-california-district-attorney-s\">federal investigation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1384331/dl\">settlement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it was his legal battle against \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1421\">Senate Bill 1421\u003c/a> that drew the sharpest criticism from within his own party. The state law, passed in 2018 after years of advocacy by civil liberties groups and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/calif-ag-wont-release-police-records-despite-court-ruling-gets-into-testy-exchange-with-senator\">Democratic lawmakers\u003c/a>, made public for the first time the disciplinary records of police officers accused of sexual assault, use of force and other serious misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the law took effect, the attorney general’s office didn’t just \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11723281/california-attorney-general-refuses-to-release-police-misconduct-files-despite-new-law\">refuse to release its own records \u003c/a>— questioning whether the law applied to records created before the law’s passage — it also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11724499/cities-use-state-attorney-general-letter-to-fight-release-of-police-misconduct-files\">sent guidance to law enforcement agencies that critics say gave police departments across California cover to refuse compliance, too.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082916\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082916 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274719112-scaled-e1778887506369.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California gubernatorial candidates former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, businessman Tom Steyer, businessman Steve Hilton, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and San José Mayor Matt Mahan look on during a CNN California Governor Primary Debate at East Los Angeles College on May 5, 2026, in Monterey Park, California. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/video/article/california-governor-election-xavier-becerra-22240445.php\">recent interviews,\u003c/a> Becerra has continued to defend how he handled the case, saying he didn’t fight for secrecy but rather clarity to ensure his office was following the law. But even after an appeals court ruled against him, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/calif-ag-wont-release-police-records-despite-court-ruling-gets-into-testy-exchange-with-senator\">his office continued to resist\u003c/a>, and the lawsuits dragged on for six years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was just an extreme position to take,” said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, which successfully sued Becerra and other police agencies, along with media organizations including KQED. “That office really fought tooth and nail to keep many of the records under lock and key.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s office shocked legal experts again when it \u003ca href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/california-attorney-general-threatens-reporters-legal-action-over-public-record/\">sent a letter to two journalists\u003c/a> at UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program ordering them to destroy a list of 12,000 current and former police officers and applicants who had been convicted of crimes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The list was provided to the reporters by Becerra’s own office and another state agency in response to a public records request. In the letter, the attorney general argued that even possessing the records was a criminal act.[aside label=\"2026 California Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide,Learn everything you need to cast an informed ballot for the 2026 primary election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Voter-Guide-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]“It’s either clear ignorance of a core First Amendment principle, or it’s willful disregard of it. Neither of those, I think reflect very well,” Snyder said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The attorney general never made good on his threats, even after the reporters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11728957/california-keeps-a-secret-list-of-criminal-cops-but-says-you-cant-have-it\">published their story\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Paladino, one of those reporters, said the letter was concerning for numerous reasons: He argued it showed a hostility toward a free press, a misunderstanding of basic First Amendment law, and a willingness to kowtow to law enforcement groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The legal letter was just completely wrong in its interpretation of the law. And it had real implications for press freedom,” he said. “He was given a bunch of chances to sort of be like, oh, in hindsight, we shouldn’t have sent that letter. And at every turn, he has doubled down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article315566424.html\">a recent interview with the \u003cem>Sacramento Bee\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Becerra again insisted that he was following the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I simply repeated what the law says. If you are in possession of information that is confidential and you disclose and you make that information public, or you disclose it, you are subject to action for violation of privacy laws,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), one of the state’s top law enforcement lobbying groups, rejected the notion that Becerra took positions in order to score political points with police groups. On the records fight, Marvel said, Becerra simply wanted to make sure the law was on his side before releasing information that could harm an officer’s career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once the cat’s out of the bag, whether the information is accurate or not, it’s out of the bag,” said Marvel, whose group represents more than 85,000 rank-and-file police officers in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PORAC endorsed two of Becerra’s opponents in the governor’s race, Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Democratic former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. But Marvel said he believes law enforcement would have a positive relationship with a Becerra as governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wouldn’t say he’s pro-cop, I’d say he’s pro-public safety,” Marvel said. “If ultimately Xavier Becerra becomes governor, I think I absolutely would have an open door.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Friend or foe of Big Oil?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Becerra touts his environmental work as attorney general, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/articles/2021/01/19/california-attorney-general-files-nine-lawsuits-in-one-day-as-trump-leaves-office/\">lawsuits\u003c/a> targeting Trump’s moves to neuter greenhouse gas emission regulations, to undermine the Endangered Species Act, to roll back vehicle emission standards and expand offshore oil drilling. He also \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-establishes-bureau-environmental-justice\">created an office of environmental justice\u003c/a> to protect vulnerable communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the governor’s race, though, he’s been hit by opponents over his ties to oil companies, with billionaire Tom Steyer in particular \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/TomSteyer/status/2048909407577407797\">attacking\u003c/a> Becerra for accepting donations from the industry, including Chevron’s $39,200 donation to his gubernatorial campaign, the maximum allowed by law. In response, Underland pushed back on Steyer, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/us/tom-steyer-california-governor-coal.html\">invested in fossil fuel companies\u003c/a> decades ago as a hedge fund manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Xavier Becerra spent his time as attorney general actually fighting the fossil fuel companies in court — and winning. Unlike Tom Steyer, Becerra didn’t write them checks. He took them to court and won,” Underland said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069982\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12069982 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An oil pumpjack stands idle near homes as people walk with dogs on Feb. 9, 2023, in Signal Hill, California. \u003ccite>(Mario Tama/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But the questions about Becerra’s relationship with oil companies are unlikely to wane. Last week, the oil drilling company California Resources Corporation \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1490885&view=late1\">contributed $500,000 to an independent expenditure committee \u003c/a>that is supporting Becerra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, as attorney general, Becerra angered environmental activists when he \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-becerra-exxonmobil-climate-change-schneiderman-20170530-story.html\">stayed mum\u003c/a> on an investigation into ExxonMobil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s predecessor, Kamala Harris, reportedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11304131/bay-area-reps-call-on-state-ag-to-investigate-exxonmobil-oil-industry-over-climate-change\">launched\u003c/a> the \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-exxon-global-warming-20160120-story.html\">investigation\u003c/a> into whether the company lied to investors about the links between fossil fuels and global warming. Becerra never addressed the investigation when he was attorney general, and did not file suit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Becerra’s successor, Attorney General Rob Bonta, did \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-lawsuit-against-oil-and-gas-companies\">sue ExxonMobil and four other oil companies\u003c/a> on similar grounds. That \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/FINAL%209-15%20COMPLAINT.pdf\">suit\u003c/a> alleges that the oil companies have known for decades about the risks of fossil fuels but denied or downplayed those issues, and seeks to make them pay into a fund to help mitigate the effects of climate change in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s one of three dozen lawsuits like it filed by cities, counties and states in recent years, said Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076853\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12076853 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2265237194-scaled-e1778026995886.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1211\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">High gas prices are listed at a Chevron gas station in Los Angeles on March 9, 2026, as gasoline prices surge amid the ongoing war with Iran. \u003ccite>(Frederic J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When he was attorney general, Becerra’s office did \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-files-brief-support-lawsuit-oakland-and-san-francisco\">support\u003c/a> some of those local lawsuits, but Siegel said he should have gone further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Center for Biological Diversity gave Becerra a C+ on its environmental scorecard, noting campaign contributions from oil companies and his opposition to a proposed state law that would make fossil fuel companies pay for the effects of climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Siegel also pointed to Becerra’s answer in a recent debate, where he said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/california/2026/05/07/becerra-villaraigosa-spar-in-debate-on-migrants/89972962007/\">would support opening up oil drilling again in Kern County \u003c/a>— something he had \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-slams-trump-administration-plan-sell-seven-oil-and-gas\">opposed as attorney general\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to put all the pieces together,” she said. “The environmental consequences of more oil drilling in California would be massive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra didn’t shy away from the issue when \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/6doKjDbdjQk?t=3688s\">asked by KQED’s Scott Shafer\u003c/a> why he accepted donations from Chevron and whether he would hold big companies like them accountable as governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra noted that there were several lawsuits he \u003cspan style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\">\u003ca href=\"https://stateimpactcenter.org/ag-work/ag-actions/four-ags-filed-lawsuit-challenging-restart-federal-coal-leasing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filed\u003c/a>\u003c/span> or \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-joins-lawsuit-block-blm-offering-fossil-fuel-industries\">joined\u003c/a> as attorney general against fossil fuel companies. He also talked about how many people companies like Chevron employ.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Chevron — that’s the problem with politics — they’re not the bad guy,” Becerra said. “Does everybody here drive an electric vehicle? You need Chevron, I need Chevron, my people of the state of California need Chevron.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Renteria said voters shouldn’t assume that just because her former boss isn’t writing off big corporations that he won’t fight for the little guy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By nature, he’s like this protector,” she said, adding that he has a natural aversion to anyone “bullying or taking advantage” of people, and will do everything he can to fight on their behalf.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Building less, blocking more\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>But on one of the biggest issues facing the state — the need for more housing — critics say Becerra didn’t show that type of aggression as attorney general, instead seeming more interested in blocking housing developments than helping push market-rate development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2021, for example, he \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-18/ag-becerra-challenges-housing-projects-in-wildfire-areas\">joined two lawsuits\u003c/a> to halt developments in San Diego County, saying they were in wildfire zones and didn’t include enough affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, in 2019, Becerra \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/articles/2019/01/25/california-sues-huntington-beach-using-new-housing-law/\">sued Huntington Beach\u003c/a> for refusing to add state-mandated low-income housing to its local housing plan, and in 2020, he \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-files-intervene-lawsuit-protect-california%E2%80%99s-affordable\">joined a lawsuit\u003c/a> to ensure that cities comply with state affordable housing laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12073370\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12073370\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction is underway on an affordable housing apartment building at 2550 Irving St. in San Francisco’s Sunset District on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra points to those lawsuits as evidence of his commitment to ensuring local governments both built more housing in general and affordable housing in particular — and that they complied with state laws mandating more construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the campaign trail this year, Becerra has stressed the state’s housing shortage as a key driver of affordability and promised to use the governor’s office to eliminate hurdles — including aggressively going after cities and counties that aren’t building enough. He has also pledged to declare a state of emergency around housing and embed his own housing experts in agencies across the state government to help remove obstacles to building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Foote, executive director of the pro-housing group YIMBY Action, said she gives Becerra credit for appearing more interested in the issue as a candidate than he did as attorney general, a shift that matches the state’s overall political evolution on the issue.[aside postID=news_12083839 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg']“I think that now there’s sort of a greater recognition that the overall housing shortage is damaging everyone, not just low-income people. He has made that pivot,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But her group, YIMBY Action, which endorsed Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer in the governor’s race, gave Becerra a “C” grade on housing. It noted that when asked about holding cities accountable as attorney general, “he took the opportunity to brag about using CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act), one of the most potent and abused tools of the anti-housing movement, to block a housing development in San Diego.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those lawsuits were successful: After Becerra left the attorney general’s office, Bonta negotiated settlements that led one of the projects to be scrapped entirely; the site, now owned by the state, will be \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-permanent-conservation-san-diego-wildlands\">permanently conserved as open space\u003c/a>. The other proposed project will move forward \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-otay-ranch-village-13-project-settlement-will-reduce\">under a separate settlement\u003c/a>, with thousands of housing units slated for a smaller area than the initial proposal, which will reduce wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In general, Foote said, Becerra seemed to focus almost exclusively on affordable housing as attorney general, like in the Huntington Beach case, which Huntington Beach settled in 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was a good case for them to weigh in, but I think it did reveal in that administration a preference to be really focused on subsidized affordable housing and pushing back on explicit discriminatory things as opposed to getting involved in the larger housing supply issue overall,” Foote said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12044985\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12044985\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mockup sits near the stage during a groundbreaking ceremony at 750 Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco on June 18, 2025, to mark the start of two affordable housing projects. One will deliver 75 units prioritized for SFUSD and City College educators, and the other at 850 Turk will add 92 family apartments. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But she added that Becerra didn’t have as many tools at his disposal as the current attorney general does, and that he’s promised to focus on accountability if he’s elected governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has already committed to doing a greater degree of enforcement than we have had under the Gavin Newsom administration. … Is it as much improvement as some of the other candidates have committed to? No, but I think he is already promising to do better than we have done over the last eight years,” Foote said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Becerra leans into his resume on the campaign trail, his opponents are trying to frame that experience as a liability. His campaign is pushing back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The record speaks for itself,” Underland said. “Xavier Becerra took on oil companies, fought cities blocking affordable housing, challenged the Trump administration over environmental rollbacks, and held powerful interests accountable in court.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Xavier Becerra built his national reputation by suing the Trump administration. But as he runs for governor, critics say his record as California’s attorney general is less progressive on policing, Big Oil and housing.",
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"title": "Xavier Becerra Says He Will Fight for California. Who Did He Fight for as AG? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As California’s attorney general during the first Trump presidency, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a> made headlines as a hero of the Democratic resistance, suing the Trump administration more than 120 times to defend key progressive policies, including the Affordable Care Act, the environment and immigrant and workers rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as Becerra rises to the top of the Democratic field for governor, critics say that on some issues closer to home, he sided with powerful interest groups, including law enforcement and fossil fuel companies — and that on housing, he was as likely to use his power as attorney general to block development as to push for more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As attorney general, Becerra declined to investigate oil companies accused of misleading investors and the public on climate change. And perhaps most notably, Becerra’s office went to court to fight against the release of police misconduct records following California’s passage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11695714/new-state-laws-reduce-secrecy-around-police-misconduct-shootings\">a landmark transparency law\u003c/a> — and once threatened journalists with criminal charges for possessing records his office had sent them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Xavier Becerra just seems to reflexively have been against any of these measures to improve transparency into police records,” said Jason Paladino, one of the reporters threatened by Becerra’s office. “When you look at the fact that \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2019/02/xavier-becerra-police-accountability-progressives/\">one of his major backers throughout his campaigns has been the police unions\u003c/a>, it’s hard to not make that connection that he’s got this powerful constituency in the state, which he feels somewhat beholden to.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a characterization that Becerra and his supporters reject. Jonathan Underland, a spokesperson for his campaign, said Becerra has “always made decisions based on protecting Californians and defending the law, not on politics or who supported his campaigns.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Those close to Becerra when he was attorney general paint a picture of a hardworking, principled leader who came into office prepared to push back on President Donald Trump and protect Californians — and whose views on issues including the environment and housing were shaped by his upbringing as the son of working-class immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Not everyone was aggressive in those early days [of Trump],” said Amanda Renteria, who served as Becerra’s chief operating officer for his first year as attorney general. “He really was like, nope, we know what’s coming at us and we’re gonna be ready … from the first conversation I had, he had a real insight about what it meant to have a Trump administration and be in the state of California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra surged in the polls after the exit of former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who suspended his campaign in April \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">amid sexual assault allegations\u003c/a> he has denied.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A complicated record in California\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The attorney general’s office has launched three California governors and is perhaps the position in state government most analogous to the top job: attorneys general confront many of the same policy challenges a governor faces, from housing and homelessness to public safety and the environment, and they oversee a staff of more than 5,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The record Becerra built in Sacramento, particularly on three issues where California’s next governor will face immediate tests — police accountability; climate and the oil industry; and housing — offers the clearest window into how he might actually govern, and whose interests he would protect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet much of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/us/politics/xavier-becerra-migrant-children.html\">the scrutiny of Becerra’s record\u003c/a> since he surged in the crowded field has centered on his time leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11779670\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11779670 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut.jpg\" alt=\"Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra in August announcing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s so-called “public charge” rule. A federal judge in California sided with them on Friday.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/10/RS38601_GettyImages-1168450763-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra in August 2019 announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s so-called “public charge” rule. A federal judge in California sided with them. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As California continues to face hostility from a second Trump administration, those federal fights he took on as attorney general are newly relevant — and Becerra has framed himself as the best person to wage them. But on other issues, critics say Becerra struck a cautious tone and was unwilling to buck the status quo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That includes environmentalists’ critiques of how he handled the fossil fuel industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“His time as attorney general was a story of what he didn’t do,” said Kassie Siegel, climate political director at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund. “He did sue the Trump administration 120 times, but he didn’t do the things his successor did that were needed and that he was called on to do.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Melanie Fontes Rainer spent nine years working for Becerra, first in the attorney general’s office and then when he was the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Fontes Rainer, who led a healthcare unit as an assistant attorney general, said Becerra had the foresight when he was appointed attorney general to create that new unit, which focused exclusively on healthcare policy and was able to lead California’s fight against Trump’s attacks on the Affordable Care Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At that point, nobody had sued the president in this manner and had necessarily taken on this national role in protecting, whether it was national civil rights or national healthcare,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The expertise in that healthcare unit allowed California to be a leader in other areas, Fontes Rainer said, such as successful actions \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-announces-573-million-nationwide-settlement-mckinsey\">against companies involved in the opioid crisis\u003c/a>. She said Becerra was eager to take on important, progressive issues: \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-applauds-landmark-supreme-court-decision-daca\">winning on behalf of DACA recipients\u003c/a> at the U.S. Supreme Court; \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-state-unions-employers-and-workers-reach-settlement\">suing Sutter Health\u003c/a> on behalf of patients and workers; \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-takes-action-defend-women%E2%80%99s-constitutional-reproductive\">protecting abortion\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-joins-multistate-coalition-defending-civil-rights-lgbt\"> LGBTQ rights.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He expects you to work your ass off, because he works his ass off,” she said, adding that Becerra is willing to take on powerful interests if the moment calls for it. “He is never gonna be the leader who is all about himself.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Critics, though, say there were clearly some groups that Becerra didn’t want to challenge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A fight over transparency\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Becerra received heat for several incidents involving law enforcement, including his \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/ag-xavier-becerra-vallejo-shooting-investigation/\">refusal\u003c/a> to investigate a police shooting in Vallejo — a case his successor \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/13/us/california-attorney-general-sean-monterrosa-shooting\">later pursued\u003c/a> — and his failure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-jail-snitch-becerra-20190427-story.html\">probe\u003c/a> a jailhouse informant scandal in Orange County that led to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-finds-civil-rights-violations-orange-county-california-district-attorney-s\">federal investigation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1384331/dl\">settlement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it was his legal battle against \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1421\">Senate Bill 1421\u003c/a> that drew the sharpest criticism from within his own party. The state law, passed in 2018 after years of advocacy by civil liberties groups and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/calif-ag-wont-release-police-records-despite-court-ruling-gets-into-testy-exchange-with-senator\">Democratic lawmakers\u003c/a>, made public for the first time the disciplinary records of police officers accused of sexual assault, use of force and other serious misconduct.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the law took effect, the attorney general’s office didn’t just \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11723281/california-attorney-general-refuses-to-release-police-misconduct-files-despite-new-law\">refuse to release its own records \u003c/a>— questioning whether the law applied to records created before the law’s passage — it also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11724499/cities-use-state-attorney-general-letter-to-fight-release-of-police-misconduct-files\">sent guidance to law enforcement agencies that critics say gave police departments across California cover to refuse compliance, too.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082916\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082916 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274719112-scaled-e1778887506369.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1316\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California gubernatorial candidates former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, businessman Tom Steyer, businessman Steve Hilton, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and San José Mayor Matt Mahan look on during a CNN California Governor Primary Debate at East Los Angeles College on May 5, 2026, in Monterey Park, California. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/video/article/california-governor-election-xavier-becerra-22240445.php\">recent interviews,\u003c/a> Becerra has continued to defend how he handled the case, saying he didn’t fight for secrecy but rather clarity to ensure his office was following the law. But even after an appeals court ruled against him, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/calif-ag-wont-release-police-records-despite-court-ruling-gets-into-testy-exchange-with-senator\">his office continued to resist\u003c/a>, and the lawsuits dragged on for six years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was just an extreme position to take,” said David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, which successfully sued Becerra and other police agencies, along with media organizations including KQED. “That office really fought tooth and nail to keep many of the records under lock and key.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s office shocked legal experts again when it \u003ca href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/california-attorney-general-threatens-reporters-legal-action-over-public-record/\">sent a letter to two journalists\u003c/a> at UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program ordering them to destroy a list of 12,000 current and former police officers and applicants who had been convicted of crimes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The list was provided to the reporters by Becerra’s own office and another state agency in response to a public records request. In the letter, the attorney general argued that even possessing the records was a criminal act.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It’s either clear ignorance of a core First Amendment principle, or it’s willful disregard of it. Neither of those, I think reflect very well,” Snyder said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The attorney general never made good on his threats, even after the reporters \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11728957/california-keeps-a-secret-list-of-criminal-cops-but-says-you-cant-have-it\">published their story\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Paladino, one of those reporters, said the letter was concerning for numerous reasons: He argued it showed a hostility toward a free press, a misunderstanding of basic First Amendment law, and a willingness to kowtow to law enforcement groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The legal letter was just completely wrong in its interpretation of the law. And it had real implications for press freedom,” he said. “He was given a bunch of chances to sort of be like, oh, in hindsight, we shouldn’t have sent that letter. And at every turn, he has doubled down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article315566424.html\">a recent interview with the \u003cem>Sacramento Bee\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Becerra again insisted that he was following the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I simply repeated what the law says. If you are in possession of information that is confidential and you disclose and you make that information public, or you disclose it, you are subject to action for violation of privacy laws,” Becerra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), one of the state’s top law enforcement lobbying groups, rejected the notion that Becerra took positions in order to score political points with police groups. On the records fight, Marvel said, Becerra simply wanted to make sure the law was on his side before releasing information that could harm an officer’s career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once the cat’s out of the bag, whether the information is accurate or not, it’s out of the bag,” said Marvel, whose group represents more than 85,000 rank-and-file police officers in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PORAC endorsed two of Becerra’s opponents in the governor’s race, Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Democratic former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. But Marvel said he believes law enforcement would have a positive relationship with a Becerra as governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wouldn’t say he’s pro-cop, I’d say he’s pro-public safety,” Marvel said. “If ultimately Xavier Becerra becomes governor, I think I absolutely would have an open door.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Friend or foe of Big Oil?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Becerra touts his environmental work as attorney general, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/articles/2021/01/19/california-attorney-general-files-nine-lawsuits-in-one-day-as-trump-leaves-office/\">lawsuits\u003c/a> targeting Trump’s moves to neuter greenhouse gas emission regulations, to undermine the Endangered Species Act, to roll back vehicle emission standards and expand offshore oil drilling. He also \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-establishes-bureau-environmental-justice\">created an office of environmental justice\u003c/a> to protect vulnerable communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the governor’s race, though, he’s been hit by opponents over his ties to oil companies, with billionaire Tom Steyer in particular \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/TomSteyer/status/2048909407577407797\">attacking\u003c/a> Becerra for accepting donations from the industry, including Chevron’s $39,200 donation to his gubernatorial campaign, the maximum allowed by law. In response, Underland pushed back on Steyer, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/us/tom-steyer-california-governor-coal.html\">invested in fossil fuel companies\u003c/a> decades ago as a hedge fund manager.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Xavier Becerra spent his time as attorney general actually fighting the fossil fuel companies in court — and winning. Unlike Tom Steyer, Becerra didn’t write them checks. He took them to court and won,” Underland said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12069982\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12069982 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/OilDrillingGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An oil pumpjack stands idle near homes as people walk with dogs on Feb. 9, 2023, in Signal Hill, California. \u003ccite>(Mario Tama/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But the questions about Becerra’s relationship with oil companies are unlikely to wane. Last week, the oil drilling company California Resources Corporation \u003ca href=\"https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1490885&view=late1\">contributed $500,000 to an independent expenditure committee \u003c/a>that is supporting Becerra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, as attorney general, Becerra angered environmental activists when he \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-becerra-exxonmobil-climate-change-schneiderman-20170530-story.html\">stayed mum\u003c/a> on an investigation into ExxonMobil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s predecessor, Kamala Harris, reportedly \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11304131/bay-area-reps-call-on-state-ag-to-investigate-exxonmobil-oil-industry-over-climate-change\">launched\u003c/a> the \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-exxon-global-warming-20160120-story.html\">investigation\u003c/a> into whether the company lied to investors about the links between fossil fuels and global warming. Becerra never addressed the investigation when he was attorney general, and did not file suit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Becerra’s successor, Attorney General Rob Bonta, did \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-lawsuit-against-oil-and-gas-companies\">sue ExxonMobil and four other oil companies\u003c/a> on similar grounds. That \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/FINAL%209-15%20COMPLAINT.pdf\">suit\u003c/a> alleges that the oil companies have known for decades about the risks of fossil fuels but denied or downplayed those issues, and seeks to make them pay into a fund to help mitigate the effects of climate change in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s one of three dozen lawsuits like it filed by cities, counties and states in recent years, said Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076853\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12076853 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/GettyImages-2265237194-scaled-e1778026995886.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1211\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">High gas prices are listed at a Chevron gas station in Los Angeles on March 9, 2026, as gasoline prices surge amid the ongoing war with Iran. \u003ccite>(Frederic J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When he was attorney general, Becerra’s office did \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-files-brief-support-lawsuit-oakland-and-san-francisco\">support\u003c/a> some of those local lawsuits, but Siegel said he should have gone further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Center for Biological Diversity gave Becerra a C+ on its environmental scorecard, noting campaign contributions from oil companies and his opposition to a proposed state law that would make fossil fuel companies pay for the effects of climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Siegel also pointed to Becerra’s answer in a recent debate, where he said he \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/california/2026/05/07/becerra-villaraigosa-spar-in-debate-on-migrants/89972962007/\">would support opening up oil drilling again in Kern County \u003c/a>— something he had \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-slams-trump-administration-plan-sell-seven-oil-and-gas\">opposed as attorney general\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to put all the pieces together,” she said. “The environmental consequences of more oil drilling in California would be massive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra didn’t shy away from the issue when \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/6doKjDbdjQk?t=3688s\">asked by KQED’s Scott Shafer\u003c/a> why he accepted donations from Chevron and whether he would hold big companies like them accountable as governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/XavierBecerra-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra noted that there were several lawsuits he \u003cspan style=\"margin: 0px;padding: 0px\">\u003ca href=\"https://stateimpactcenter.org/ag-work/ag-actions/four-ags-filed-lawsuit-challenging-restart-federal-coal-leasing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filed\u003c/a>\u003c/span> or \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-joins-lawsuit-block-blm-offering-fossil-fuel-industries\">joined\u003c/a> as attorney general against fossil fuel companies. He also talked about how many people companies like Chevron employ.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Chevron — that’s the problem with politics — they’re not the bad guy,” Becerra said. “Does everybody here drive an electric vehicle? You need Chevron, I need Chevron, my people of the state of California need Chevron.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Renteria said voters shouldn’t assume that just because her former boss isn’t writing off big corporations that he won’t fight for the little guy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“By nature, he’s like this protector,” she said, adding that he has a natural aversion to anyone “bullying or taking advantage” of people, and will do everything he can to fight on their behalf.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Building less, blocking more\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>But on one of the biggest issues facing the state — the need for more housing — critics say Becerra didn’t show that type of aggression as attorney general, instead seeming more interested in blocking housing developments than helping push market-rate development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2021, for example, he \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-18/ag-becerra-challenges-housing-projects-in-wildfire-areas\">joined two lawsuits\u003c/a> to halt developments in San Diego County, saying they were in wildfire zones and didn’t include enough affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier, in 2019, Becerra \u003ca href=\"https://www.capradio.org/articles/2019/01/25/california-sues-huntington-beach-using-new-housing-law/\">sued Huntington Beach\u003c/a> for refusing to add state-mandated low-income housing to its local housing plan, and in 2020, he \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-files-intervene-lawsuit-protect-california%E2%80%99s-affordable\">joined a lawsuit\u003c/a> to ensure that cities comply with state affordable housing laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12073370\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12073370\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/250519-AffordableHousingFile-04-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction is underway on an affordable housing apartment building at 2550 Irving St. in San Francisco’s Sunset District on May 19, 2025. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra points to those lawsuits as evidence of his commitment to ensuring local governments both built more housing in general and affordable housing in particular — and that they complied with state laws mandating more construction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the campaign trail this year, Becerra has stressed the state’s housing shortage as a key driver of affordability and promised to use the governor’s office to eliminate hurdles — including aggressively going after cities and counties that aren’t building enough. He has also pledged to declare a state of emergency around housing and embed his own housing experts in agencies across the state government to help remove obstacles to building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Foote, executive director of the pro-housing group YIMBY Action, said she gives Becerra credit for appearing more interested in the issue as a candidate than he did as attorney general, a shift that matches the state’s overall political evolution on the issue.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I think that now there’s sort of a greater recognition that the overall housing shortage is damaging everyone, not just low-income people. He has made that pivot,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But her group, YIMBY Action, which endorsed Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer in the governor’s race, gave Becerra a “C” grade on housing. It noted that when asked about holding cities accountable as attorney general, “he took the opportunity to brag about using CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act), one of the most potent and abused tools of the anti-housing movement, to block a housing development in San Diego.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those lawsuits were successful: After Becerra left the attorney general’s office, Bonta negotiated settlements that led one of the projects to be scrapped entirely; the site, now owned by the state, will be \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-permanent-conservation-san-diego-wildlands\">permanently conserved as open space\u003c/a>. The other proposed project will move forward \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-otay-ranch-village-13-project-settlement-will-reduce\">under a separate settlement\u003c/a>, with thousands of housing units slated for a smaller area than the initial proposal, which will reduce wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In general, Foote said, Becerra seemed to focus almost exclusively on affordable housing as attorney general, like in the Huntington Beach case, which Huntington Beach settled in 2020.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was a good case for them to weigh in, but I think it did reveal in that administration a preference to be really focused on subsidized affordable housing and pushing back on explicit discriminatory things as opposed to getting involved in the larger housing supply issue overall,” Foote said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12044985\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12044985\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250618-NEWTEACHERHOUSING-20-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A mockup sits near the stage during a groundbreaking ceremony at 750 Golden Gate Avenue in San Francisco on June 18, 2025, to mark the start of two affordable housing projects. One will deliver 75 units prioritized for SFUSD and City College educators, and the other at 850 Turk will add 92 family apartments. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But she added that Becerra didn’t have as many tools at his disposal as the current attorney general does, and that he’s promised to focus on accountability if he’s elected governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has already committed to doing a greater degree of enforcement than we have had under the Gavin Newsom administration. … Is it as much improvement as some of the other candidates have committed to? No, but I think he is already promising to do better than we have done over the last eight years,” Foote said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Becerra leans into his resume on the campaign trail, his opponents are trying to frame that experience as a liability. His campaign is pushing back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The record speaks for itself,” Underland said. “Xavier Becerra took on oil companies, fought cities blocking affordable housing, challenged the Trump administration over environmental rollbacks, and held powerful interests accountable in court.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Primary 2026: Monday Is Your Last Day to Register Online to Vote. What if You Miss It?",
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"headTitle": "Primary 2026: Monday Is Your Last Day to Register Online to Vote. What if You Miss It? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Monday — May 18 — is the last day to register online to\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\"> vote in the June 2 state primary election\u003c/a>. It’s also your last chance to \u003cem>re\u003c/em>-register online if you need to update your voter registration details.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if you miss this deadline, don’t worry. You have several options for registering or re-registering in person all the way through June 2, your last day to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what to know about checking your voter registration, from the May 18 deadline to how to make sure election officials have your correct mailing address. You can also jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Iwanttoregistertovoteforthefirsttime\">I want to register to vote for the first time\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#WhatshouldIdoifIvemovedtoanewaddressorchangedmyname\">What should I do if I’ve moved to a new address or changed my name?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#WhatifIhaventreceivedmyballotyet\">What if I haven’t received my ballot yet?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>I’m almost certain I’m registered to vote … but how can I check?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You can check your voter registration status at\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\"> voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a>, which will show whether you’re registered to vote and the address associated with your registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your voter registration is active and your address and name are up to date, your ballot should have arrived by now. You can use\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\"> voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> to check when your ballot was mailed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also use\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> the Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether your ballot was sent out, and read\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\"> our guide on what to do if your ballot never showed up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are some reasons I might need to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Updating your voter registration is also known as “re-registering” to vote — because to update elements of your voter record at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>, you’ll need to register to vote \u003cem>again\u003c/em> as if you were making a new application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a general rule, you’ll definitely need to re-register if your name or address has changed. But if registering to vote when you know you’re already registered feels weird, don’t worry: this won’t be seen as you trying to fraudulently register to vote twice or anything like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082778\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082778 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274165052-scaled-e1778866234143.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The June 2 state primary election is approaching quickly. Stay informed with KQED’s voter guide. \u003ccite>(Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Because your voter registration is tied to your social security number and your driver’s license/state ID card number, your new voter registration will be matched with your \u003cem>existing\u003c/em> voter registration and your details will be updated. There will also be a section on the form where you can provide any previous addresses and names you’ve been registered to vote under.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you want to change your party preference, you’ll also need to re-register to do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For smaller changes, your county may allow you to submit a Voter Action Form by mail or online. For example, if San Francisco residents want to make minor changes to their voter registration, they can use\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfelections.org/tools/regupdate/regupd.php\"> a form from the San Francisco Department of Elections\u003c/a> to determine whether they can do so online. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#FindyourBayAreacountyelectionsofficeswebsiteandcontactdetails\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You should update your voter registration if:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"WhatshouldIdoifIvemovedtoanewaddressorchangedmyname\">\u003c/a>If you have moved to a new address within California\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your old address is on your voter registration, then your mail-in ballot will automatically be sent to that address — not your new one. Your voter registration will only reflect your new address if you’ve manually updated it or\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\"> if you’ve updated your address with the DMV.\u003c/a>[aside postID=news_12082074 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/007_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg']Register to vote with your new address at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state says that you can also send a signed letter to your current county elections official to let them know you’ve moved, along with your date of birth and current address. Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you have legally changed your name\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’ll need to re-register to vote with your new name. One important thing: Before you do that, the Secretary of State recommends that you\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\"> update your California driver’s license or identification card with the DMV \u003cem>first.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV currently has for you. And if you haven’t updated your signature with the DMV, the signature the agency sends to your county elections office will be the signature for your previous name, not your new one, and your registration will be rejected.\u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/updating-information-on-your-driver-license-or-identification-dl-id-card/\"> Read how to update your signature with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if you aren’t able to update your details with the DMV first? The state recommends you select “decline” on the application when asked to use your DMV signature to register to vote — but you’ll have to hit “print” and sign the paper application, which you’ll mail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new name at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you haven’t voted in a while\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In general,” the Secretary of State’s office says, you’ll stay registered to vote for as long as you remain at the same address you’re registered with — but “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">there are cases in which voter registration can be canceled\u003c/a> if a voter has not voted in several consecutive general elections.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if your ballot hasn’t arrived in May, and you suspect it might be because you haven’t voted in many years, contact your county’s elections office ASAP. Jump straight to our list of Bay Area county elections offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When is my last chance to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you forget to re-register with your new address or name, and your ballot is sent out in May to the wrong address or without your current name, don’t worry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As long as you update your voter registration online at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before the May 18 deadline, your county will just cancel the ballot that went to your old address and send you a new one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062372\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062372\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-33-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-33-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-33-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-33-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A voter drops off a ballot at the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And if things get hectic this month and you miss the May 18 deadline, you can still update your voter registration — you’ll just have to do it in person at that stage. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Vote centers will open in most Bay Area counties on May 23. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go to your county elections office or an open voting location and ask to register in person via Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, June 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Iwanttoregistertovoteforthefirsttime\">\u003c/a>How can I register to vote for the \u003cem>first\u003c/em> time?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You can register to vote if you’re:[aside label=\"2026 California Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide,Learn everything you need to cast an informed ballot for the 2026 primary election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Voter-Guide-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A United States citizen and a resident of California,\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>18 years old or older on Election Day\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>People who are currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction cannot vote or register to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can register to vote online at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before the May 18 deadline. After that, you can register to vote in person at your county elections office or an open voting location, where you can register through Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re unhoused or have no fixed address, you can still register to vote by describing the place where you spend most of your time, if you don’t have a street address, including cross streets. You can \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">register to vote this way via online application\u003c/a> before May 18, or on the paper voter registration application you can pick up at any Department of Motor Vehicles field office, or many post offices, public libraries, government offices or\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\"> your county elections office\u003c/a> by request (where you can also use Same Day Registration in person).\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"WhatifIhaventreceivedmyballotyet\">\u003c/a>When will my ballot arrive?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Every registered voter in California will automatically receive a ballot in the mail, and by this point, you should have received yours if you were correctly registered to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>May 4 was the deadline for Bay Area counties to \u003cem>start\u003c/em> mailing ballots, though many started several days earlier. This means your ballot will most likely have arrived in early to mid-May.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082112\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082112\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Porfirio Diaz fills out his mail-in ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at his home in Oakland on Sept. 9, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>You can use both\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\"> voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> and the state’s\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> A tool to check whether your ballot has been sent out. And if your ballot is still missing, don’t worry: You have options.\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\"> Read our 2025 guide for what to do if your ballot doesn’t show up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can use the ballot to cast your vote, or you can forget it and request a fresh one at a voting location. The one that arrived in the mail will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"FindyourBayAreacountyelectionsofficeswebsiteandcontactdetails\">\u003c/a>How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\"> send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Monday — May 18 — is the last day to register online to\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\"> vote in the June 2 state primary election\u003c/a>. It’s also your last chance to \u003cem>re\u003c/em>-register online if you need to update your voter registration details.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if you miss this deadline, don’t worry. You have several options for registering or re-registering in person all the way through June 2, your last day to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what to know about checking your voter registration, from the May 18 deadline to how to make sure election officials have your correct mailing address. You can also jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Iwanttoregistertovoteforthefirsttime\">I want to register to vote for the first time\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#WhatshouldIdoifIvemovedtoanewaddressorchangedmyname\">What should I do if I’ve moved to a new address or changed my name?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#WhatifIhaventreceivedmyballotyet\">What if I haven’t received my ballot yet?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>I’m almost certain I’m registered to vote … but how can I check?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You can check your voter registration status at\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\"> voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a>, which will show whether you’re registered to vote and the address associated with your registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your voter registration is active and your address and name are up to date, your ballot should have arrived by now. You can use\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\"> voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> to check when your ballot was mailed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also use\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> the Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether your ballot was sent out, and read\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\"> our guide on what to do if your ballot never showed up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are some reasons I might need to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Updating your voter registration is also known as “re-registering” to vote — because to update elements of your voter record at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>, you’ll need to register to vote \u003cem>again\u003c/em> as if you were making a new application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a general rule, you’ll definitely need to re-register if your name or address has changed. But if registering to vote when you know you’re already registered feels weird, don’t worry: this won’t be seen as you trying to fraudulently register to vote twice or anything like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082778\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082778 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274165052-scaled-e1778866234143.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The June 2 state primary election is approaching quickly. Stay informed with KQED’s voter guide. \u003ccite>(Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Because your voter registration is tied to your social security number and your driver’s license/state ID card number, your new voter registration will be matched with your \u003cem>existing\u003c/em> voter registration and your details will be updated. There will also be a section on the form where you can provide any previous addresses and names you’ve been registered to vote under.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you want to change your party preference, you’ll also need to re-register to do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For smaller changes, your county may allow you to submit a Voter Action Form by mail or online. For example, if San Francisco residents want to make minor changes to their voter registration, they can use\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfelections.org/tools/regupdate/regupd.php\"> a form from the San Francisco Department of Elections\u003c/a> to determine whether they can do so online. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#FindyourBayAreacountyelectionsofficeswebsiteandcontactdetails\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You should update your voter registration if:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"WhatshouldIdoifIvemovedtoanewaddressorchangedmyname\">\u003c/a>If you have moved to a new address within California\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your old address is on your voter registration, then your mail-in ballot will automatically be sent to that address — not your new one. Your voter registration will only reflect your new address if you’ve manually updated it or\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\"> if you’ve updated your address with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Register to vote with your new address at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state says that you can also send a signed letter to your current county elections official to let them know you’ve moved, along with your date of birth and current address. Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you have legally changed your name\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’ll need to re-register to vote with your new name. One important thing: Before you do that, the Secretary of State recommends that you\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\"> update your California driver’s license or identification card with the DMV \u003cem>first.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV currently has for you. And if you haven’t updated your signature with the DMV, the signature the agency sends to your county elections office will be the signature for your previous name, not your new one, and your registration will be rejected.\u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/updating-information-on-your-driver-license-or-identification-dl-id-card/\"> Read how to update your signature with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if you aren’t able to update your details with the DMV first? The state recommends you select “decline” on the application when asked to use your DMV signature to register to vote — but you’ll have to hit “print” and sign the paper application, which you’ll mail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new name at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you haven’t voted in a while\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In general,” the Secretary of State’s office says, you’ll stay registered to vote for as long as you remain at the same address you’re registered with — but “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">there are cases in which voter registration can be canceled\u003c/a> if a voter has not voted in several consecutive general elections.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if your ballot hasn’t arrived in May, and you suspect it might be because you haven’t voted in many years, contact your county’s elections office ASAP. Jump straight to our list of Bay Area county elections offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When is my last chance to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you forget to re-register with your new address or name, and your ballot is sent out in May to the wrong address or without your current name, don’t worry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As long as you update your voter registration online at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before the May 18 deadline, your county will just cancel the ballot that went to your old address and send you a new one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062372\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062372\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-33-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-33-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-33-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-33-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A voter drops off a ballot at the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And if things get hectic this month and you miss the May 18 deadline, you can still update your voter registration — you’ll just have to do it in person at that stage. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Vote centers will open in most Bay Area counties on May 23. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go to your county elections office or an open voting location and ask to register in person via Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, June 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Iwanttoregistertovoteforthefirsttime\">\u003c/a>How can I register to vote for the \u003cem>first\u003c/em> time?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>You can register to vote if you’re:\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"link1": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide,Learn everything you need to cast an informed ballot for the 2026 primary election",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A United States citizen and a resident of California,\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>18 years old or older on Election Day\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>People who are currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction cannot vote or register to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can register to vote online at\u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\"> registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before the May 18 deadline. After that, you can register to vote in person at your county elections office or an open voting location, where you can register through Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re unhoused or have no fixed address, you can still register to vote by describing the place where you spend most of your time, if you don’t have a street address, including cross streets. You can \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">register to vote this way via online application\u003c/a> before May 18, or on the paper voter registration application you can pick up at any Department of Motor Vehicles field office, or many post offices, public libraries, government offices or\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\"> your county elections office\u003c/a> by request (where you can also use Same Day Registration in person).\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"WhatifIhaventreceivedmyballotyet\">\u003c/a>When will my ballot arrive?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Every registered voter in California will automatically receive a ballot in the mail, and by this point, you should have received yours if you were correctly registered to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>May 4 was the deadline for Bay Area counties to \u003cem>start\u003c/em> mailing ballots, though many started several days earlier. This means your ballot will most likely have arrived in early to mid-May.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082112\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082112\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Porfirio Diaz fills out his mail-in ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at his home in Oakland on Sept. 9, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>You can use both\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\"> voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> and the state’s\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> A tool to check whether your ballot has been sent out. And if your ballot is still missing, don’t worry: You have options.\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\"> Read our 2025 guide for what to do if your ballot doesn’t show up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can use the ballot to cast your vote, or you can forget it and request a fresh one at a voting location. The one that arrived in the mail will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"FindyourBayAreacountyelectionsofficeswebsiteandcontactdetails\">\u003c/a>How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\"> send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "what-is-californias-jungle-primary-and-why-does-it-matter-so-much-for-the-governors-race",
"title": "What Is California's ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race?",
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"headTitle": "What Is California’s ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>In California’s upcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">June primary election\u003c/a>, you’ll have the opportunity to cast your ballot for any of the candidates for governor, regardless of which party you’re registered with. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known as a “jungle primary,” this system is different from how most states handle their primary elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075174/democratic-candidates-for-california-governor-defy-pressure-to-end-campaigns\"> Democrats raised the alarm\u003c/a> that two Republican gubernatorial candidates may move to the general election, locking out Democrats despite outnumbering Republican registered voters almost two to one. That’s because the crowded field of Democratic candidates threatens to split the party’s vote. Until recently, multiple polls have shown the two Republicans, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, polling at the top of the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by these concerns, critics of the top-two primary have now filed a ballot initiative that would repeal this system and return California to party-based primaries, potentially as early as 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But how does this top-two arrangement work? Why does California do things this way? And what are the chances of voters choosing between two GOP candidates for governor in November?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How does California’s top-two primary system work?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a traditional closed primary, such as in presidential races, voters can only choose among candidates from their own party: That is, say, registered Democrats could only vote for Democratic candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a top-two primary, all candidates from all parties appear on a single ballot open to any registered voter. The two candidates with the most votes in that primary then move on to the general election, even if they’re from the same party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070752\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070752\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2255038550-scaled-e1775501165458.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1586\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Candidates for California’s next governor listen to a question from a union worker during the 2026 Gubernatorial Candidate Forum in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Christina House/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kim Alexander, president and founder of the California Voter Foundation, said this is an even bigger concern for third parties in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the unfortunate byproducts” of California’s jungle primary system, Alexander said, is how “it’s really shut out a lot of minor parties from the general election and they run the risk of being kicked off the ballot altogether.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because if you don’t have candidates appearing on ballots at a certain pace, then you can’t remain an official party,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Does this really mean Californians might not get a Republican vs. Democrat race for governor in November?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s correct: Under the top-two primary system, the November contest could be an intraparty fight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That scenario has worried many California Democrats. With seven top Democrats crowding the field, there’s a risk of fracturing their party’s vote. Meanwhile, if enough Republican voters back both Hilton and Bianco to push them both into the top two, California could be locked into an all-Republican general election for governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081068\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, fist-bump prior to a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar via Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In March, state Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged politicians in his party to take a hard look at the viability of their campaigns and drop out before the filing deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California’s leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next Governor,” Hicks wrote in an \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/open-letter-to-the-democratic-candidates-for-governor/\">open letter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the contenders heeded his plea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071100\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, the likelihood of Republicans shutting Democrats out of the November election \u003cem>has \u003c/em>decreased since President Donald \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">Trump endorsed Hilton\u003c/a> in April. A clear front-runner could unify Republican voters behind Hilton and open the door for a Democrat to claim the second spot in the runoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, the most \u003ca href=\"https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-poll-becerra-continues-to-surge-steyer-and-hilton-compete-for-second-spot/\">recent Emerson poll\u003c/a> now shows former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in the lead with 19% of likely voters for the first time in the race. Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are tied for second with 17%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s surge came after former East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell — who was regarded as a front-runner for the gubernatorial primary — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">exited the race \u003c/a>last month amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does California have this top-two system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Historically, California required a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to pass the state budget instead of a simple majority vote.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]In 2009, Democrats needed to court Republican votes to pass the state budget. Then-state Sen. Abel Maldonado, a Republican, agreed to vote yes — but only if the Legislature put a measure on the ballot to create the top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters approved that measure, \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/14_06_2010.aspx\">Proposition 14\u003c/a>, in 2010, amending the state constitution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger backed the measure as a way to transform state politics, forcing candidates to appeal to voters across party lines and ultimately boost more moderate politicians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He liked to talk about living in a post-partisan political climate,” Alexander said. “He liked the idea of candidates having to appeal to more voters than just voters of their own party, and to face competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The system was also designed to give more influence to California’s \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/60day-primary-2026/historical-reg-stats.pdf\">no party preference\u003c/a> voters, who make up 23% of registered voters in the state, just behind Republicans at 25%.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which political offices in California are decided using this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary applies to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/primary-elections-california\">“voter-nominated”\u003c/a> offices: governor and other statewide positions like lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state controller, insurance commissioner and state board of equalization members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also covers state Senate and Assembly seats and U.S. congressional offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jungle primary system does not apply to presidential elections, local and nonpartisan offices such as city council, school boards, judges, district attorneys or the superintendent of public instruction.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which other states use this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Washington state was the first to adopt a top-two primary for congressional and state-level elections in 2004, but not for governor.[aside postID=news_12082926 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260326-KATIE-PORTER-ON-PB-MD-03-KQED.jpg']Unlike California, Washington allows write-in candidates in the general election — a safety valve for scenarios where one party is locked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A handful of other states use variations of the system. Nebraska’s legislature is nonpartisan, so it uses a top-two primary for state legislative races.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Louisiana uses a majority-vote system for statewide executive offices, state legislative seats and local offices. If a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, they win outright. If not, there is a second round of voting with the top two vote-getters in November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alaska adopted a top-four primary in 2020 for state executive, state legislative and congressional races. An effort to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Ballot_Measure_2,_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2024)\">repeal\u003c/a> the state’s top-four primaries was narrowly defeated by voters in 2024 but will be on the \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2026)\">ballot again\u003c/a> this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If I’m a ‘no party preference’ voter, can I even vote in the California primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes: Any registered voter, including those with no party preference, can vote for any candidate in voter-nominated races like the governor’s contest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary system draws no distinction based on a voter’s party registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Are there any efforts to get rid of California’s jungle primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by concerns that Democrats could be locked out of this year’s governor’s race, a new ballot initiative seeks to repeal California’s top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/initiatives/pdfs/26-0004%20%28%26quot%3BUndo%20the%20Top-Two%26quot%3B%29.pdf\">filed the initiative\u003c/a>, called “Undo the Top Two,” with the attorney general on May 8.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079476\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A state gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. The Urban League of the Bay Area hosted the forum. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He called the jungle primary a “failed experiment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The prospect of having to vote for a candidate who’s not from your party in November has really woken up a lot of voters in the state about the dangers of the top-two primary,” Maviglio said. “The chance that a Democrat would have to choose between Chad Bianco or Steve Hilton is sending a chill up the spine of a lot of Democrats.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if successful, Maviglio’s initiative won’t impact the 2026 election — since he hopes to place the measure on the 2028 ballot, with any changes taking effect no earlier than the 2030 elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The top-two primary means that, despite Democrats’ voter registration advantage in the state, California could have an all-Republican governor’s race in November.",
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"title": "What Is California's ‘Jungle Primary’ — and Why Does It Matter so Much for the Governor’s Race? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In California’s upcoming \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">June primary election\u003c/a>, you’ll have the opportunity to cast your ballot for any of the candidates for governor, regardless of which party you’re registered with. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Known as a “jungle primary,” this system is different from how most states handle their primary elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075174/democratic-candidates-for-california-governor-defy-pressure-to-end-campaigns\"> Democrats raised the alarm\u003c/a> that two Republican gubernatorial candidates may move to the general election, locking out Democrats despite outnumbering Republican registered voters almost two to one. That’s because the crowded field of Democratic candidates threatens to split the party’s vote. Until recently, multiple polls have shown the two Republicans, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, polling at the top of the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by these concerns, critics of the top-two primary have now filed a ballot initiative that would repeal this system and return California to party-based primaries, potentially as early as 2030.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But how does this top-two arrangement work? Why does California do things this way? And what are the chances of voters choosing between two GOP candidates for governor in November?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How does California’s top-two primary system work?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In a traditional closed primary, such as in presidential races, voters can only choose among candidates from their own party: That is, say, registered Democrats could only vote for Democratic candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in a top-two primary, all candidates from all parties appear on a single ballot open to any registered voter. The two candidates with the most votes in that primary then move on to the general election, even if they’re from the same party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12070752\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12070752\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/GettyImages-2255038550-scaled-e1775501165458.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1586\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Candidates for California’s next governor listen to a question from a union worker during the 2026 Gubernatorial Candidate Forum in Los Angeles on Jan. 10, 2026. \u003ccite>(Christina House/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kim Alexander, president and founder of the California Voter Foundation, said this is an even bigger concern for third parties in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the unfortunate byproducts” of California’s jungle primary system, Alexander said, is how “it’s really shut out a lot of minor parties from the general election and they run the risk of being kicked off the ballot altogether.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because if you don’t have candidates appearing on ballots at a certain pace, then you can’t remain an official party,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Does this really mean Californians might not get a Republican vs. Democrat race for governor in November?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>That’s correct: Under the top-two primary system, the November contest could be an intraparty fight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That scenario has worried many California Democrats. With seven top Democrats crowding the field, there’s a risk of fracturing their party’s vote. Meanwhile, if enough Republican voters back both Hilton and Bianco to push them both into the top two, California could be locked into an all-Republican general election for governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081068\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, fist-bump prior to a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar via Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In March, state Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged politicians in his party to take a hard look at the viability of their campaigns and drop out before the filing deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California’s leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next Governor,” Hicks wrote in an \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/open-letter-to-the-democratic-candidates-for-governor/\">open letter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>None of the contenders heeded his plea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071100\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, the likelihood of Republicans shutting Democrats out of the November election \u003cem>has \u003c/em>decreased since President Donald \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">Trump endorsed Hilton\u003c/a> in April. A clear front-runner could unify Republican voters behind Hilton and open the door for a Democrat to claim the second spot in the runoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, the most \u003ca href=\"https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-poll-becerra-continues-to-surge-steyer-and-hilton-compete-for-second-spot/\">recent Emerson poll\u003c/a> now shows former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in the lead with 19% of likely voters for the first time in the race. Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are tied for second with 17%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s surge came after former East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell — who was regarded as a front-runner for the gubernatorial primary — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">exited the race \u003c/a>last month amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Why does California have this top-two system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Historically, California required a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to pass the state budget instead of a simple majority vote.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In 2009, Democrats needed to court Republican votes to pass the state budget. Then-state Sen. Abel Maldonado, a Republican, agreed to vote yes — but only if the Legislature put a measure on the ballot to create the top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters approved that measure, \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/ballot/2010/14_06_2010.aspx\">Proposition 14\u003c/a>, in 2010, amending the state constitution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger backed the measure as a way to transform state politics, forcing candidates to appeal to voters across party lines and ultimately boost more moderate politicians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He liked to talk about living in a post-partisan political climate,” Alexander said. “He liked the idea of candidates having to appeal to more voters than just voters of their own party, and to face competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The system was also designed to give more influence to California’s \u003ca href=\"https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/60day-primary-2026/historical-reg-stats.pdf\">no party preference\u003c/a> voters, who make up 23% of registered voters in the state, just behind Republicans at 25%.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which political offices in California are decided using this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary applies to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/primary-elections-california\">“voter-nominated”\u003c/a> offices: governor and other statewide positions like lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer, state controller, insurance commissioner and state board of equalization members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also covers state Senate and Assembly seats and U.S. congressional offices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jungle primary system does not apply to presidential elections, local and nonpartisan offices such as city council, school boards, judges, district attorneys or the superintendent of public instruction.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which other states use this system?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Washington state was the first to adopt a top-two primary for congressional and state-level elections in 2004, but not for governor.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Unlike California, Washington allows write-in candidates in the general election — a safety valve for scenarios where one party is locked out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A handful of other states use variations of the system. Nebraska’s legislature is nonpartisan, so it uses a top-two primary for state legislative races.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Louisiana uses a majority-vote system for statewide executive offices, state legislative seats and local offices. If a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, they win outright. If not, there is a second round of voting with the top two vote-getters in November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alaska adopted a top-four primary in 2020 for state executive, state legislative and congressional races. An effort to \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Ballot_Measure_2,_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2024)\">repeal\u003c/a> the state’s top-four primaries was narrowly defeated by voters in 2024 but will be on the \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Repeal_Top-Four_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2026)\">ballot again\u003c/a> this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>If I’m a ‘no party preference’ voter, can I even vote in the California primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes: Any registered voter, including those with no party preference, can vote for any candidate in voter-nominated races like the governor’s contest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top-two primary system draws no distinction based on a voter’s party registration.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Are there any efforts to get rid of California’s jungle primary?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Driven in part by concerns that Democrats could be locked out of this year’s governor’s race, a new ballot initiative seeks to repeal California’s top-two primary system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/initiatives/pdfs/26-0004%20%28%26quot%3BUndo%20the%20Top-Two%26quot%3B%29.pdf\">filed the initiative\u003c/a>, called “Undo the Top Two,” with the attorney general on May 8.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079476\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260226-GovRaceForum-49-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A state gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. The Urban League of the Bay Area hosted the forum. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He called the jungle primary a “failed experiment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The prospect of having to vote for a candidate who’s not from your party in November has really woken up a lot of voters in the state about the dangers of the top-two primary,” Maviglio said. “The chance that a Democrat would have to choose between Chad Bianco or Steve Hilton is sending a chill up the spine of a lot of Democrats.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if successful, Maviglio’s initiative won’t impact the 2026 election — since he hopes to place the measure on the 2028 ballot, with any changes taking effect no earlier than the 2030 elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "heres-how-the-candidates-for-governor-would-make-california-more-affordable",
"title": "Here’s How the Candidates for Governor Would Make California More Affordable",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s next governor will inherit an affordability crisis that defies easy fixes: housing costs that have outpaced incomes for years, electricity rates among the highest in the nation, and gas prices nearly $2 above the national average — all in a state whose economy remains the envy of the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074132/xavier-becerra-on-why-his-upbringing-and-career-give-him-an-edge-over-other-gubernatorial-candidates\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and a Democratic candidate for governor, rattled off some of the biggest cost pressures as he spoke to more than 300 people in a high school gym in Concord last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The cost of affording a home, your health care, groceries, gasoline,” he said. “That cost of living crisis that we face here — it becomes existential.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The price of housing and energy has been unaffordable for Californians long before a post-pandemic surge in inflation made the cost of living the top concern for voters across America — and a potent political cudgel for politicians from President Donald Trump to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it’s no surprise that, in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082125/inside-californias-billionaire-tax-fight-and-the-wide-open-governors-race\">most competitive primary\u003c/a> for California governor in a generation, candidates from both parties are making affordability central to their campaigns, vowing to ease a cost crunch fueled in part by the state’s top-heavy economy, strict land-use policies and complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is often leading the nation — most of the time, that’s for good,” said Neale Mahoney, director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. “But on some of these issues, we’ve been the canary in the coal mine for some of the problems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center-left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on Thursday, April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The challenge: affordability has come to encompass such a wide range of cost pressures that the next governor could struggle to even define success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While leading candidates in both parties agree that housing costs are the greatest strain on residents’ budgets, other affordability proposals run the gamut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the Democrats, Becerra is vowing to freeze utility rates and home insurance premiums; investor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075769/tom-steyer-lays-out-vision-for-a-more-affordable-california-in-run-for-governor\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a> wants to return windfall oil profits to residents; San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075490/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-positions-himself-as-a-change-candidate-in-governors-race\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a> would pause the gas tax, and former congressmember \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> is promising free child care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the Republican side, former Fox News commentator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071133/former-fox-news-host-steve-hilton-lays-out-vision-for-california-governorship\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a> wants to cut taxes and car registration fees, while Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> vows to bring down gas prices by encouraging oil production in the state.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]The specifics may differ, but the political upside of running a campaign focused on affordability is undeniable. Trump hammered former Vice President Kamala Harris over inflation on his way to victory in 2024. The following year, Mamdani made the cost of rent and transit a centerpiece of his successful campaign for mayor — while fellow Democrats won governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia on affordability platforms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the California governor’s race, candidates have leaned into their own personal histories as they attempt to connect with voters struggling with rising costs. Becerra has shared stories of his immigrant parents saving up to buy a house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan has recounted his working-class upbringing in the farming town of Watsonville. Hilton has pointed to his humble beginnings as the son of Hungarian refugees in London, and Porter has openly discussed the struggle of raising a family in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m the single mom of three teenagers who believe they will not be able to buy houses here in California,” Porter said at a debate hosted by CBS in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters like Luis Hernandez, who attended Becerra’s event in Concord, are looking for more than just campaign rhetoric. Hernandez is self-employed and buys health insurance through the Covered California exchange. He bemoaned rising premiums that are eating into his earnings and wants to know how the former attorney general plans to lower costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Home insurance, car insurance and the worst is health insurance,” Hernandez said. “Everything is going up, so it’s tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traditional metrics for measuring affordability don’t neatly capture voter angst about cost pressures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082354\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082354\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter (D) speaks during a town hall at KQED on May 4, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A longstanding gauge of purchasing power is real income, which measures pay after taking into account price increases. Real personal income \u003ca href=\"https://www.bea.gov/data/income-saving/real-personal-income-states\">increased by\u003c/a> 5.5% in California between 2023 and 2024 — the largest jump in the nation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. And real income for the median household in the state has \u003ca href=\"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSCAA672N\">risen to new highs\u003c/a> after a post-pandemic decline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8dj134w8\">survey\u003c/a> last month found a whopping 40% of likely voters picked “reducing the cost of living” as a top priority of California’s next governor. No other issue came close — and voters also prioritized specific cost-related solutions, such as building affordable housing (12%), lowering gas prices (10%), reducing health care costs (7%) and cutting utility rates (4%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What the macroeconomic statistics miss is that the most acute price pressures are on essential goods and services that are hardest for Californians to substitute, Mahoney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe the price of a flat screen TV has decreased, and that’s great,” Mahoney said. “But the price for health care, the price for housing … these are really essentials and price increases there hit in a really inescapable way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nowhere is that more evident than the cost of housing. The median home value in California is more than twice the national average, putting homeownership, long a key pathway to middle-class financial security, increasingly out of reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/793\">new report\u003c/a> from the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office found that a mid-tier home in California (a house with a value in the 35th to 65th percentile) costs about $775,000. Since 2020, the income needed to qualify for a mortgage on a mid-tier home has increased far more quickly than median household income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While home prices have stabilized, housing has become less affordable for most Californians in recent years,” the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leading contenders for governor share a focus on the supply side of the housing equation: finding ways to increase development and construction by streamlining or removing regulations and easing local zoning restrictions.[aside label=\"2026 California Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide,Learn everything you need to cast an informed ballot for the 2026 primary election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Voter-Guide-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]While Democrats Becerra, Porter and Steyer said they will focus their efforts on promoting denser housing near transit, Republicans Bianco and Hilton have argued for extending the growth of single-family neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do not have a land problem in California,” Bianco said in an April debate hosted by Nexstar. “We have a management problem, we have a government problem that we absolutely must take away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But affordability concerns in the state extend beyond the price of renting or buying a home, said Evan White, executive director of the California Policy Lab at the University of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“On average, Californians pay about twice as much for housing as the average American, they pay 60% more for utilities than the average American, they pay 40% more for gas than the average American, they pay 11% more for groceries than the average American,” he said. “We’re the most expensive state by far.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of those cost pressures reflect California’s perilous position in the midst of a complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Californians are being hit with the costs of damaging wildfires fueled by years of climate pollution, while the state’s carbon-intensive oil and gas industry faces an uncertain future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gas prices in the state currently average $6.16 a gallon, per AAA — the highest in the nation. The gap between California and the national average is due in part to the cost of state fuel blend requirements, environmental regulations and what UC Berkeley professor Severin Borenstein has \u003ca href=\"https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/whats-the-matter-with-californias-gasoline-prices/\">dubbed\u003c/a> the “mystery gasoline surcharge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco has proposed eliminating the state’s 61-cent-per-gallon gas tax, which funds road repair and transit. Hilton wants to reduce the gas tax and suspend the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which adds about eight to 10 cents per gallon. Steyer, by contrast, said he would seek to impose a cap on refinery profits and return any profits above the cap to residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there are electricity prices, which have increased dramatically in recent years — in large part due to investments made by investor-owned utilities to prevent future wildfires. The costs of those mitigation measures, such as undergrounding wires and trimming trees, were passed along to customers of PG&E, SoCal Edison and SDG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082331\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082331 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer speaks during a town hall event on April 30, 2026, in San José. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer has proposed cutting the utilities’ guaranteed rate of return for capital projects and making it easier for cities and counties to form publicly owned power providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to have a different rule at the Public Utilities Commission about how they get paid,” Steyer told KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=346s\">Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And we’re going to introduce local competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton is also a supporter of locally-owned utilities. He is proposing to reclassify hydropower from large dams as “renewable energy,” which he argues will reduce what utilities need to spend on wind and solar power to meet the state’s climate goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the next governor has the ability to make progress on reducing these cost burdens, White cautioned that the challenges won’t be fixed overnight — or alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078808\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The governor could do a lot to improve not only housing costs, but utility costs and other high costs in the state,” he said. “But they do need to be able to work with the Legislature effectively to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even before polls close in the June 2 primary, many Californians struggling to afford life in the state have already voted with their feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/priced-out-relocation-amidst-californias-affordability-crisis/\">studied the migration trends\u003c/a> of California households over the past decade. Forty-two states send fewer people to California than they did 10 years ago. And families who decided to leave California are improving their financial conditions and becoming more likely to own a home in the years after their relocation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s clear that when they move,” White said. “They’re moving to much, much, much more affordable places.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "With the cost of living ranking high on the list of concerns for Californians heading into the June 2 primary, gubernatorial candidates from both parties are centering their campaigns on affordability.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California’s next governor will inherit an affordability crisis that defies easy fixes: housing costs that have outpaced incomes for years, electricity rates among the highest in the nation, and gas prices nearly $2 above the national average — all in a state whose economy remains the envy of the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074132/xavier-becerra-on-why-his-upbringing-and-career-give-him-an-edge-over-other-gubernatorial-candidates\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and a Democratic candidate for governor, rattled off some of the biggest cost pressures as he spoke to more than 300 people in a high school gym in Concord last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The cost of affording a home, your health care, groceries, gasoline,” he said. “That cost of living crisis that we face here — it becomes existential.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The price of housing and energy has been unaffordable for Californians long before a post-pandemic surge in inflation made the cost of living the top concern for voters across America — and a potent political cudgel for politicians from President Donald Trump to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it’s no surprise that, in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082125/inside-californias-billionaire-tax-fight-and-the-wide-open-governors-race\">most competitive primary\u003c/a> for California governor in a generation, candidates from both parties are making affordability central to their campaigns, vowing to ease a cost crunch fueled in part by the state’s top-heavy economy, strict land-use policies and complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California is often leading the nation — most of the time, that’s for good,” said Neale Mahoney, director of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. “But on some of these issues, we’ve been the canary in the coal mine for some of the problems.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082334 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260423_-XAVIERBECERRA_EG_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mark Murphy, center-left, and friend Kimberley J. Rodler, hold handmade signs in support of Xavier Becerra’s gubernatorial bid during a campaign event at Mount Diablo High School in Concord on Thursday, April 23, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The challenge: affordability has come to encompass such a wide range of cost pressures that the next governor could struggle to even define success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While leading candidates in both parties agree that housing costs are the greatest strain on residents’ budgets, other affordability proposals run the gamut.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the Democrats, Becerra is vowing to freeze utility rates and home insurance premiums; investor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075769/tom-steyer-lays-out-vision-for-a-more-affordable-california-in-run-for-governor\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a> wants to return windfall oil profits to residents; San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075490/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-positions-himself-as-a-change-candidate-in-governors-race\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a> would pause the gas tax, and former congressmember \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> is promising free child care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the Republican side, former Fox News commentator \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071133/former-fox-news-host-steve-hilton-lays-out-vision-for-california-governorship\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a> wants to cut taxes and car registration fees, while Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> vows to bring down gas prices by encouraging oil production in the state.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"link1": "https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The specifics may differ, but the political upside of running a campaign focused on affordability is undeniable. Trump hammered former Vice President Kamala Harris over inflation on his way to victory in 2024. The following year, Mamdani made the cost of rent and transit a centerpiece of his successful campaign for mayor — while fellow Democrats won governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia on affordability platforms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the California governor’s race, candidates have leaned into their own personal histories as they attempt to connect with voters struggling with rising costs. Becerra has shared stories of his immigrant parents saving up to buy a house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan has recounted his working-class upbringing in the farming town of Watsonville. Hilton has pointed to his humble beginnings as the son of Hungarian refugees in London, and Porter has openly discussed the struggle of raising a family in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m the single mom of three teenagers who believe they will not be able to buy houses here in California,” Porter said at a debate hosted by CBS in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Voters like Luis Hernandez, who attended Becerra’s event in Concord, are looking for more than just campaign rhetoric. Hernandez is self-employed and buys health insurance through the Covered California exchange. He bemoaned rising premiums that are eating into his earnings and wants to know how the former attorney general plans to lower costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Home insurance, car insurance and the worst is health insurance,” Hernandez said. “Everything is going up, so it’s tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traditional metrics for measuring affordability don’t neatly capture voter angst about cost pressures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082354\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082354\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter (D) speaks during a town hall at KQED on May 4, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A longstanding gauge of purchasing power is real income, which measures pay after taking into account price increases. Real personal income \u003ca href=\"https://www.bea.gov/data/income-saving/real-personal-income-states\">increased by\u003c/a> 5.5% in California between 2023 and 2024 — the largest jump in the nation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. And real income for the median household in the state has \u003ca href=\"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSCAA672N\">risen to new highs\u003c/a> after a post-pandemic decline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8dj134w8\">survey\u003c/a> last month found a whopping 40% of likely voters picked “reducing the cost of living” as a top priority of California’s next governor. No other issue came close — and voters also prioritized specific cost-related solutions, such as building affordable housing (12%), lowering gas prices (10%), reducing health care costs (7%) and cutting utility rates (4%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What the macroeconomic statistics miss is that the most acute price pressures are on essential goods and services that are hardest for Californians to substitute, Mahoney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Maybe the price of a flat screen TV has decreased, and that’s great,” Mahoney said. “But the price for health care, the price for housing … these are really essentials and price increases there hit in a really inescapable way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nowhere is that more evident than the cost of housing. The median home value in California is more than twice the national average, putting homeownership, long a key pathway to middle-class financial security, increasingly out of reach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://lao.ca.gov/LAOEconTax/Article/Detail/793\">new report\u003c/a> from the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office found that a mid-tier home in California (a house with a value in the 35th to 65th percentile) costs about $775,000. Since 2020, the income needed to qualify for a mortgage on a mid-tier home has increased far more quickly than median household income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While home prices have stabilized, housing has become less affordable for most Californians in recent years,” the report found.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leading contenders for governor share a focus on the supply side of the housing equation: finding ways to increase development and construction by streamlining or removing regulations and easing local zoning restrictions.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>While Democrats Becerra, Porter and Steyer said they will focus their efforts on promoting denser housing near transit, Republicans Bianco and Hilton have argued for extending the growth of single-family neighborhoods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We do not have a land problem in California,” Bianco said in an April debate hosted by Nexstar. “We have a management problem, we have a government problem that we absolutely must take away.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But affordability concerns in the state extend beyond the price of renting or buying a home, said Evan White, executive director of the California Policy Lab at the University of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“On average, Californians pay about twice as much for housing as the average American, they pay 60% more for utilities than the average American, they pay 40% more for gas than the average American, they pay 11% more for groceries than the average American,” he said. “We’re the most expensive state by far.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of those cost pressures reflect California’s perilous position in the midst of a complicated transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Californians are being hit with the costs of damaging wildfires fueled by years of climate pollution, while the state’s carbon-intensive oil and gas industry faces an uncertain future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gas prices in the state currently average $6.16 a gallon, per AAA — the highest in the nation. The gap between California and the national average is due in part to the cost of state fuel blend requirements, environmental regulations and what UC Berkeley professor Severin Borenstein has \u003ca href=\"https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/whats-the-matter-with-californias-gasoline-prices/\">dubbed\u003c/a> the “mystery gasoline surcharge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco has proposed eliminating the state’s 61-cent-per-gallon gas tax, which funds road repair and transit. Hilton wants to reduce the gas tax and suspend the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, which adds about eight to 10 cents per gallon. Steyer, by contrast, said he would seek to impose a cap on refinery profits and return any profits above the cap to residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then there are electricity prices, which have increased dramatically in recent years — in large part due to investments made by investor-owned utilities to prevent future wildfires. The costs of those mitigation measures, such as undergrounding wires and trimming trees, were passed along to customers of PG&E, SoCal Edison and SDG&E.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082331\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12082331 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/043006TOMSTEYER_GH_007-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer speaks during a town hall event on April 30, 2026, in San José. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer has proposed cutting the utilities’ guaranteed rate of return for capital projects and making it easier for cities and counties to form publicly owned power providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re going to have a different rule at the Public Utilities Commission about how they get paid,” Steyer told KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=346s\">Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And we’re going to introduce local competition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton is also a supporter of locally-owned utilities. He is proposing to reclassify hydropower from large dams as “renewable energy,” which he argues will reduce what utilities need to spend on wind and solar power to meet the state’s climate goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the next governor has the ability to make progress on reducing these cost burdens, White cautioned that the challenges won’t be fixed overnight — or alone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12078808\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12078808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The governor could do a lot to improve not only housing costs, but utility costs and other high costs in the state,” he said. “But they do need to be able to work with the Legislature effectively to do that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even before polls close in the June 2 primary, many Californians struggling to afford life in the state have already voted with their feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/priced-out-relocation-amidst-californias-affordability-crisis/\">studied the migration trends\u003c/a> of California households over the past decade. Forty-two states send fewer people to California than they did 10 years ago. And families who decided to leave California are improving their financial conditions and becoming more likely to own a home in the years after their relocation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s clear that when they move,” White said. “They’re moving to much, much, much more affordable places.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"headTitle": "California’s Governor’s Race Remains Wide Open. Here’s What to Know Before the Primary | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Ballots are already landing in mailboxes across California and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">the race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> is entering its final stretch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the first open race in almost 30 years, the gap between candidates widened further after former Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">Eric Swalwell dropped out\u003c/a>. With no clear frontrunner, voters are left navigating a crowded, unsettled field still taking shape just weeks before the primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mlagos\">Marisa Lagos\u003c/a>, host of KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/politicalbreakdown\">\u003cem>Political Breakdown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, and KQED politics correspondent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">Guy Marzorati\u003c/a> spoke with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine\">\u003cem>The California Report Magazine\u003c/em>\u003c/a> to break down the race and key players.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both have hosted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pressroom/12710/gubernatorial-candidate-tom-steyer-added-to-kqeds-town-hall-series\">KQED’s Gubernatorial town hall series\u003c/a>, set to continue through the month with Sheriff Chad Bianco on May 18, and Tom Steyer on May 26.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On how to understand the race\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos:\u003c/strong> Democrats are a little confused because there’s no blockbuster candidate like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Brown, Gavin Newsom, but being a rock star is not a prerequisite to being governor. You do have a number of very experienced, smart Democrats in this race, along with some serious Republicans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On the frontrunners of a crowded field\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marzorati: \u003c/strong>We’re still in a position where, no matter what poll you’re looking at, none of these candidates are breaking 20% — so it’s all very muddled. But we have seen the emergence of a top five in most polling: two Republicans — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a>, a former Fox News commentator, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> — and on the Democratic side, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082059/xavier-becerra-backpedals-on-single-payer-as-he-woos-powerful-doctors-lobby\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080843/rivals-target-steyer-becerra-in-debate-as-california-governor-race-tightens\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082254/porter-focuses-on-california-housing-costs-ai-plans-at-kqed-town-hall\">Katie Porter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12072282\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12072282\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Xavier Becerra, Steve Hilton, Matt Mahan, Tom Steyer, Tony Thurmond, Antonio Villaraigosa and Betty Yee stand on the stage during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There are more candidates on the Democratic side we could talk about, but this top five has started to take shape in recent weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most notable shift has been Eric Swalwell dropping out — he had been seen as a frontrunner — and since then, Becerra has gained ground in just the past few weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On how Democratic candidates are positioning themselves\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos: \u003c/strong>Xavier Becerra really relying on his experience. He was a former attorney general. He was in Congress for several decades before that, representing Los Angeles and then he was in the Biden administration as Health and Human Service Secretary, and we’re both hearing him talk about that, and a lot of people attack him on that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marzorati:\u003c/strong> Tom Steyer spent more than $160 million of his own money on this campaign so far that has smashed every self-funding record in California history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What makes it so fascinating to me is you have this billionaire in a time where a lot of Democrats are kind of looking sideways at billionaires. You have this billionaire in Tom Steyer who is running as the most progressive candidate in this race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081068\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, fist bump prior to a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. Photographer: Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He’s getting supported by Our Revolution, the Bernie Sanders group. He’s supporting single payer healthcare. He’s pushing to raise corporate taxes to bring in money for schools. So it’s like this dichotomy of this personality, this investor, this billionaire, and this progressive platform that he talked to us about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos: \u003c/strong>Katie Porter struggled at times to find lane in this race. She was pretty progressive. One of her mentors is Elizabeth Warren, the senator from Massachusetts who did endorse her recently.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the fall, she got hit by some videos, including one from five years ago snapping at a staff member. She’s had to apologize for that. But you do have to wonder if it sort of created a ceiling for her and you can’t disentangle her gender. So fair or not, that has really dogged her in this race.[aside label=\"From the 2026 Voter Guide\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/governor,Learn about the California Governor Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Governor-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]\u003cstrong>Marzorati:\u003c/strong> We also have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075490/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-positions-himself-as-a-change-candidate-in-governors-race\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a>, the mayor of San José, who’s running. He got into this race somewhat late. He’s trying to run as a centrist Democrat, trying to maybe have some crossover appeal to independence and even Republicans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077747/antonio-villaraigosas-second-act-can-a-pragmatist-lead-california\">Antonio Villaraigosa\u003c/a> who was mayor of Los Angeles over a decade ago, is more of a centrist candidate as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077118/tony-thurmond-carves-out-a-progressive-path-in-the-race-for-california-governor\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>, the state superintendent of public instruction, has held statewide office, but has kind of struggled to break through at all in this race.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On how the primaries work\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos: \u003c/strong>In most states, Republicans face off in a primary and Democrats face off [in a primary]. The winner of each face each other in the fall. But in California, it could be anybody in the race. And so we have seen that really set up the system where all these Democrats are splitting the vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On the Republican side\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos: \u003c/strong>Both of them call the one-party rule for the last decade a failure. They say that Democrats own all of the problems in this state — the affordability crisis, the housing crisis, the homelessness crisis — and that they would be a new chapter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco is a Riverside County sheriff. He’s definitely further to the right than Hilton. Bianco made some waves earlier this year when he seized tens of thousands of ballots from last November’s election, kind of echoing some of these claims we’ve heard from the president around election security. And he has really tried to pitch himself as an outsider.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steve Hilton is trying to run as a more traditional Republican, yet he is associated with Trump and the kind of MAGA movement. He has made an effort to both appeal to more hardcore conservatives and moderate Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Hilton and Bianco, if you look at their platforms, are very much running on a sort of traditional conservative anti-tax, pro-growth and pro-business.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On what voters are weighing\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marzorati: \u003c/strong>I honestly hear from voters wrestling with this idea of, “Okay, do I want someone who I know is going to kind of shake things up and bring change or do I want someone I know who is going to fight Trump well?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On what to watch in the final stretch\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos:\u003c/strong> How the candidates, especially on the Democratic side, continue to interact with one another will be worth watching. Are they throwing bombs or are they just really trying to push a positive message about themselves to break through and get voters to come out and vote by June 2?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marzorati:\u003c/strong> If you look at California as kind of a laboratory for democratic politics, like what would the future leader of the state kind of put forward for the rest of the country? Because a lot of these issues, you know, housing affordability, the energy transition, we’re kind of the canary in the coal mine in a lot of ways for what the country is going to be going through. So I think there are a lot of differences you see between Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Ballots are already landing in mailboxes across California and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">the race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom\u003c/a> is entering its final stretch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the first open race in almost 30 years, the gap between candidates widened further after former Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">Eric Swalwell dropped out\u003c/a>. With no clear frontrunner, voters are left navigating a crowded, unsettled field still taking shape just weeks before the primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mlagos\">Marisa Lagos\u003c/a>, host of KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/politicalbreakdown\">\u003cem>Political Breakdown\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, and KQED politics correspondent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">Guy Marzorati\u003c/a> spoke with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine\">\u003cem>The California Report Magazine\u003c/em>\u003c/a> to break down the race and key players.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both have hosted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pressroom/12710/gubernatorial-candidate-tom-steyer-added-to-kqeds-town-hall-series\">KQED’s Gubernatorial town hall series\u003c/a>, set to continue through the month with Sheriff Chad Bianco on May 18, and Tom Steyer on May 26.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On how to understand the race\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos:\u003c/strong> Democrats are a little confused because there’s no blockbuster candidate like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Brown, Gavin Newsom, but being a rock star is not a prerequisite to being governor. You do have a number of very experienced, smart Democrats in this race, along with some serious Republicans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On the frontrunners of a crowded field\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marzorati: \u003c/strong>We’re still in a position where, no matter what poll you’re looking at, none of these candidates are breaking 20% — so it’s all very muddled. But we have seen the emergence of a top five in most polling: two Republicans — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a>, a former Fox News commentator, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081096/riverside-county-sheriff-chad-bianco-on-his-faith-cutting-taxes-and-ballot-seizure\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> — and on the Democratic side, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082059/xavier-becerra-backpedals-on-single-payer-as-he-woos-powerful-doctors-lobby\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080843/rivals-target-steyer-becerra-in-debate-as-california-governor-race-tightens\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082254/porter-focuses-on-california-housing-costs-ai-plans-at-kqed-town-hall\">Katie Porter\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12072282\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12072282\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Xavier Becerra, Steve Hilton, Matt Mahan, Tom Steyer, Tony Thurmond, Antonio Villaraigosa and Betty Yee stand on the stage during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There are more candidates on the Democratic side we could talk about, but this top five has started to take shape in recent weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most notable shift has been Eric Swalwell dropping out — he had been seen as a frontrunner — and since then, Becerra has gained ground in just the past few weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On how Democratic candidates are positioning themselves\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos: \u003c/strong>Xavier Becerra really relying on his experience. He was a former attorney general. He was in Congress for several decades before that, representing Los Angeles and then he was in the Biden administration as Health and Human Service Secretary, and we’re both hearing him talk about that, and a lot of people attack him on that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marzorati:\u003c/strong> Tom Steyer spent more than $160 million of his own money on this campaign so far that has smashed every self-funding record in California history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What makes it so fascinating to me is you have this billionaire in a time where a lot of Democrats are kind of looking sideways at billionaires. You have this billionaire in Tom Steyer who is running as the most progressive candidate in this race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081068\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3287_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, left, and Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, fist bump prior to a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. Photographer: Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He’s getting supported by Our Revolution, the Bernie Sanders group. He’s supporting single payer healthcare. He’s pushing to raise corporate taxes to bring in money for schools. So it’s like this dichotomy of this personality, this investor, this billionaire, and this progressive platform that he talked to us about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos: \u003c/strong>Katie Porter struggled at times to find lane in this race. She was pretty progressive. One of her mentors is Elizabeth Warren, the senator from Massachusetts who did endorse her recently.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the fall, she got hit by some videos, including one from five years ago snapping at a staff member. She’s had to apologize for that. But you do have to wonder if it sort of created a ceiling for her and you can’t disentangle her gender. So fair or not, that has really dogged her in this race.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marzorati:\u003c/strong> We also have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12075490/san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-positions-himself-as-a-change-candidate-in-governors-race\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a>, the mayor of San José, who’s running. He got into this race somewhat late. He’s trying to run as a centrist Democrat, trying to maybe have some crossover appeal to independence and even Republicans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077747/antonio-villaraigosas-second-act-can-a-pragmatist-lead-california\">Antonio Villaraigosa\u003c/a> who was mayor of Los Angeles over a decade ago, is more of a centrist candidate as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077118/tony-thurmond-carves-out-a-progressive-path-in-the-race-for-california-governor\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>, the state superintendent of public instruction, has held statewide office, but has kind of struggled to break through at all in this race.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On how the primaries work\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos: \u003c/strong>In most states, Republicans face off in a primary and Democrats face off [in a primary]. The winner of each face each other in the fall. But in California, it could be anybody in the race. And so we have seen that really set up the system where all these Democrats are splitting the vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On the Republican side\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos: \u003c/strong>Both of them call the one-party rule for the last decade a failure. They say that Democrats own all of the problems in this state — the affordability crisis, the housing crisis, the homelessness crisis — and that they would be a new chapter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco is a Riverside County sheriff. He’s definitely further to the right than Hilton. Bianco made some waves earlier this year when he seized tens of thousands of ballots from last November’s election, kind of echoing some of these claims we’ve heard from the president around election security. And he has really tried to pitch himself as an outsider.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, speaks during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, US, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. California will hold its primary election on June 2, where the top two finishers advance to the general election in November regardless of party affiliation. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steve Hilton is trying to run as a more traditional Republican, yet he is associated with Trump and the kind of MAGA movement. He has made an effort to both appeal to more hardcore conservatives and moderate Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both Hilton and Bianco, if you look at their platforms, are very much running on a sort of traditional conservative anti-tax, pro-growth and pro-business.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On what voters are weighing\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marzorati: \u003c/strong>I honestly hear from voters wrestling with this idea of, “Okay, do I want someone who I know is going to kind of shake things up and bring change or do I want someone I know who is going to fight Trump well?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>On what to watch in the final stretch\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lagos:\u003c/strong> How the candidates, especially on the Democratic side, continue to interact with one another will be worth watching. Are they throwing bombs or are they just really trying to push a positive message about themselves to break through and get voters to come out and vote by June 2?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marzorati:\u003c/strong> If you look at California as kind of a laboratory for democratic politics, like what would the future leader of the state kind of put forward for the rest of the country? Because a lot of these issues, you know, housing affordability, the energy transition, we’re kind of the canary in the coal mine in a lot of ways for what the country is going to be going through. So I think there are a lot of differences you see between Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Former Orange County Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> laid out plans to lower housing costs and regulate Silicon Valley in a KQED town hall on Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have to make change in California and we have to do it in a smart way, we can’t do it in a reckless way, we can’t do it in a way that’s just about catering to donors,” Porter said. “But we really have to make change because it’s coming, it’s not a choice — AI is coming and the changes are going to be tremendous.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter answered questions from Bay Area residents about education, technology, gas prices and rent in a wide-ranging event moderated by KQED’s Scott Shafer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are three takeaways from the conversation:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Temperament\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Porter \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030710/former-southern-california-rep-katie-porter-enters-governors-race\">entered the race\u003c/a> last year as a Democratic frontrunner, after three terms in the House and a third-place finish in the 2024 primary for U.S. Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059961/katie-porter-apologizes-for-behavior-in-viral-videos-at-first-public-forum20member%20asks%20U.S.,understand%20that%20I%20value%20them.%E2%80%9D\">campaign drew scrutiny in October\u003c/a> when a video uncovered by POLITICO showed Porter telling a staffer to “get out of my f—ing shot” as they walked behind her during a video conversation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter said she apologized to the staffer that day and remains on good terms with her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igIMT5ZSfKc\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are all better than our worst moments — I give that grace to everybody I’ve ever worked with, every staffer who has made a mistake who has kept working the next day,” Porter said. “I’m asking for some of that grace from others.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She also contrasted questions about her demeanor with the early support that many state interest groups showered on former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079746/rep-eric-swalwell-says-he-is-resigning-from-congress-amid-sexual-assault-allegations\">ended his campaign and later resigned\u003c/a> from Congress amid sexual assault allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The California establishment, including Sacramento, was very, very quick to hop on board [with] that, and unwilling to believe that Eric Swalwell could have been the kind of person with a bad ‘temperament’ that led him to sexually assault people,” Porter said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>It all comes back to housing\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Throughout the conversation, Porter repeatedly returned to housing, calling it “the biggest priority” for the next governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Margarita Mendez, a public school teacher, asked Porter how she planned to help educators “afford to live in the communities they teach.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter recounted a conversation with a rideshare driver earlier in the day, who commuted to the Bay Area from Modesto every day to drop his daughter off at the school she teaches at in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082354\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082354\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter speaks during a KQED town hall on May 4, 2026, where she pressed housing affordability plans. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That is really, really wrong,” Porter said. “And that is the status quo in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to a question on housing affordability from Susan Mallon, a San Francisco renter, Porter threw her support behind a down payment assistance bond that would lower the upfront costs for first-time homebuyers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s just no research behind a 20% down payment,” she said. “That is creating a huge class of people who can never get to homeownership.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Porter Leans Into AI Regulation\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Porter was blunt when San Francisco resident Tom Tripp asked about regulating artificial intelligence and its potential impact on wealth inequality and jobs.[aside postID=news_12078450 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260326-KATIE-PORTER-ON-PB-MD-03-KQED.jpg']“We only have a year to two before we are going to suffer a lot of job disruption and job loss because of AI,” Porter said. “We have already — on the job piece — waited too long in my opinion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter floated the idea of restrictions on autonomous semitrucks and school buses. And she dismissed the idea that regulations on the burgeoning technology should be left exclusively to Congress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California governors and California gubernatorial candidates cannot have it both ways. They try, because they are men, but they can’t have it both ways,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They cannot pat themselves on the back and say ‘we’re the fourth largest economy in the world,’ and then turn around and say ‘What could we do? We’re only the fourth-largest economy in the world.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Former Orange County Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> laid out plans to lower housing costs and regulate Silicon Valley in a KQED town hall on Monday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have to make change in California and we have to do it in a smart way, we can’t do it in a reckless way, we can’t do it in a way that’s just about catering to donors,” Porter said. “But we really have to make change because it’s coming, it’s not a choice — AI is coming and the changes are going to be tremendous.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter answered questions from Bay Area residents about education, technology, gas prices and rent in a wide-ranging event moderated by KQED’s Scott Shafer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are three takeaways from the conversation:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Temperament\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Porter \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030710/former-southern-california-rep-katie-porter-enters-governors-race\">entered the race\u003c/a> last year as a Democratic frontrunner, after three terms in the House and a third-place finish in the 2024 primary for U.S. Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12059961/katie-porter-apologizes-for-behavior-in-viral-videos-at-first-public-forum20member%20asks%20U.S.,understand%20that%20I%20value%20them.%E2%80%9D\">campaign drew scrutiny in October\u003c/a> when a video uncovered by POLITICO showed Porter telling a staffer to “get out of my f—ing shot” as they walked behind her during a video conversation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter said she apologized to the staffer that day and remains on good terms with her.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/igIMT5ZSfKc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/igIMT5ZSfKc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>“We are all better than our worst moments — I give that grace to everybody I’ve ever worked with, every staffer who has made a mistake who has kept working the next day,” Porter said. “I’m asking for some of that grace from others.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She also contrasted questions about her demeanor with the early support that many state interest groups showered on former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079746/rep-eric-swalwell-says-he-is-resigning-from-congress-amid-sexual-assault-allegations\">ended his campaign and later resigned\u003c/a> from Congress amid sexual assault allegations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The California establishment, including Sacramento, was very, very quick to hop on board [with] that, and unwilling to believe that Eric Swalwell could have been the kind of person with a bad ‘temperament’ that led him to sexually assault people,” Porter said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>It all comes back to housing\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Throughout the conversation, Porter repeatedly returned to housing, calling it “the biggest priority” for the next governor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Margarita Mendez, a public school teacher, asked Porter how she planned to help educators “afford to live in the communities they teach.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter recounted a conversation with a rideshare driver earlier in the day, who commuted to the Bay Area from Modesto every day to drop his daughter off at the school she teaches at in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082354\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082354\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/20260504_KATIEPORTERTOWNHALL_GC-11-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter speaks during a KQED town hall on May 4, 2026, where she pressed housing affordability plans. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That is really, really wrong,” Porter said. “And that is the status quo in California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to a question on housing affordability from Susan Mallon, a San Francisco renter, Porter threw her support behind a down payment assistance bond that would lower the upfront costs for first-time homebuyers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s just no research behind a 20% down payment,” she said. “That is creating a huge class of people who can never get to homeownership.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Porter Leans Into AI Regulation\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Porter was blunt when San Francisco resident Tom Tripp asked about regulating artificial intelligence and its potential impact on wealth inequality and jobs.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“We only have a year to two before we are going to suffer a lot of job disruption and job loss because of AI,” Porter said. “We have already — on the job piece — waited too long in my opinion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter floated the idea of restrictions on autonomous semitrucks and school buses. And she dismissed the idea that regulations on the burgeoning technology should be left exclusively to Congress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“California governors and California gubernatorial candidates cannot have it both ways. They try, because they are men, but they can’t have it both ways,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They cannot pat themselves on the back and say ‘we’re the fourth largest economy in the world,’ and then turn around and say ‘What could we do? We’re only the fourth-largest economy in the world.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Primary 2026: Where Can I Drop Off My Ballot — or Vote Early?",
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"content": "\u003cp>California voters: the state primary elections are here. And if you’re registered to vote, your ballot will be on its way in the next few days — ahead of Election Day itself on June 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wondering where to drop off your completed mail-in ballot in the Bay Area? Or where can you vote in person, and find a polling place near you? What about if you prefer to vote on Election Day itself?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for everything you need to know about submitting your vote in the California primary elections. And if you’re looking for detailed information about what you’ll be voting on, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">take a look at KQED’s Voter Guide.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Howtofindyourclosestvotinglocationorballotdropoff\">How to find your closest voting location or ballot drop-off\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#HowtofindyourpollingplaceonElectionDay\">How to find your polling place on Election Day\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Howtocontactyourcountydirectlyaboutvoting\">How to contact your county directly about voting\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned you might have made a mistake when filling out your ballot, you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082075/california-primary-elections-2026-faq-governors-race-vote-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">read our guide to addressing common errors on your ballot\u003c/a> (\u003cem>before\u003c/em> you mail it) — and find out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082075/california-primary-elections-2026-faq-governors-race-vote-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">how to get a fresh ballot or vote in person\u003c/a> if you really messed up.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I mail my ballot through the Postal Service?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes, you can mail your completed ballot via the U.S. Postal Service at any regular collection box. The envelope is postage paid, so it doesn’t require a stamp, and it’ll be counted as long as it’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections\"> postmarked by Election Day and arrives at your county registrar’s office by June 2\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082112\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082112\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Porfirio Diaz fills out his mail-in ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at his home in Oakland on Sept. 9, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you’re planning to mail your ballot on Election Day itself, be \u003cem>very\u003c/em> sure you don’t miss the last collection time for that specific mailbox (which at many locations is 5 p.m. or earlier).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You also shouldn’t drop off your ballot on Election Day at a post office that’s already closed. Doing either of these things will mean your ballot will not be postmarked on Election Day and won’t be counted when it reaches your county’s election office.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I drop off my ballot in a drop box or at a voting location?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Once you complete your mail-in ballot, you can drop it off at an official drop box or voting location instead of mailing it via a U.S. Postal Service collection box. These drop boxes will \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">open by May 5.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few reasons you might prefer to hand-deliver your completed ballot:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Peace of mind:\u003c/strong> There’s a satisfaction that comes with knowing your ballot should now travel straight to your county elections office rather than going through USPS collection and sorting for delivery\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Timing:\u003c/strong> If it’s Election Day itself, using a drop box or a voting location to drop off your ballot is the best way to be sure it’ll reach your county elections office in time to be counted\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Assistance:\u003c/strong> If you drop off your ballot at a voting location during operating hours and you have a few lingering questions about your ballot or the process, chances are good that you’ll find someone there to help answer them\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Regardless of how you deliver it, you can\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a> and be reassured it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"HowtofindyourpollingplaceonElectionDay\">\u003c/a>Where can I vote in person on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On Election Day, in-person voting is still available at every county registrar’s office (also known as your county’s elections office) in the Bay Area. If you’re a San Francisco voter, this location will be City Hall.\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\"> Find your county registrar’s office and opening hours.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check your mail-in ballot to see where you can vote and whether you’ve been assigned a specific polling place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082113\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082113\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/023_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/023_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/023_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/023_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A San Francisco resident hands their mail-in ballot to USPS employee Elmer Padilla on Oct. 9, 2020. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you live in San Francisco, Contra Costa or Solano counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You are assigned a specific polling place, though Contra Costa County election officials say they can process your ballot no matter where you show up to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even if you live in a county that assigns you a particular polling place, you can still vote at\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\"> your county registrar’s office\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you live in Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Sonoma counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can vote at any voting location — known as Vote Centers — including your county registrar’s office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can\u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\"> find your voting location through the state’s lookup tool\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082088\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082088\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A San Francisco official mail-in ballot for the Nov. 3, 2020, election. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do I need to bring my ballot with me?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’d like to cast a ballot in person, it’s a good idea to bring the blank ballot you were mailed, as some counties may require you to vote provisionally if you don’t bring it. If you’re issued a new ballot when you vote in person, any ballot you left at home will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Provisional votes are subject to extra checks — confirming that you’re actually registered to vote in California, or that you didn’t already complete and mail your ballot — and this extra layer of confirmation takes time. That means that although your vote will eventually be counted, it might not be tallied on Election Day itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>I still need to register to vote. What should I do? Can I do this on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The official deadline to\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/\"> register online to vote \u003c/a>is Monday, May 18.[aside postID=news_12081345 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2272001355-2000x1334.jpg']Remember, if you’ve changed your name or the political party choice you previously registered to vote with, or you’ve moved address, you’ll need to\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/\"> reregister\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if you miss the deadline to register, don’t panic: After May 18, you can still complete the\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\"> same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process (also known as “conditional voting”) and request your ballot in person at your county elections office or polling location.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This system enables you to fill out and submit your ballot then and there, up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to voter registration, many voting locations also offer replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Howtofindyourclosestvotinglocationorballotdropoff\">\u003c/a>How can I find my voting location or ballot drop-off?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Secure drop boxes \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">open by May 5, and the first vote centers open \u003c/a>May 23 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening May 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082116\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082116\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/010_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/010_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/010_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/010_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Porfirio Diaz drops off his ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at a ballot dropbox in Fruitvale on Sept. 9, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Visit the\u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\"> state of California lookup tool\u003c/a>, where you can:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Enter your county (adding your city or ZIP code will give more localized results, but it’s optional)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Check the “Early Voting” and/or “Drop Off Location” boxes\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Hit “Search” to see all the early voting and drop-off locations in that area\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Remember that in-person voting hours may differ by location, and some locations may not be open every day.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Howtocontactyourcountydirectlyaboutvoting\">\u003c/a>How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\"> send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>California voters: the state primary elections are here. And if you’re registered to vote, your ballot will be on its way in the next few days — ahead of Election Day itself on June 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wondering where to drop off your completed mail-in ballot in the Bay Area? Or where can you vote in person, and find a polling place near you? What about if you prefer to vote on Election Day itself?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for everything you need to know about submitting your vote in the California primary elections. And if you’re looking for detailed information about what you’ll be voting on, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">take a look at KQED’s Voter Guide.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Howtofindyourclosestvotinglocationorballotdropoff\">How to find your closest voting location or ballot drop-off\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#HowtofindyourpollingplaceonElectionDay\">How to find your polling place on Election Day\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Howtocontactyourcountydirectlyaboutvoting\">How to contact your county directly about voting\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned you might have made a mistake when filling out your ballot, you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082075/california-primary-elections-2026-faq-governors-race-vote-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">read our guide to addressing common errors on your ballot\u003c/a> (\u003cem>before\u003c/em> you mail it) — and find out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082075/california-primary-elections-2026-faq-governors-race-vote-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">how to get a fresh ballot or vote in person\u003c/a> if you really messed up.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I mail my ballot through the Postal Service?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Yes, you can mail your completed ballot via the U.S. Postal Service at any regular collection box. The envelope is postage paid, so it doesn’t require a stamp, and it’ll be counted as long as it’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections\"> postmarked by Election Day and arrives at your county registrar’s office by June 2\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082112\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082112\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/004_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Porfirio Diaz fills out his mail-in ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at his home in Oakland on Sept. 9, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you’re planning to mail your ballot on Election Day itself, be \u003cem>very\u003c/em> sure you don’t miss the last collection time for that specific mailbox (which at many locations is 5 p.m. or earlier).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You also shouldn’t drop off your ballot on Election Day at a post office that’s already closed. Doing either of these things will mean your ballot will not be postmarked on Election Day and won’t be counted when it reaches your county’s election office.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I drop off my ballot in a drop box or at a voting location?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Once you complete your mail-in ballot, you can drop it off at an official drop box or voting location instead of mailing it via a U.S. Postal Service collection box. These drop boxes will \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">open by May 5.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few reasons you might prefer to hand-deliver your completed ballot:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Peace of mind:\u003c/strong> There’s a satisfaction that comes with knowing your ballot should now travel straight to your county elections office rather than going through USPS collection and sorting for delivery\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Timing:\u003c/strong> If it’s Election Day itself, using a drop box or a voting location to drop off your ballot is the best way to be sure it’ll reach your county elections office in time to be counted\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Assistance:\u003c/strong> If you drop off your ballot at a voting location during operating hours and you have a few lingering questions about your ballot or the process, chances are good that you’ll find someone there to help answer them\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Regardless of how you deliver it, you can\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a> and be reassured it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"HowtofindyourpollingplaceonElectionDay\">\u003c/a>Where can I vote in person on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On Election Day, in-person voting is still available at every county registrar’s office (also known as your county’s elections office) in the Bay Area. If you’re a San Francisco voter, this location will be City Hall.\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\"> Find your county registrar’s office and opening hours.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check your mail-in ballot to see where you can vote and whether you’ve been assigned a specific polling place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082113\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082113\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/023_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/023_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/023_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/023_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A San Francisco resident hands their mail-in ballot to USPS employee Elmer Padilla on Oct. 9, 2020. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you live in San Francisco, Contra Costa or Solano counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You are assigned a specific polling place, though Contra Costa County election officials say they can process your ballot no matter where you show up to vote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even if you live in a county that assigns you a particular polling place, you can still vote at\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\"> your county registrar’s office\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you live in Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Sonoma counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can vote at any voting location — known as Vote Centers — including your county registrar’s office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can\u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\"> find your voting location through the state’s lookup tool\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082088\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082088\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A San Francisco official mail-in ballot for the Nov. 3, 2020, election. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do I need to bring my ballot with me?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’d like to cast a ballot in person, it’s a good idea to bring the blank ballot you were mailed, as some counties may require you to vote provisionally if you don’t bring it. If you’re issued a new ballot when you vote in person, any ballot you left at home will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Provisional votes are subject to extra checks — confirming that you’re actually registered to vote in California, or that you didn’t already complete and mail your ballot — and this extra layer of confirmation takes time. That means that although your vote will eventually be counted, it might not be tallied on Election Day itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>I still need to register to vote. What should I do? Can I do this on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The official deadline to\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/\"> register online to vote \u003c/a>is Monday, May 18.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Remember, if you’ve changed your name or the political party choice you previously registered to vote with, or you’ve moved address, you’ll need to\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/\"> reregister\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if you miss the deadline to register, don’t panic: After May 18, you can still complete the\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\"> same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process (also known as “conditional voting”) and request your ballot in person at your county elections office or polling location.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This system enables you to fill out and submit your ballot then and there, up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to voter registration, many voting locations also offer replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Howtofindyourclosestvotinglocationorballotdropoff\">\u003c/a>How can I find my voting location or ballot drop-off?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Secure drop boxes \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">open by May 5, and the first vote centers open \u003c/a>May 23 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening May 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12082116\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12082116\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/010_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/010_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/010_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/010_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Porfirio Diaz drops off his ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at a ballot dropbox in Fruitvale on Sept. 9, 2021. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Visit the\u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\"> state of California lookup tool\u003c/a>, where you can:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Enter your county (adding your city or ZIP code will give more localized results, but it’s optional)\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Check the “Early Voting” and/or “Drop Off Location” boxes\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Hit “Search” to see all the early voting and drop-off locations in that area\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Remember that in-person voting hours may differ by location, and some locations may not be open every day.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Howtocontactyourcountydirectlyaboutvoting\">\u003c/a>How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\"> send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "xavier-becerra-backpedals-on-single-payer-as-he-woos-powerful-doctors-lobby",
"title": "Xavier Becerra Backpedals on Single Payer as He Woos Powerful Doctors’ Lobby",
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"headTitle": "Xavier Becerra Backpedals on Single Payer as He Woos Powerful Doctors’ Lobby | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra has softened his support for\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887613/single-payer-healthcare-bill-dies-in-state-assembly\"> a single-payer healthcare system\u003c/a> as he secures endorsements in his bid to be California’s next governor, most recently from the powerful doctors’ group, the California Medical Association, which officially backed him this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former health secretary under President Joe Biden has advocated for government-run healthcare since he was a congressman thirty years ago. But when doctors with the medical association peppered the candidate with questions on single payer during a recent private meeting, they said Becerra told them he had other priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He said very clearly that, at this point, he wasn’t supportive of single payer,” said Dr. René Bravo, president of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cmadocs.org/\">California Medical Association\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trade group for doctors is one of the most influential medical lobbies in California and has\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902591/why-do-so-many-doctors-oppose-single-payer-health-care\"> long opposed efforts\u003c/a> to establish a single-payer system in the state, arguing it is not economically feasible and would erode physician autonomy. California lawmakers failed \u003ca href=\"https://advocacy.calchamber.com/policy/issues/single-payer-health-care/\">multiple times\u003c/a> to pass legislation in support of single-payer in recent years. In 2022, legislative analysts estimated the cost of operating such a system \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887613/single-payer-healthcare-bill-dies-in-state-assembly\">could top $391 billion a year\u003c/a> and said it would require passing new taxes on California residents and businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The association endorsed Becerra in the crowded race for governor on April 28, as he quickly rose to become a frontrunner in the two weeks after\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\"> Eric Swalwell dropped out\u003c/a>. Becerra’s sudden popularity in the polls and scramble to secure additional campaign financing have forced him to clarify the nuances of his policy positions, including single-payer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081064\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12081064 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matt Mahan, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, from left, Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, and Katie Porter, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.xavierbecerra2026.com/priorities/health-care/\"> campaign website\u003c/a> links to a video of him\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/ddiamond/status/1335788821582147589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1335788821582147589%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcaliforniahealthline.org%2Fnews%2Fwith-becerra-as-hhs-pick-california-plots-more-progressive-health-care-agenda%2F\"> testifying before Congress in 1994\u003c/a> in support of a single-payer plan, proclaiming, “healthcare is a right, not a privilege.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 23, 2026, the anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Becerra wrote in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/becerraforgovernor/posts/pfbid037DvVA3jWPySUowTRfmmPBotuNWXjRxE2j8vYd3u55NF1A3VtoWs7dPMmpJWrisbCl\">a social media post\u003c/a>: “I proudly helped write it, pass it, and defend it in court. Now I’m ready to go further as Governor and deliver single-payer health care for our state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But more recently, his message was significantly subdued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A single payer system is the right goal — but it’s not possible under this administration, and right now we have a crisis on our hands,” wrote Jonathan Underland, a campaign spokesperson, in a statement to KQED on Thursday. “Trump is slashing Medi-Cal and handing tax breaks to billionaires while millions of Californians risk losing their coverage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indeed, Bravo relayed that Becerra said as much in his meeting with the medical association, telling the doctors his top focus was how to cope with the funding losses from H.R.1, President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill that is\u003ca href=\"https://www.counties.org/news-and-media-article/h-r-1-will-cost-california-counties-up-to-9-5-billion-a-year/\"> expected to drain $9.5 billion\u003c/a> per year from California safety net programs, including Medi-Cal, which provides free health coverage to more than 14 million low-income Californians.[aside postID=science_2000002 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/2026_02_10_DELAY_DENY_00147-KQED.jpg']“The most important thing was making sure that we’re all on the same page in terms of how H.R.1 is going to affect the healthcare system in California, and how we’re going to ensure funding mechanisms that allow people to have access to care,” Bravo said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra told the doctors that now was not the time for single payer and that making any kind of progress on it while President Trump was in office was unrealistic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For California to launch a single-payer system, it would need permission from the federal government to reallocate federal funding it receives for Medicaid and Medicare to the state’s new system, which the Trump administration almost certainly wouldn’t grant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s backpedaling on single payer is reminiscent of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s retreat on the issue: on the campaign trail for governor in 2018, Newsom touted his support of a single payer system, but once in office, he confronted the obstacles posed by the first Trump administration and shifted talk to universal access instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He supported legislation that expanded eligibility for insurance coverage to immigrants lacking permanent legal status, only to scale it back last year as the state faced a budget deficit and federal cuts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Democratic candidates for governor have continued to voice ardent support of a Medicare-for-all type system, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/officialtomsteyer/videos/1956640335278610/\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/reel/1452374689596051/\">Katie Porter,\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=957300880039752&vanity=tonythurmond\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>. The two Republican candidates are steadfastly opposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Assemblymember Ash Kalra, D-San José, who has backed recent single-payer bills in Sacramento, said Becerra sketched out a road map of how to set up a single-payer system while he was health secretary and “knows how to get it done.” But Kalra has endorsed Steyer for governor “because of his clear commitment” to advancing single-payer policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">\u003cem>Guy Marzorati\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "Xavier Becerra Backpedals on Single Payer as He Woos Powerful Doctors’ Lobby | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra has softened his support for\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887613/single-payer-healthcare-bill-dies-in-state-assembly\"> a single-payer healthcare system\u003c/a> as he secures endorsements in his bid to be California’s next governor, most recently from the powerful doctors’ group, the California Medical Association, which officially backed him this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former health secretary under President Joe Biden has advocated for government-run healthcare since he was a congressman thirty years ago. But when doctors with the medical association peppered the candidate with questions on single payer during a recent private meeting, they said Becerra told them he had other priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He said very clearly that, at this point, he wasn’t supportive of single payer,” said Dr. René Bravo, president of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cmadocs.org/\">California Medical Association\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trade group for doctors is one of the most influential medical lobbies in California and has\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902591/why-do-so-many-doctors-oppose-single-payer-health-care\"> long opposed efforts\u003c/a> to establish a single-payer system in the state, arguing it is not economically feasible and would erode physician autonomy. California lawmakers failed \u003ca href=\"https://advocacy.calchamber.com/policy/issues/single-payer-health-care/\">multiple times\u003c/a> to pass legislation in support of single-payer in recent years. In 2022, legislative analysts estimated the cost of operating such a system \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101887613/single-payer-healthcare-bill-dies-in-state-assembly\">could top $391 billion a year\u003c/a> and said it would require passing new taxes on California residents and businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The association endorsed Becerra in the crowded race for governor on April 28, as he quickly rose to become a frontrunner in the two weeks after\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\"> Eric Swalwell dropped out\u003c/a>. Becerra’s sudden popularity in the polls and scramble to secure additional campaign financing have forced him to clarify the nuances of his policy positions, including single-payer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081064\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12081064 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3319_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matt Mahan, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, from left, Xavier Becerra, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, Chad Bianco, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Steve Hilton, Republican gubernatorial candidate for California, Tom Steyer, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, and Katie Porter, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for California, during a gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco, California, on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s\u003ca href=\"https://www.xavierbecerra2026.com/priorities/health-care/\"> campaign website\u003c/a> links to a video of him\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/ddiamond/status/1335788821582147589?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1335788821582147589%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcaliforniahealthline.org%2Fnews%2Fwith-becerra-as-hhs-pick-california-plots-more-progressive-health-care-agenda%2F\"> testifying before Congress in 1994\u003c/a> in support of a single-payer plan, proclaiming, “healthcare is a right, not a privilege.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 23, 2026, the anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Becerra wrote in \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/becerraforgovernor/posts/pfbid037DvVA3jWPySUowTRfmmPBotuNWXjRxE2j8vYd3u55NF1A3VtoWs7dPMmpJWrisbCl\">a social media post\u003c/a>: “I proudly helped write it, pass it, and defend it in court. Now I’m ready to go further as Governor and deliver single-payer health care for our state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But more recently, his message was significantly subdued.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A single payer system is the right goal — but it’s not possible under this administration, and right now we have a crisis on our hands,” wrote Jonathan Underland, a campaign spokesperson, in a statement to KQED on Thursday. “Trump is slashing Medi-Cal and handing tax breaks to billionaires while millions of Californians risk losing their coverage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Indeed, Bravo relayed that Becerra said as much in his meeting with the medical association, telling the doctors his top focus was how to cope with the funding losses from H.R.1, President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill that is\u003ca href=\"https://www.counties.org/news-and-media-article/h-r-1-will-cost-california-counties-up-to-9-5-billion-a-year/\"> expected to drain $9.5 billion\u003c/a> per year from California safety net programs, including Medi-Cal, which provides free health coverage to more than 14 million low-income Californians.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The most important thing was making sure that we’re all on the same page in terms of how H.R.1 is going to affect the healthcare system in California, and how we’re going to ensure funding mechanisms that allow people to have access to care,” Bravo said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra told the doctors that now was not the time for single payer and that making any kind of progress on it while President Trump was in office was unrealistic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For California to launch a single-payer system, it would need permission from the federal government to reallocate federal funding it receives for Medicaid and Medicare to the state’s new system, which the Trump administration almost certainly wouldn’t grant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra’s backpedaling on single payer is reminiscent of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s retreat on the issue: on the campaign trail for governor in 2018, Newsom touted his support of a single payer system, but once in office, he confronted the obstacles posed by the first Trump administration and shifted talk to universal access instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He supported legislation that expanded eligibility for insurance coverage to immigrants lacking permanent legal status, only to scale it back last year as the state faced a budget deficit and federal cuts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Democratic candidates for governor have continued to voice ardent support of a Medicare-for-all type system, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/officialtomsteyer/videos/1956640335278610/\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/reel/1452374689596051/\">Katie Porter,\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=957300880039752&vanity=tonythurmond\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>. The two Republican candidates are steadfastly opposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Assemblymember Ash Kalra, D-San José, who has backed recent single-payer bills in Sacramento, said Becerra sketched out a road map of how to set up a single-payer system while he was health secretary and “knows how to get it done.” But Kalra has endorsed Steyer for governor “because of his clear commitment” to advancing single-payer policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">\u003cem>Guy Marzorati\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Rivals Target Steyer, Becerra in Debate as California Governor Race Tightens",
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"headTitle": "Rivals Target Steyer, Becerra in Debate as California Governor Race Tightens | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Six leading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080415/california-governor-candidates-compete-for-swalwells-endorsements-donors-and-voters\">candidates\u003c/a> for California governor broke largely along party lines on questions related to taxes, homelessness and the Trump administration at a fast-moving televised debate in San Francisco on Wednesday evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The debate, broadcast statewide on Nexstar stations, marked a major test for former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and billionaire investor Tom Steyer, who have emerged as the top polling Democrats after former Rep. Eric Swalwell \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">ended his campaign\u003c/a> amid \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">sexual assault allegations\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout a largely tame event, Steyer and Becerra at times came under fire from fellow Democrats on stage, former Rep. Katie Porter and San José Mayor Matt Mahan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By contrast, the two Republicans onstage, businessman and conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, avoided criticizing each other, instead focusing on what they called Democratic failures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer faced the most attacks of the night — largely centered on his wealth and the investments he made in private prisons and the oil industry as a hedge fund manager decades ago. Porter poked at Steyer’s personal fortune while also jabbing Becerra for his backing by corporate interests and a lack of policy details.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081067\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081067\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tom Steyer, a Democratic candidate for California governor, defended his record and pitched himself as a “change agent” during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And she stressed her own experience as a consumer advocate and single mom who understands the struggles of everyday Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One candidate is a billionaire who got rich off polluters and ICE prisons and is now using that money to fund this election,” Porter said, even as she and every other Democrat pledged to support whichever Democrat makes it to a November runoff. “Another candidate for nearly 40 years cashed corporate checks and then lacked the courage to take them on. I’m not like them — I have never taken corporate money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan echoed the former Orange County congresswoman, calling Steyer “a billionaire who made his money in private prisons” and Becerra “a D.C. insider who the Sacramento establishment is now rallying around.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081061\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081061\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3948_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3948_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3948_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3948_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Katie Porter, right, sharpened her attacks on rival Tom Steyer over his wealth and past investments during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In general, though, the Democrats focused more on defining their own platforms than criticizing one another — perhaps because, with ballots set to reach voters in less than two weeks, Californians \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079947/with-swalwell-out-who-will-bay-area-voters-support-for-california-governor\">seem to just be tuning in,\u003c/a> and the crowded field is still working to introduce themselves to the electorate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra, who has seen the largest uptick in polling and endorsements since Swalwell’s exit, pitched his candidacy as a steady hand in the wake of the shocking scandal. On Tuesday, Becerra was endorsed by Democratic Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need someone with experience, someone who doesn’t need on-the-job training,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081060\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081060\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan, left, and Xavier Becerra, both Democratic candidates for California governor, shook hands before a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer parried criticisms of his career in finance by pointing to the wealthy interests opposing his campaign. In recent days, PG&E has poured millions into an anti-Steyer super-PAC that has also received funding from groups representing realtors and prison guards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The people raising the costs for California don’t want me to be governor,” he said. “I’m the change agent here, and they don’t want change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer has put more than $120 million of his own money into his campaign and has blanketed the state in digital and television ads.[aside postID=news_12080415 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1.jpg']The gubernatorial candidates will appear on the ballot together in the June 2 primary. Under California’s top-two primary system, the top two finishers advance to November, regardless of party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That left Democrats concerned that two Republicans could make it into a runoff, in a state where no GOP candidate has won statewide in two decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For months, the Democratic field has remained crowded, without a clear frontrunner, and Swalwell’s dramatic exit less than two weeks ago scrambled the race again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday evening, the partisan divide between the frontrunners on stage was particularly evident when the conversation turned to homelessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The four Democrats largely praised Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts on the issue and agreed on the need to spend more money on preventing homelessness, through programs such as rental assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco and Hilton said homelessness was instead an issue best addressed through substance use treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">At a televised gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for California governor, argued that homelessness is driven by substance abuse. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is drug and alcohol induced psychosis,” Bianco said. “This has nothing to do with a home.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan, who entered the race late and is polling below the other candidates onstage, sought to draw a contrast with the other Democrats onstage by vowing to suspend the state gas tax — referencing his working-class childhood in the farming town of Watsonville.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I know what it means when gas prices go up a dollar or two unnecessarily,” Mahan said. “I’ll reform the gas tax so it’s no longer the poorest, hardest working people in our state who are paying an unfair share to maintain our infrastructure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081063\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081063\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for California governor, leaned into President Donald Trump’s endorsement — calling it “a deep honor” — during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>None of the other Democratic candidates would commit to suspending the gas tax, something both Hilton and Bianco have been campaigning on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton did not shy away from President Donald Trump, who’s deeply unpopular in this heavily Democratic state. Trump recently endorsed Hilton, a former Fox News host who emigrated from the United Kingdom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the proudest days of my life is the day I became an American citizen … so it is a deep honor for me to be endorsed by the President of the United States,” Hilton said, adding that Democratic attacks on Trump are only hurting the state. “Here’s what will help every Californian: when I am governor, we will have a deep, constructive relationship.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra faced repeated criticism during a San Francisco debate as the California gubernatorial candidates tried to distinguish themselves ahead of the June primary.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Six leading \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080415/california-governor-candidates-compete-for-swalwells-endorsements-donors-and-voters\">candidates\u003c/a> for California governor broke largely along party lines on questions related to taxes, homelessness and the Trump administration at a fast-moving televised debate in San Francisco on Wednesday evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The debate, broadcast statewide on Nexstar stations, marked a major test for former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and billionaire investor Tom Steyer, who have emerged as the top polling Democrats after former Rep. Eric Swalwell \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">ended his campaign\u003c/a> amid \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">sexual assault allegations\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout a largely tame event, Steyer and Becerra at times came under fire from fellow Democrats on stage, former Rep. Katie Porter and San José Mayor Matt Mahan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By contrast, the two Republicans onstage, businessman and conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, avoided criticizing each other, instead focusing on what they called Democratic failures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer faced the most attacks of the night — largely centered on his wealth and the investments he made in private prisons and the oil industry as a hedge fund manager decades ago. Porter poked at Steyer’s personal fortune while also jabbing Becerra for his backing by corporate interests and a lack of policy details.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081067\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081067\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3742_1-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tom Steyer, a Democratic candidate for California governor, defended his record and pitched himself as a “change agent” during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And she stressed her own experience as a consumer advocate and single mom who understands the struggles of everyday Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One candidate is a billionaire who got rich off polluters and ICE prisons and is now using that money to fund this election,” Porter said, even as she and every other Democrat pledged to support whichever Democrat makes it to a November runoff. “Another candidate for nearly 40 years cashed corporate checks and then lacked the courage to take them on. I’m not like them — I have never taken corporate money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan echoed the former Orange County congresswoman, calling Steyer “a billionaire who made his money in private prisons” and Becerra “a D.C. insider who the Sacramento establishment is now rallying around.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081061\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081061\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3948_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3948_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3948_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3948_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Katie Porter, right, sharpened her attacks on rival Tom Steyer over his wealth and past investments during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In general, though, the Democrats focused more on defining their own platforms than criticizing one another — perhaps because, with ballots set to reach voters in less than two weeks, Californians \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079947/with-swalwell-out-who-will-bay-area-voters-support-for-california-governor\">seem to just be tuning in,\u003c/a> and the crowded field is still working to introduce themselves to the electorate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Becerra, who has seen the largest uptick in polling and endorsements since Swalwell’s exit, pitched his candidacy as a steady hand in the wake of the shocking scandal. On Tuesday, Becerra was endorsed by Democratic Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need someone with experience, someone who doesn’t need on-the-job training,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081060\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081060\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3222_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San José Mayor Matt Mahan, left, and Xavier Becerra, both Democratic candidates for California governor, shook hands before a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steyer parried criticisms of his career in finance by pointing to the wealthy interests opposing his campaign. In recent days, PG&E has poured millions into an anti-Steyer super-PAC that has also received funding from groups representing realtors and prison guards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The people raising the costs for California don’t want me to be governor,” he said. “I’m the change agent here, and they don’t want change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Steyer has put more than $120 million of his own money into his campaign and has blanketed the state in digital and television ads.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The gubernatorial candidates will appear on the ballot together in the June 2 primary. Under California’s top-two primary system, the top two finishers advance to November, regardless of party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That left Democrats concerned that two Republicans could make it into a runoff, in a state where no GOP candidate has won statewide in two decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For months, the Democratic field has remained crowded, without a clear frontrunner, and Swalwell’s dramatic exit less than two weeks ago scrambled the race again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday evening, the partisan divide between the frontrunners on stage was particularly evident when the conversation turned to homelessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The four Democrats largely praised Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts on the issue and agreed on the need to spend more money on preventing homelessness, through programs such as rental assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bianco and Hilton said homelessness was instead an issue best addressed through substance use treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081062\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3852_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">At a televised gubernatorial debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for California governor, argued that homelessness is driven by substance abuse. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is drug and alcohol induced psychosis,” Bianco said. “This has nothing to do with a home.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mahan, who entered the race late and is polling below the other candidates onstage, sought to draw a contrast with the other Democrats onstage by vowing to suspend the state gas tax — referencing his working-class childhood in the farming town of Watsonville.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I know what it means when gas prices go up a dollar or two unnecessarily,” Mahan said. “I’ll reform the gas tax so it’s no longer the poorest, hardest working people in our state who are paying an unfair share to maintain our infrastructure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12081063\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12081063\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/FTP_9P3A3423_1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate for California governor, leaned into President Donald Trump’s endorsement — calling it “a deep honor” — during a televised debate at KRON Studios in San Francisco on April 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Jason Henry/Nexstar/Bloomberg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>None of the other Democratic candidates would commit to suspending the gas tax, something both Hilton and Bianco have been campaigning on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hilton did not shy away from President Donald Trump, who’s deeply unpopular in this heavily Democratic state. Trump recently endorsed Hilton, a former Fox News host who emigrated from the United Kingdom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the proudest days of my life is the day I became an American citizen … so it is a deep honor for me to be endorsed by the President of the United States,” Hilton said, adding that Democratic attacks on Trump are only hurting the state. “Here’s what will help every Californian: when I am governor, we will have a deep, constructive relationship.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Betty Yee Becomes Latest Democrat to Exit California Governor’s Race",
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"content": "\u003cp>Former state Controller Betty Yee said Monday that she is ending her campaign \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-governors-race\">for California governor\u003c/a>, bowing to pressure from party leaders urging nonviable candidates to drop out of a fractured Democratic field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yee ran \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073301/former-state-controller-betty-yee-says-shes-the-best-gubernatorial-candidate-to-fix-californias-budget-deficit\">on a platform of fiscal accountability\u003c/a>, drawing on her experience managing the state’s finances and tax system as controller and a member of the Board of Equalization. She spent months polling in the single digits, never managing to break through the crowded race, despite \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074494/california-democrats-leave-governors-race-unsettled-as-gaza-fight-looms\">finishing second\u003c/a> in the state party’s endorsement vote in February.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her announcement on Monday morning, Yee said her decision to drop out of the race was influenced by flagging poll numbers and the loss of donors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What has changed is the whole notion that voters are looking for experience and competence is not a top priority — and that’s been really my wheelhouse,” Yee said. “It really just came down to where I’m not going to have sufficient resources to get us to the finish line.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her exit comes roughly a week after the leading Democratic candidate, East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">dropped out\u003c/a> of the race and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079800/eric-swalwell-allegations-resign-congress-california-governor-race-who-is-running-primary\">resigned\u003c/a> his House seat following\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\"> accusations of sexual assault\u003c/a> and misconduct from former staffers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His abrupt departure reshuffled the race, as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080415/california-governor-candidates-compete-for-swalwells-endorsements-donors-and-voters\">remaining contenders scramble\u003c/a> for his endorsements, donors and supporters — and greatly reduced the chances of two Republicans advancing through California’s top-two primary in June, according to \u003ca href=\"https://twins-production-9381.up.railway.app/\">a model\u003c/a> created by Political Data Inc. vice president Paul Mitchell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071100\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Xavier Becerra, who served as Health and Human Services secretary under President Joe Biden, saw a \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/4.20.26-CA-Voter-Index-Tracking-Survey-II-Topline.pdf\">bump in polling\u003c/a>, putting him at the front of the Democratic field alongside billionaire investor and climate activist Tom Steyer. Steyer also landed endorsements from the California Teachers Association and Our Revolution, a progressive organization founded by Sen. Bernie Sanders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter picked up an endorsement on Monday from Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yee, however, did not appear to be among the beneficiaries of the reshaped race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She had first announced her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958502/betty-yee-on-a-lifetime-of-running-the-numbers\">intent to run\u003c/a> in 2023, hoping to become California’s first woman and person of color elected governor.[aside postID=news_12080415 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/02/CAGovDebateAP1.jpg']“I think one of the disappointments I will carry from this campaign is, where was my community? And I think we had an opportunity to make history,” Yee said. “I did not see them there as I had robustly in the past with respect to my donors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yee grew up in San Francisco, the daughter of Chinese immigrants and the second oldest of six kids. In \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073301/former-state-controller-betty-yee-says-shes-the-best-gubernatorial-candidate-to-fix-californias-budget-deficit\">a February interview\u003c/a> discussing her campaign with KQED’s Political Breakdown, she described helping manage the books for her parents’ laundry and dry cleaning business.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every week, my father would hand me a cigar box of the receipts, and I’d add up what our expenses were, and we’d figure out how much we had brought in. And it was eye-opening,” she said. “We may have been poor, but we were rich in values.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her first political experience came when she was 13 years old and testified at a school district hearing to advocate against a school busing desegregation program that would have sent her younger sister across the city. In the same interview, she said she would not take that same position today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her announcement, Yee teared up when thanking her family, including her 103-year-old mother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every time I ask her, ‘How are you feeling about what’s going on in the world?’ Her response is always the same. ‘We know what we got to do,’” Yee said. “Mom, I’m just going to say: Yeah, I know. And I will continue to go do it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12075209\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12075209\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260226-GovRaceForum-14-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260226-GovRaceForum-14-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260226-GovRaceForum-14-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260226-GovRaceForum-14-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Betty Yee, former California State Controller, speaks during a state gubernatorial forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She did not endorse another candidate after dropping out but said she would assess the remaining candidates and announce her pick within the next few days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When asked what qualities she’ll be looking for, she said she wants someone with “a demonstrated history of making progress” and an “ability to work with diverse interests.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Looking ahead, Yee said she will continue standing up for immigrant and border communities and vowed to protect election integrity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I will be seeing you in the communities where I’ve been, but as of today, it will be in a different venue,” Yee said. “Not as a candidate, but as a fellow Californian.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The field of candidates to become California’s next governor narrowed again with the exit of former state controller Betty Yee, who said she doesn’t have the resources to get to the finish line.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Former state Controller Betty Yee said Monday that she is ending her campaign \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-governors-race\">for California governor\u003c/a>, bowing to pressure from party leaders urging nonviable candidates to drop out of a fractured Democratic field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yee ran \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073301/former-state-controller-betty-yee-says-shes-the-best-gubernatorial-candidate-to-fix-californias-budget-deficit\">on a platform of fiscal accountability\u003c/a>, drawing on her experience managing the state’s finances and tax system as controller and a member of the Board of Equalization. She spent months polling in the single digits, never managing to break through the crowded race, despite \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074494/california-democrats-leave-governors-race-unsettled-as-gaza-fight-looms\">finishing second\u003c/a> in the state party’s endorsement vote in February.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her announcement on Monday morning, Yee said her decision to drop out of the race was influenced by flagging poll numbers and the loss of donors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What has changed is the whole notion that voters are looking for experience and competence is not a top priority — and that’s been really my wheelhouse,” Yee said. “It really just came down to where I’m not going to have sufficient resources to get us to the finish line.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her exit comes roughly a week after the leading Democratic candidate, East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583/eric-swalwell-ends-california-governor-campaign-after-sexual-assault-allegations\">dropped out\u003c/a> of the race and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079800/eric-swalwell-allegations-resign-congress-california-governor-race-who-is-running-primary\">resigned\u003c/a> his House seat following\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\"> accusations of sexual assault\u003c/a> and misconduct from former staffers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His abrupt departure reshuffled the race, as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12080415/california-governor-candidates-compete-for-swalwells-endorsements-donors-and-voters\">remaining contenders scramble\u003c/a> for his endorsements, donors and supporters — and greatly reduced the chances of two Republicans advancing through California’s top-two primary in June, according to \u003ca href=\"https://twins-production-9381.up.railway.app/\">a model\u003c/a> created by Political Data Inc. vice president Paul Mitchell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12071100\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12071100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/260226-GOVRACEFORUM-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra speaks during a gubernatorial candidate forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Xavier Becerra, who served as Health and Human Services secretary under President Joe Biden, saw a \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/4.20.26-CA-Voter-Index-Tracking-Survey-II-Topline.pdf\">bump in polling\u003c/a>, putting him at the front of the Democratic field alongside billionaire investor and climate activist Tom Steyer. Steyer also landed endorsements from the California Teachers Association and Our Revolution, a progressive organization founded by Sen. Bernie Sanders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter picked up an endorsement on Monday from Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yee, however, did not appear to be among the beneficiaries of the reshaped race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She had first announced her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11958502/betty-yee-on-a-lifetime-of-running-the-numbers\">intent to run\u003c/a> in 2023, hoping to become California’s first woman and person of color elected governor.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I think one of the disappointments I will carry from this campaign is, where was my community? And I think we had an opportunity to make history,” Yee said. “I did not see them there as I had robustly in the past with respect to my donors.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yee grew up in San Francisco, the daughter of Chinese immigrants and the second oldest of six kids. In \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073301/former-state-controller-betty-yee-says-shes-the-best-gubernatorial-candidate-to-fix-californias-budget-deficit\">a February interview\u003c/a> discussing her campaign with KQED’s Political Breakdown, she described helping manage the books for her parents’ laundry and dry cleaning business.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every week, my father would hand me a cigar box of the receipts, and I’d add up what our expenses were, and we’d figure out how much we had brought in. And it was eye-opening,” she said. “We may have been poor, but we were rich in values.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her first political experience came when she was 13 years old and testified at a school district hearing to advocate against a school busing desegregation program that would have sent her younger sister across the city. In the same interview, she said she would not take that same position today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her announcement, Yee teared up when thanking her family, including her 103-year-old mother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every time I ask her, ‘How are you feeling about what’s going on in the world?’ Her response is always the same. ‘We know what we got to do,’” Yee said. “Mom, I’m just going to say: Yeah, I know. And I will continue to go do it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12075209\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12075209\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260226-GovRaceForum-14-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260226-GovRaceForum-14-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260226-GovRaceForum-14-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/260226-GovRaceForum-14-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Betty Yee, former California State Controller, speaks during a state gubernatorial forum at the UCSF Mission Bay campus in San Francisco on Jan. 26, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She did not endorse another candidate after dropping out but said she would assess the remaining candidates and announce her pick within the next few days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When asked what qualities she’ll be looking for, she said she wants someone with “a demonstrated history of making progress” and an “ability to work with diverse interests.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Looking ahead, Yee said she will continue standing up for immigrant and border communities and vowed to protect election integrity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I will be seeing you in the communities where I’ve been, but as of today, it will be in a different venue,” Yee said. “Not as a candidate, but as a fellow Californian.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "With Swalwell Out, Who Will Bay Area Voters Support for California Governor?",
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"content": "\u003cp>Before former Rep. Eric Swalwell \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583\">ended his campaign\u003c/a> for California governor and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079746/rep-eric-swalwell-says-he-is-resigning-from-congress-amid-sexual-assault-allegations\">resigned\u003c/a> from his seat in Congress, the Dublin native was consolidating support among Bay Area voters ahead of the June 2 primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That all changed when former staff members \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">accused\u003c/a> Swalwell of sexual assault and inappropriate sexual behavior in a pair of bombshell reports from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php\">\u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/10/us/eric-swalwell-sexual-misconduct-allegations-invs\">CNN\u003c/a>. With the disgraced congressmember now out of the race, the other Democrats running for governor are redoubling their efforts to attract support in the progressive, vote-rich Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell was scheduled to answer questions from residents in a KQED town hall on May 13. We reached out to locals who had signed up to see how they are viewing the race now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dion Coakley of San Francisco had initially supported \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12034105/xavier-becerra-enters-california-governors-race-citing-break-glass-moment\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the former state attorney general and U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. But Becerra hadn’t gained serious traction in the polls, and Coakley feared a fractured Democratic vote could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073986/california-democrats-descend-on-sf-as-party-rifts-emerge\">allow two Republicans to advance\u003c/a> from the top-two primary to the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Which is kind of how I was coming to Swalwell — just the fact that he might be able to beat out one of these Republicans,” Coakley said. “Thank God this didn’t come out six weeks from now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In public polling before the scandal, Swalwell was running neck-and-neck with two other Democrats — former Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> and billionaire investor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064558/billionaire-climate-activist-tom-steyer-enters-2026-california-governors-race\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a> — and two Republicans: Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chad-bianco\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/steve-hilton\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a>, a conservative political commentator and former Fox News host. In California, all candidates appear on the ballot together, regardless of party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080156\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080156\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9314_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9314_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9314_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9314_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Supporters of Tom Steyer hold campaign signs during the California Democratic Party 2026 State Convention on Feb. 21, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But Swalwell had built an edge on his home turf.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a survey released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California, 28% of likely voters in the Bay Area supported Swalwell — more than double the support of Steyer (12%), Hilton (11%), Mahan (11%) and Porter (10%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell is a former Alameda County prosecutor and Dublin city councilmember who has represented the East Bay in Congress since 2013. The seat he held until Tuesday, California’s 14th Congressional District, includes Hayward, Fremont, Dublin and Pleasanton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2h95684f\">surveys\u003c/a> by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the firm Evitarus \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/california-voter-index/\">on behalf of the California Democratic Party\u003c/a> also found Swalwell leading among Bay Area voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cynthia Robbins-Roth of San Mateo was initially drawn to Porter, who entered Congress in the “Blue Wave” election of 2018 midterms alongside fellow Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill.[aside postID=news_12079800 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/EricSwalwellAP1.jpg']“They were prepared, they were informed and they were pretty used to dealing with being in rooms with a bunch of old guys who felt like they could push women around,” Robbins-Roth said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she said her vote wasn’t set in stone. Swalwell had caught her eye when he served as a House manager during the second impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was one of the folks I was so impressed with,” Robbins-Roth said. “I was just kind of bummed that he turned out to be one more guy who let the power of his situation determine how he was going to behave towards other people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Honestly, I’m back at Katie Porter,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the immediate aftermath of Swalwell’s exit from the race, the Porter and Steyer campaigns each pointed to recent polling to argue that their candidate was best positioned to benefit from Swalwell’s downfall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.threads.com/@jcpolls/post/DW93tFWEo5R?xmt=AQF0owPVqfzmYxbIo1mhwyjzcZ2te1isItwVxg0QNBvT9w\">March survey\u003c/a> from UC Berkeley’s Jack Citrin Center and Politico found 39% of Swalwell voters picking Porter as their second choice, and 15% preferring Steyer. An April poll by Global Strategy Group for the Steyer campaign found Swalwell supporters more closely divided on their second choice, with 31% backing Porter and 25% supporting Steyer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shekhar Sakhalkar, of San José, said he is backing Steyer because of the billionaire investor’s early support for impeaching Donald Trump. Steyer launched the “Need to Impeach” campaign to remove Trump from office less than a year into his first term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought that he was trying to do the right thing in calling out the right problems,” Sakhalkar said. “So I was impressed with that part from the beginning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Berkeley resident Susanna Porte also likes Steyer, along with former state Controller \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073301/former-state-controller-betty-yee-says-shes-the-best-gubernatorial-candidate-to-fix-californias-budget-deficit\">Betty Yee\u003c/a>. She said both have focused on her top issues of the environment and economic justice and have “decided to challenge PG&E.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080159\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080159\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9196_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9196_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9196_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9196_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Supporters of Betty T. Yee cheer during the California Democratic Party 2026 State Convention on Feb. 21, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There are currently seven notable Democrats in the race, including former Los Angeles Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077747/antonio-villaraigosas-second-act-can-a-pragmatist-lead-california\">Antonio Villaraigosa\u003c/a> and State Superintendent of Public Instruction \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077118/tony-thurmond-carves-out-a-progressive-path-in-the-race-for-california-governor\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>. Porte said a smaller field could help voters focus on the strongest candidates, but she doesn’t want to see Yee exit just yet — despite Yee polling in the low single-digits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Since she does seem to represent a lot of my views, I hope she’ll stay in, and perhaps someone else will jump out of the race,” Porte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the seven notable Democrats left in the race all see an opportunity to make inroads with Bay Area voters now that Swalwell is out of the campaign. On Wednesday, Mahan launched a $3 million ad buy that included broadcast television in the region — while Becerra touted an influx of first-time donors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coakley said he’s taking his support back to Becerra — and has started to engage more deeply in the race since the Swalwell scandal broke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve gone to the [candidate] websites,” he said. “I hadn’t really done that before all this had happened.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Before former Rep. Eric Swalwell \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583\">ended his campaign\u003c/a> for California governor and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079746/rep-eric-swalwell-says-he-is-resigning-from-congress-amid-sexual-assault-allegations\">resigned\u003c/a> from his seat in Congress, the Dublin native was consolidating support among Bay Area voters ahead of the June 2 primary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That all changed when former staff members \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">accused\u003c/a> Swalwell of sexual assault and inappropriate sexual behavior in a pair of bombshell reports from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php\">\u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/10/us/eric-swalwell-sexual-misconduct-allegations-invs\">CNN\u003c/a>. With the disgraced congressmember now out of the race, the other Democrats running for governor are redoubling their efforts to attract support in the progressive, vote-rich Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell was scheduled to answer questions from residents in a KQED town hall on May 13. We reached out to locals who had signed up to see how they are viewing the race now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dion Coakley of San Francisco had initially supported \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12034105/xavier-becerra-enters-california-governors-race-citing-break-glass-moment\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the former state attorney general and U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. But Becerra hadn’t gained serious traction in the polls, and Coakley feared a fractured Democratic vote could \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073986/california-democrats-descend-on-sf-as-party-rifts-emerge\">allow two Republicans to advance\u003c/a> from the top-two primary to the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Which is kind of how I was coming to Swalwell — just the fact that he might be able to beat out one of these Republicans,” Coakley said. “Thank God this didn’t come out six weeks from now.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In public polling before the scandal, Swalwell was running neck-and-neck with two other Democrats — former Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078450/katie-porters-run-for-governor-centers-tax-cuts-corporate-accountability\">Katie Porter\u003c/a> and billionaire investor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12064558/billionaire-climate-activist-tom-steyer-enters-2026-california-governors-race\">Tom Steyer\u003c/a> — and two Republicans: Riverside County Sheriff \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/chad-bianco\">Chad Bianco\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/steve-hilton\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a>, a conservative political commentator and former Fox News host. In California, all candidates appear on the ballot together, regardless of party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080156\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080156\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9314_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9314_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9314_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9314_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Supporters of Tom Steyer hold campaign signs during the California Democratic Party 2026 State Convention on Feb. 21, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But Swalwell had built an edge on his home turf.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a survey released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California, 28% of likely voters in the Bay Area supported Swalwell — more than double the support of Steyer (12%), Hilton (11%), Mahan (11%) and Porter (10%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell is a former Alameda County prosecutor and Dublin city councilmember who has represented the East Bay in Congress since 2013. The seat he held until Tuesday, California’s 14th Congressional District, includes Hayward, Fremont, Dublin and Pleasanton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2h95684f\">surveys\u003c/a> by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the firm Evitarus \u003ca href=\"https://cadem.org/california-voter-index/\">on behalf of the California Democratic Party\u003c/a> also found Swalwell leading among Bay Area voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cynthia Robbins-Roth of San Mateo was initially drawn to Porter, who entered Congress in the “Blue Wave” election of 2018 midterms alongside fellow Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“They were prepared, they were informed and they were pretty used to dealing with being in rooms with a bunch of old guys who felt like they could push women around,” Robbins-Roth said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she said her vote wasn’t set in stone. Swalwell had caught her eye when he served as a House manager during the second impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was one of the folks I was so impressed with,” Robbins-Roth said. “I was just kind of bummed that he turned out to be one more guy who let the power of his situation determine how he was going to behave towards other people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Honestly, I’m back at Katie Porter,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the immediate aftermath of Swalwell’s exit from the race, the Porter and Steyer campaigns each pointed to recent polling to argue that their candidate was best positioned to benefit from Swalwell’s downfall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.threads.com/@jcpolls/post/DW93tFWEo5R?xmt=AQF0owPVqfzmYxbIo1mhwyjzcZ2te1isItwVxg0QNBvT9w\">March survey\u003c/a> from UC Berkeley’s Jack Citrin Center and Politico found 39% of Swalwell voters picking Porter as their second choice, and 15% preferring Steyer. An April poll by Global Strategy Group for the Steyer campaign found Swalwell supporters more closely divided on their second choice, with 31% backing Porter and 25% supporting Steyer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shekhar Sakhalkar, of San José, said he is backing Steyer because of the billionaire investor’s early support for impeaching Donald Trump. Steyer launched the “Need to Impeach” campaign to remove Trump from office less than a year into his first term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought that he was trying to do the right thing in calling out the right problems,” Sakhalkar said. “So I was impressed with that part from the beginning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Berkeley resident Susanna Porte also likes Steyer, along with former state Controller \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073301/former-state-controller-betty-yee-says-shes-the-best-gubernatorial-candidate-to-fix-californias-budget-deficit\">Betty Yee\u003c/a>. She said both have focused on her top issues of the environment and economic justice and have “decided to challenge PG&E.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12080159\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12080159\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9196_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9196_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9196_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/7I8A9196_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Supporters of Betty T. Yee cheer during the California Democratic Party 2026 State Convention on Feb. 21, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There are currently seven notable Democrats in the race, including former Los Angeles Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077747/antonio-villaraigosas-second-act-can-a-pragmatist-lead-california\">Antonio Villaraigosa\u003c/a> and State Superintendent of Public Instruction \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12077118/tony-thurmond-carves-out-a-progressive-path-in-the-race-for-california-governor\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>. Porte said a smaller field could help voters focus on the strongest candidates, but she doesn’t want to see Yee exit just yet — despite Yee polling in the low single-digits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Since she does seem to represent a lot of my views, I hope she’ll stay in, and perhaps someone else will jump out of the race,” Porte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the seven notable Democrats left in the race all see an opportunity to make inroads with Bay Area voters now that Swalwell is out of the campaign. On Wednesday, Mahan launched a $3 million ad buy that included broadcast television in the region — while Becerra touted an influx of first-time donors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coakley said he’s taking his support back to Becerra — and has started to engage more deeply in the race since the Swalwell scandal broke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve gone to the [candidate] websites,” he said. “I hadn’t really done that before all this had happened.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "eric-swalwell-allegations-resign-congress-california-governor-race-who-is-running-primary",
"title": "Eric Swalwell Resigns: What to Know About the Special Election and the Governor’s Race",
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"headTitle": "Eric Swalwell Resigns: What to Know About the Special Election and the Governor’s Race | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress on Tuesday, days after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">sexual assault and misconduct allegations\u003c/a> against the Democratic front-runner upended California’s wide-open governor’s race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583\">dropped out of the race\u003c/a> on Sunday and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079746/rep-eric-swalwell-says-he-is-resigning-from-congress-amid-sexual-assault-allegations\">resigned\u003c/a> from Congress on Tuesday. His exit comes as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079856/woman-alleges-violent-sexual-assault-by-eric-swalwell-he-raped-me\">a new accuser\u003c/a> came forward Tuesday, alleging that Swalwell drugged and raped her in 2018. Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly set Aug. 18 as the date for a special election to fill Swalwell’s seat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what happened and what it means for the June 2 statewide primary and the future of Swalwell’s congressional seat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#HowdoesSwalwelldroppingoutimpacttheCaliforniagovernorsrace\">How does Swalwell dropping out impact the California governor’s race?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>Why did Eric Swalwell resign from Congress and drop out of the governor’s race?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Swalwell, 45, is accused of sexually assaulting two women and harassing others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Friday, he was accused of raping a former staff member twice, when she was too intoxicated to consent, and of harassing three other women, including by sending nude photos and making unwanted physical advances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those allegations were detailed in a \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php\">investigation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/10/us/eric-swalwell-sexual-misconduct-allegations-invs\">a subsequent report by CNN.\u003c/a> The latest allegation was made by another woman, Lonna Drewes, who told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that Swalwell drugged and raped \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079856/woman-alleges-violent-sexual-assault-by-eric-swalwell-he-raped-me\">her in 2018 in a West Hollywood hotel.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079944\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079944\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2271341028-scaled-e1776276443587.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1327\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attorney Lisa Bloom (R) comforts Lonna Drewes during a press conference in which Drewes accused U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell of sexual assault, on April 14, 2026, in Beverly Hills, California. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Swalwell has denied the allegations since they broke on April 10, and his lawyers sent the women accusing him cease-and-desist letters demanding they retract their claims. In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DW-a13lkjXx/?hl=en\">video message\u003c/a> Swalwell posted late Friday, he seemed to acknowledge he’d been unfaithful to his wife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, after the second allegation of rape, Swalwell issued a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/azarilaw/status/2044144837113344170\">statement\u003c/a> through an attorney, which the lawyer posted on social media. It said that Swalwell “categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of sexual misconduct and assault” and calls them a “calculated and transparent political hit job. His lawyer, Sara Azari, also went on \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/NewsNationNow/videos/eric-swalwells-attorney-speaks-out-after-sexual-assault-allegations-cuomo/1435286471144143/\">News Nation on Tuesday night\u003c/a> and said that “regret is not rape.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most serious allegations involve a woman who worked for Swalwell’s presidential campaign and in his congressional office, a job she began at age 21. She told the \u003cem>Chronicle \u003c/em>that Swalwell, who is 17 years older than her, began pursuing her within weeks of joining his office in 2019, sending her explicit pictures on Snapchat and asking for nude photos in return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079927\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079927\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260309-DEAF-DEPORTEE-MD-01_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260309-DEAF-DEPORTEE-MD-01_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260309-DEAF-DEPORTEE-MD-01_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260309-DEAF-DEPORTEE-MD-01_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rep. Eric Swalwell in Hayward on March 9, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She alleged that in September 2019, she went out drinking with a group, including Swalwell, in Pleasanton and woke up the next day naked in his hotel room, feeling the effects of vaginal intercourse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The woman also described a similar alleged assault in 2024 in New York City after a night of drinking, recalling portions of the night, including being in Swalwell’s hotel room, pushing him off of her and telling him no. She said she woke up alone in his hotel room with vaginal bleeding and bruising.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell is also facing possible criminal investigations in both New York and California. The Manhattan district attorney’s office said Saturday that it is looking into the alleged 2024 assault, and the Alameda County district attorney’s office said over the weekend that prosecutors there are \u003cem>“\u003c/em>evaluating whether any alleged criminal conduct occurred within Alameda County.” And on Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-04-14/eric-swalwell-rape-drugged-drink-beverly-hills-allegations\">said it is investigating Drewe’s allegations.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What happens to Eric Swalwell’s seat now?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Swalwell represented \u003ca href=\"https://swalwell.house.gov/14th-district/about-district\">California’s 14th Congressional District,\u003c/a> which includes the East Bay cities of Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore and Hayward. He submitted his resignation on Tuesday. The seat is now vacant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly called \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/04/14/governor-newsom-issues-proclamation-setting-special-election-for-california-congressional-district-14/\">a special election\u003c/a> this summer to replace him. Whoever wins will fill the seat for the remaining months of Swalwell’s term, which ends in January. In the meantime, the district has no voting representation in Congress, only the staff who have remained to assist constituents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the election cycle for the next term, beginning in January, continues on its regular schedule, with the June 2 primary and a potential runoff in the November general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell is not on the ballot for his congressional seat because he was running for governor. However, his name will still appear on the June ballot for governor, since it’s too late to legally remove it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When is the special election for Swalwell’s seat and who might run?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Newsom has scheduled a special election to fill the remainder of Swalwell’s term. First, a special primary election will be held June 16. If a candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, they would win outright and immediately take his seat in Congress.[aside postID=news_12079911 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/EricSwalwellGetty1-1020x680.jpg']If no candidate clears that threshold, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election on Aug. 18. Whoever wins will serve only the remainder of Swalwell’s term, until January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That means that if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in both the statewide primary and the special primary, voters in Swalwell’s East Bay district could potentially cast four separate ballots for their congressional representative this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nine candidates were already running to succeed Swalwell in the 14th District in the June 2 primary for the full term set to begin in January. State Sen. Aisha Wahab is the only one with statewide elected experience. Former Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez, who serves as president of the BART Board of Directors, is also running.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those candidates may also run in the special primary election.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Who is running for governor of California now?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2h95684f\">top-polling candidates\u003c/a> in the crowded field include two Republicans: businessman \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdP6OxD9flY&t=804s\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a> and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Two Democrats other than Swalwell have also been enjoying double-digit support in most polls: \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJyo64Jv6qM&t=1s\">former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=5s\">billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Democratic candidates include \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-bhl_OtmWY&list=PLCxtKFQXBuRhEPWmS6AkZdGzEvN1qdcB7&index=6&t=2s\">Xavier Becerra,\u003c/a> who previously served as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and California attorney general; San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0fvZsBWqxM\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a>; former Los Angeles Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2g8T2bT8ec\">Antonio Villaraigosa\u003c/a>; California Superintendent for Public Instruction \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os2IfgCqMEI\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>; and former state Controller \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKYq2riTwYk&t=37s\">Betty Yee\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"HowdoesSwalwelldroppingoutimpacttheCaliforniagovernorsrace\">\u003c/a>How does Swalwell dropping out affect the California governor’s race?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Swalwell’s departure stands to further \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079505/sexual-assault-allegations-against-rep-eric-swalwell-could-upend-california-governors-race\">shake up\u003c/a> what has long been an unsettled race — and California’s first wide-open campaign for governor in two decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prior to Swalwell dropping out, he, Porter and Steyer were the top-polling Democrats. It seems likely that Porter and Steyer could now attract some of his supporters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12013319\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12013319\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The U.S. Capitol Building on Feb. 5, 2019, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite>(Zach Gibson/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California has a “top-two” primary system, meaning the two candidates who receive the most votes in June, regardless of party, will move on to a November runoff. That means two Republicans or two Democrats could face each other in a runoff election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s been concern among Democrats that because no Democratic candidate has consolidated support, Hilton and Bianco could make it into the runoff, shutting out Democrats and resulting in a Republican governor. That seems less likely now, especially since Hilton recently received \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">President Donald Trump’s endorsement,\u003c/a> which is likely to play well among Republican voters. The state GOP failed to endorse either candidate at their convention this weekend, though Bianco did get more votes than Hilton from party insiders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If Hilton surges ahead of Bianco, the race could come down to a contest between Porter and Steyer for a second spot in the runoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When is the primary for California governor, and who will I be able to vote for?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">Election Day is June 2\u003c/a>. The last day to register to vote is May 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Counties will begin sending out mail-in ballots on May 4, and in-person early voting starts May 23.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To register to vote, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">contact your county elections office\u003c/a>. The official state information guide is available \u003ca href=\"https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/\">here.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "With a special election set for Aug. 18 and new allegations surfacing, here’s a breakdown of what happens to Swalwell’s seat and the race for California governor.",
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"title": "Eric Swalwell Resigns: What to Know About the Special Election and the Governor’s Race | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress on Tuesday, days after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079502/rep-eric-swalwell-candidate-for-california-governor-is-accused-of-sexual-assault\">sexual assault and misconduct allegations\u003c/a> against the Democratic front-runner upended California’s wide-open governor’s race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079583\">dropped out of the race\u003c/a> on Sunday and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079746/rep-eric-swalwell-says-he-is-resigning-from-congress-amid-sexual-assault-allegations\">resigned\u003c/a> from Congress on Tuesday. His exit comes as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079856/woman-alleges-violent-sexual-assault-by-eric-swalwell-he-raped-me\">a new accuser\u003c/a> came forward Tuesday, alleging that Swalwell drugged and raped her in 2018. Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly set Aug. 18 as the date for a special election to fill Swalwell’s seat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what happened and what it means for the June 2 statewide primary and the future of Swalwell’s congressional seat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#HowdoesSwalwelldroppingoutimpacttheCaliforniagovernorsrace\">How does Swalwell dropping out impact the California governor’s race?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>Why did Eric Swalwell resign from Congress and drop out of the governor’s race?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Swalwell, 45, is accused of sexually assaulting two women and harassing others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Friday, he was accused of raping a former staff member twice, when she was too intoxicated to consent, and of harassing three other women, including by sending nude photos and making unwanted physical advances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those allegations were detailed in a \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php\">investigation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/10/us/eric-swalwell-sexual-misconduct-allegations-invs\">a subsequent report by CNN.\u003c/a> The latest allegation was made by another woman, Lonna Drewes, who told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that Swalwell drugged and raped \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079856/woman-alleges-violent-sexual-assault-by-eric-swalwell-he-raped-me\">her in 2018 in a West Hollywood hotel.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079944\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079944\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/GettyImages-2271341028-scaled-e1776276443587.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1327\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attorney Lisa Bloom (R) comforts Lonna Drewes during a press conference in which Drewes accused U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell of sexual assault, on April 14, 2026, in Beverly Hills, California. \u003ccite>(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Swalwell has denied the allegations since they broke on April 10, and his lawyers sent the women accusing him cease-and-desist letters demanding they retract their claims. In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DW-a13lkjXx/?hl=en\">video message\u003c/a> Swalwell posted late Friday, he seemed to acknowledge he’d been unfaithful to his wife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, after the second allegation of rape, Swalwell issued a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/azarilaw/status/2044144837113344170\">statement\u003c/a> through an attorney, which the lawyer posted on social media. It said that Swalwell “categorically and unequivocally denies each and every allegation of sexual misconduct and assault” and calls them a “calculated and transparent political hit job. His lawyer, Sara Azari, also went on \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/NewsNationNow/videos/eric-swalwells-attorney-speaks-out-after-sexual-assault-allegations-cuomo/1435286471144143/\">News Nation on Tuesday night\u003c/a> and said that “regret is not rape.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The most serious allegations involve a woman who worked for Swalwell’s presidential campaign and in his congressional office, a job she began at age 21. She told the \u003cem>Chronicle \u003c/em>that Swalwell, who is 17 years older than her, began pursuing her within weeks of joining his office in 2019, sending her explicit pictures on Snapchat and asking for nude photos in return.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12079927\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12079927\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260309-DEAF-DEPORTEE-MD-01_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260309-DEAF-DEPORTEE-MD-01_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260309-DEAF-DEPORTEE-MD-01_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260309-DEAF-DEPORTEE-MD-01_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rep. Eric Swalwell in Hayward on March 9, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She alleged that in September 2019, she went out drinking with a group, including Swalwell, in Pleasanton and woke up the next day naked in his hotel room, feeling the effects of vaginal intercourse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The woman also described a similar alleged assault in 2024 in New York City after a night of drinking, recalling portions of the night, including being in Swalwell’s hotel room, pushing him off of her and telling him no. She said she woke up alone in his hotel room with vaginal bleeding and bruising.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell is also facing possible criminal investigations in both New York and California. The Manhattan district attorney’s office said Saturday that it is looking into the alleged 2024 assault, and the Alameda County district attorney’s office said over the weekend that prosecutors there are \u003cem>“\u003c/em>evaluating whether any alleged criminal conduct occurred within Alameda County.” And on Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-04-14/eric-swalwell-rape-drugged-drink-beverly-hills-allegations\">said it is investigating Drewe’s allegations.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What happens to Eric Swalwell’s seat now?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Swalwell represented \u003ca href=\"https://swalwell.house.gov/14th-district/about-district\">California’s 14th Congressional District,\u003c/a> which includes the East Bay cities of Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore and Hayward. He submitted his resignation on Tuesday. The seat is now vacant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly called \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/04/14/governor-newsom-issues-proclamation-setting-special-election-for-california-congressional-district-14/\">a special election\u003c/a> this summer to replace him. Whoever wins will fill the seat for the remaining months of Swalwell’s term, which ends in January. In the meantime, the district has no voting representation in Congress, only the staff who have remained to assist constituents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the election cycle for the next term, beginning in January, continues on its regular schedule, with the June 2 primary and a potential runoff in the November general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swalwell is not on the ballot for his congressional seat because he was running for governor. However, his name will still appear on the June ballot for governor, since it’s too late to legally remove it.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When is the special election for Swalwell’s seat and who might run?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Newsom has scheduled a special election to fill the remainder of Swalwell’s term. First, a special primary election will be held June 16. If a candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, they would win outright and immediately take his seat in Congress.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>If no candidate clears that threshold, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election on Aug. 18. Whoever wins will serve only the remainder of Swalwell’s term, until January.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That means that if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in both the statewide primary and the special primary, voters in Swalwell’s East Bay district could potentially cast four separate ballots for their congressional representative this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nine candidates were already running to succeed Swalwell in the 14th District in the June 2 primary for the full term set to begin in January. State Sen. Aisha Wahab is the only one with statewide elected experience. Former Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez, who serves as president of the BART Board of Directors, is also running.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those candidates may also run in the special primary election.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Who is running for governor of California now?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2h95684f\">top-polling candidates\u003c/a> in the crowded field include two Republicans: businessman \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdP6OxD9flY&t=804s\">Steve Hilton\u003c/a> and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Two Democrats other than Swalwell have also been enjoying double-digit support in most polls: \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJyo64Jv6qM&t=1s\">former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjXvKfldFlI&t=5s\">billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other Democratic candidates include \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-bhl_OtmWY&list=PLCxtKFQXBuRhEPWmS6AkZdGzEvN1qdcB7&index=6&t=2s\">Xavier Becerra,\u003c/a> who previously served as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and California attorney general; San José Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0fvZsBWqxM\">Matt Mahan\u003c/a>; former Los Angeles Mayor \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2g8T2bT8ec\">Antonio Villaraigosa\u003c/a>; California Superintendent for Public Instruction \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os2IfgCqMEI\">Tony Thurmond\u003c/a>; and former state Controller \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKYq2riTwYk&t=37s\">Betty Yee\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"HowdoesSwalwelldroppingoutimpacttheCaliforniagovernorsrace\">\u003c/a>How does Swalwell dropping out affect the California governor’s race?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Swalwell’s departure stands to further \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079505/sexual-assault-allegations-against-rep-eric-swalwell-could-upend-california-governors-race\">shake up\u003c/a> what has long been an unsettled race — and California’s first wide-open campaign for governor in two decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Prior to Swalwell dropping out, he, Porter and Steyer were the top-polling Democrats. It seems likely that Porter and Steyer could now attract some of his supporters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12013319\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12013319\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/02052019_capitol_qed-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The U.S. Capitol Building on Feb. 5, 2019, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite>(Zach Gibson/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>California has a “top-two” primary system, meaning the two candidates who receive the most votes in June, regardless of party, will move on to a November runoff. That means two Republicans or two Democrats could face each other in a runoff election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s been concern among Democrats that because no Democratic candidate has consolidated support, Hilton and Bianco could make it into the runoff, shutting out Democrats and resulting in a Republican governor. That seems less likely now, especially since Hilton recently received \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078793/trump-endorses-steve-hilton-for-california-governor-giving-gop-a-front-runner\">President Donald Trump’s endorsement,\u003c/a> which is likely to play well among Republican voters. The state GOP failed to endorse either candidate at their convention this weekend, though Bianco did get more votes than Hilton from party insiders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If Hilton surges ahead of Bianco, the race could come down to a contest between Porter and Steyer for a second spot in the runoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When is the primary for California governor, and who will I be able to vote for?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">Election Day is June 2\u003c/a>. The last day to register to vote is May 18.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Counties will begin sending out mail-in ballots on May 4, and in-person early voting starts May 23.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To register to vote, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">contact your county elections office\u003c/a>. The official state information guide is available \u003ca href=\"https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/\">here.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
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},
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},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
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"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
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},
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},
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},
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},
"californiareport": {
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"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
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"order": 8
},
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}
},
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"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
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"order": 10
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
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"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
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"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
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"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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"order": 1
},
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"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"meta": {
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"meta": {
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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}
},
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"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
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"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"order": 18
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
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