California governor hopefuls make final push as GOP shutout looms

Democratic frontrunners Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer and Republican Steve Hilton made last-minute campaign stops across Southern California on Monday, hours before a primary that could leave the Republican Party without a candidate in November's general election.

The stakes extend well beyond Sacramento: California's nonpartisan top-two primary system means that if the highest vote-getters are both Democrats, Republicans would be shut out of the November ballot entirely — a scenario that polling increasingly suggests is plausible, and one that could shape the political future of the nation's most populous state.

Steyer, who has poured $200 million of his own money into the race, spent his final full day of campaigning at UCLA's Westwood campus before heading to a Pride event in West Hollywood. "Talking to some UCLA undergrads in this incredibly beautiful place with some very diverse, turned-on, positive kids. How could I not love doing this?" Steyer said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. When pressed about his wealth, Steyer pushed back, saying: "I'm the only billionaire on the ballot, but not the only billionaire in this race, because there are a lot of billionaires who think they know how to make this race turn out the way they want it."

Becerra, the former Health and Human Services secretary, drew a sharp contrast with his rivals at a Long Beach rally Sunday night. "We are not going to let a billionaire or Trump's hand-picked candidate take over this state," Becerra said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. He invoked the story of his immigrant parents, who arrived in California with just $12. "We are not going to let them buy an election. And we are not going to step aside while they dismantle the dream my mother and my father believed in when they came to California with those $12," he said.

On the Republican side, Hilton — polling at 23% in recent surveys — made a public appeal to supporters of Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is trailing at 11%, asking them to consolidate behind him. "There is now only one chance we have to stop the Democrats from taking both slots in the General, and that is to vote for me," Hilton said on social media, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Bianco declined, firing back on social media: "It's clear that Steve Hilton supporters should unite and support me. While they're at it, Becerra, Steyer, Porter, Mahan, Thurmond and Villaraigosa supporters should vote for me too."

President Trump entered the fray Monday, issuing a sweeping endorsement of Hilton on Truth Social. "With our Administration, working alongside a Great Governor like Steve Hilton, California can be better than ever before. Steve Hilton has my COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!" Trump wrote, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The race has undergone significant reshuffling in recent weeks. Katie Porter, once considered the Democratic frontrunner, has fallen to fifth place with single-digit poll numbers after unflattering videos emerged, ABC7 reported. Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out entirely following sexual misconduct allegations. Steyer is averaging 20% in polling — just three points behind Hilton — raising the prospect of an all-Democratic November showdown between Becerra and Steyer.

Polling places open Tuesday across California for the gubernatorial primary. The top two finishers, regardless of party, will advance to the November general election.