The Results Are In: Meet the Next Governor of California
Sacramento, California - June 8, 2026
Xavier Becerra Advances to November General Election for California Governor
Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has secured a position in California’s November gubernatorial election. CNN’s Decision Desk projected on Friday that Becerra would advance after establishing a commanding lead in the primary.
The outcome ensures that Democrats will have a candidate on the general election ballot under the state’s top-two primary system. Becerra released a statement following the projection.
“I’m so humbled and honored to be moving on to the general election to become your next governor. Let’s go win this thing.”
California Democrats viewed the result as a significant relief. Party leaders had expressed concern that a divided field could allow two Republican candidates to advance to the November ballot.
Second-Place Contest Remains Open
The race for the second spot on the November ballot is still unresolved. Republican Steve Hilton, the former Fox News host endorsed by President Donald Trump, remains in contention alongside Democratic activist and billionaire Tom Steyer. Election officials have not yet determined which candidate will advance.
Becerra continued to widen his lead over both Hilton and Steyer in the days following the primary. If Hilton ultimately secures the second position, he would enter the general election in a state where Democrats hold a substantial voter registration advantage of roughly 4.6 million more registered Democrats than Republicans.
The last Republican to serve as California governor was Arnold Schwarzenegger, who won reelection twenty years ago.
Democratic Primary Dynamics
The Democratic primary exposed notable challenges for the party. Several prominent potential candidates, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, chose not to run. Without a dominant frontrunner, the field remained fragmented for much of the campaign period.
Former Representative Katie Porter gained early momentum before her campaign ended amid the release of controversial videos. Attention later turned to then-Representative Eric Swalwell, who entered the race in late 2025. His campaign concluded after reports of alleged sexual misconduct emerged. Swalwell denied the allegations but withdrew from the race and resigned from Congress.
Becerra, who previously served as California attorney general and as a member of Congress, positioned his campaign around government experience and leadership during crises. Critics focused on aspects of his record, including the federal response to the child migrant crisis and the mpox outbreak. He also faced questions after a former chief of staff pleaded guilty to fraud involving campaign funds, although Becerra was not accused of personal wrongdoing.
Supporters, including former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, stated that Becerra inherited challenging circumstances and worked diligently to address them.
Additional Races and Context
In the Los Angeles mayoral contest, Mayor Karen Bass has already advanced to the November ballot. The battle for second place between reality television personality Spencer Pratt and City Councilwoman Nithya Raman continues as additional ballots are processed.
For Democrats across California, Becerra’s advancement resolved one major source of uncertainty. Regardless of the final outcome for second place, Becerra will appear on the November ballot as the Democratic nominee for governor.
DOJ Finds It - California's Election Scandal Just Blew WIDE OPEN
Los Angeles, California - June 8, 2026
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli Says California Continues to Block Federal Audit of Voter Rolls
U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli stated that state officials are continuing to block a federal audit of California’s voter registration rolls more than a year after the Department of Justice first sought access. Essayli said his office has identified multiple state policies that have raised concerns about election administration.
Those policies include allowing first-time voters who cannot provide a Social Security number or driver’s license to register using alternative forms of identification. Accepted documents include gym membership cards, employer identification cards, credit or debit cards, and prescription drug labels. The state also permits the use of insurance cards, which has drawn scrutiny because California provides state-funded health coverage to certain individuals regardless of immigration status.
Additional concerns cited by the office include delays in removing deceased voters from the rolls and limited restrictions on third-party ballot harvesting.
Federal Authority and Legal Dispute
Essayli said federal law grants the Attorney General authority to review state voter files to confirm that only eligible U.S. citizens are voting in federal elections.
“For over a year, the Department of Justice has been trying to audit California’s voter rolls,” Essayli wrote. “Federal law gives the Attorney General the authority to review state voter files and confirm that only eligible U.S. citizens are voting in federal elections.”
He added that California has refused to comply, citing state privacy laws. Essayli stated that those laws do not apply to the federal government in this context.
“AAG Dhillon sent California a letter explaining our legal authority,” Essayli wrote, referring to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon. “California refused to comply, claiming state privacy laws block the review, an argument that does not hold up because those laws don’t apply to the federal government in this context.”
The Justice Department has filed suit against California. The case is currently before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Context of Ongoing Ballot Counting
Essayli’s statements come as California continues processing hundreds of thousands of ballots from the June primary election. In the Los Angeles mayoral race, preliminary leads have shifted as additional ballots were counted in the days following Election Day. Critics have pointed to the pace of counting and changes in vote totals as reasons for concern about election integrity.
Essayli said that if California wants voters to trust its elections, the state should allow the federal review rather than fight to keep records closed.
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“If California genuinely wants voters to trust its elections, it should open its records, not fight to keep them closed,” he wrote. “What are they afraid of?”
California officials have previously defended the state’s election system, stating that existing safeguards are sufficient and that there is no evidence of widespread irregularities affecting outcomes. The dispute over federal access to voter rolls continues as the legal case proceeds.
