California voters have determined the two candidates who will compete for the state’s highest office in November’s general election. Republican political commentator Steve Hilton and Democratic former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra emerged as the top two vote-getters in the June 2 primary election, securing their places on the fall ballot.
Hilton, a British-born conservative media personality, garnered 2,108,641 votes, representing 25% of ballots cast. Becerra led the field with 2,355,626 votes, or 27.9% of the total. Under California’s top-two primary system, these candidates will advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer finished third with 1,905,742 votes, accounting for 22.6% of the vote share. Following the results, Steyer conceded the race and announced his endorsement of Becerra. Governor Gavin Newsom also threw his support behind Becerra’s candidacy.
The vote counting process continues with approximately 874,000 ballots still pending tabulation. California election law permits officials to count ballots received up to seven days after election day, with the secretary of state having until July 10 to certify the final results.
The extended counting period has drawn criticism from some Republican figures who have questioned the lengthy process. President Donald Trump and others have made unsubstantiated claims about election integrity, particularly citing the Los Angeles mayoral race where Trump-endorsed candidate Spencer Pratt initially held a top-two position before falling to third place as vote counting progressed.
In that contest, Los Angeles Council Member Nithya Raman ultimately secured second place with 245,490 votes, while incumbent Mayor Karen Bass maintained her lead with 290,761 votes. Pratt’s early advantage diminished as additional ballots were processed.
Multiple congressional races remain undecided as vote counting continues. In the special election to complete the term of the late Representative Doug LaMalfa, who passed away in January, Assemblymember James Gallagher secured a decisive victory with 121,919 votes, representing 62.1% of the total and avoiding an August 4 runoff.
Gallagher delivered his farewell address on the Assembly floor Monday before preparing to take his congressional oath of office. The November election for the full two-year term will use newly drawn district maps approved under Proposition 50, which observers note may favor Democratic candidates.
Several incumbent representatives face competitive challenges in redrawn districts. Representative Ami Bera leads in the 3rd Congressional District with 70,754 votes to Republican Robb Tucker’s 60,336. In the 6th District, independent Representative Kevin Kiley, formerly a Republican, received 45,006 votes while former Democratic State Senator Richard Pan garnered 42,587 votes.
State Senator Aisha Wahab holds first place in the race for the 14th Congressional District seat previously held by Eric Swalwell, with 56,684 votes compared to Democrat Melissa Hernandez’s 25,140 votes. A special election to fill Swalwell’s remaining term is scheduled for June 16.
The gubernatorial race marks a significant political moment for California as voters prepare to choose new leadership. Both Hilton and Becerra will now focus on building coalitions and presenting their visions for the state’s future ahead of the November election.
Leave a Reply