California Governor Race Results: Who Emerged Victorious?

California is undergoing a significant transformation. With Governor Gavin Newsom concluding his term this year, voters have participated in the 2026 primary election for the next governor. Candidates are presenting their plans aimed at addressing the state’s affordability and housing challenges, with key contenders being Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra.

During his campaign, Becerra has committed to confronting Donald Trump and his policies if he secures the governorship.

“Californians are all too familiar with disasters, but Donald Trump is a man-made natural disaster affecting Californians every single day,” Becerra asserts as part of his campaign pledge. “As California’s Attorney General, I sued the Trump Administration over 120 times, winning landmark cases that defended Obamacare and protected working Californians and Dreamers from harm.”

Hilton, on the other hand, has framed his campaign around the notion that California is “notoriously recognized for dystopian scenes of crime, chaos, and squalor.” He attributes the devastation linked to the 2025 Los Angeles County fires to the “staggering incompetence of [the] under a Democrat one-party rule.” His campaign slogan, “Make California Golden again,” mirrors Trump’s famous “Make America Great Again” mantra.

Stay tuned for the latest updates on the California gubernatorial primary race.

What Are the Results of the California Governor Primary Election?

In a primary election, there is no single winner declared at this stage. The next governor of California will be determined in November 2026, during the general election.

The top two candidates with the highest votes from the primary will proceed to the general election this fall.

Who Is Currently Leading in the California Governor Race?

Becerra has successfully advanced to the general election for governor. He will face off against either Hilton, a former Fox News commentator, or Steyer, a billionaire climate activist, but it remains uncertain which candidate he will ultimately compete against later this year.

Who Might Become the Next Governor of California?

It is too early to determine who could emerge as California’s next governor. The outcome will depend on effective campaigning and which candidate can persuade the electorate of the need for positive change after Newsom’s term concludes.