California Gubernatorial Republican Candidates Leading over Democrat Candidates

[mystery-ak]

Elizabeth Weibel 23 Jan 2026

California Republican gubernatorial candidates Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton are leading over Democrat gubernatorial candidates, according to a recent report.

Kathy Barnette, a weekend host with talk radio 1210 WPHT, wrote in a post on X that “PER POLITICO” Bianco, who is the Riverside County Sheriff, “leads California’s gubernatorial race.”

According to the poll from Politico, Bianco and Hilton have a one-point difference, with Bianco receiving 18 percent, while Hilton has 17 percent.

On the Democratic side, former Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) received 14 percent, while Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) received 11 percent. Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer received eight percent, and former Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra received six percent.

Bianco and Hilton’s lead over their Democrat opponents signals a dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party in the state.

Breitbart News reported in March that a poll conducted by national pollster David Wolfson found that nearly 50 percent of likely California voters revealed they were considering voting for a Republican governor.

https://twitter.com/Kathy4Truth/status/2014836339200688598

more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/01/23/california-gubernatorial-republican-candidates-leading-democrat-candidates/

[Wingnut]

I don't know how many otes the rats will need to win.  But I know how many they will use.

[Bigun]

I don't know how many otes the rats will need to win.  But I know how many they will use.

Exactly enough to win no matter what it takes.

[PeteS in CA]

The current situation is that with Goobernor Noisome being termed out, there are enough Dem candidates with the name-rec and/or $$$$ spreading the Dem primary vote that an R cadidate could qualify for the November ballot. After that, .

Hilton and Bianco both look good. Bianco is, IIRC, the Sheriff of Riverside County and was not liked by LIEden or Noisome. My WAG is that unless Sacto's Dem Overlords have POed so many voters that creative vote counting in the SF Bay Area and Land of LA will not suffice, CA will have a new Dem goobernor.

I haven't been represented in Sacto in decades. Even the last R for my Assembly district (in the 1990s, IIRC) was a RINO.