New poll narrows California governor’s race: Becerra 48%, Hilton 38%

The race for governor of California is narrowing significantly, according to a new poll released on Monday, 5 October. Democrat Xavier Becerra takes 48 per cent of likely voters, against 38 per cent for Republican Steve Hilton, while 11 per cent say they are undecided.

Becerra, California’s former attorney general and a former secretary of health in the Biden administration, keeps his lead, but this is his narrowest advantage in polling so far. A UC Berkeley poll released on 24 September had him at 58 per cent to 33 per cent, while a Public Policy Institute of California poll put the race at 60 to 38 per cent.

Hilton, a former Fox News host, appears to be benefiting from a marked improvement in his standing in the final weeks of the campaign.

The organisation’s analysis assesses that the undecideds — 55 per cent of whom are Democrats — will split roughly 2-to-1 in favour of Becerra. “If nothing changes”, his projected share of the vote reaches about 57 per cent, as Desert Sun reports.

The California gubernatorial election is held on 3 November.