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California’s gubernatorial jungle primary has drawn national attention as two standout Republican candidates have clawed their way to the front of the race, gunning for a chance to shake up the political system in Sacramento by going head-to-head in a potential general election.
In California, the top two candidates will proceed to the general election, regardless of party affiliation. This means that two Republicans or two Democrats could face off against each other if the votes so aligned.
Currently, two Republicans are leading the primary free-for-all, setting the stage for what could be a historic election season in the longtime Democrat stronghold: political personality Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, according to late December data from CivicLens Research.
They were followed by Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell (Calif.) in third place, and former California Rep. Katie Porter in fourth.
While Hilton holds the lead in CivicLens’ data, it appears that key voters identifying as “No Party Preference” prefer Bianco, according to IVP data published more recently in mid-January.
In the 2026 California gubernatorial race, Bianco leads at 26 percent against Hilton’s 23.8 percent among independent voters.
In CivicLens data, more than 30 percent of California voters were still undecided at such an early point in the primary race. The Golden State gubernatorial primary will not take place until June.
Steve Hilton is a British-American political commentator and former Fox News host, probably well known to native Californians. According to Cal Matters, Hilton is currently amassing more campaign cash than other candidates in the race, to the tune of $4.1 million in the second half of 2025.
Sheriff Chad Bianco gained national attention in 2024 when he strongly endorsed President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. He also spoke at a Trump rally in Coachella, California, in October 2024. His campaign has been largely centered on law and order and public safety thus far.
