New governor poll shows Gavin Newsom favorite Xavier Bercerra breaking away from pack
A new poll shows Xavier Becerra tied for first in the 2026 California gubernatorial race with 19% support, alongside Republican Steve Hilton, as he gains momentum and consolidates backing from Gavin Newsom's allies. Becerra, previously polling in single digits, has seen a surge following Eric Swalwell's exit from the race amid scandal. Despite high favorability ratings and key political endorsements, Becerra faces criticism over his tenure at Health and Human Services and ties to a campaign finance scandal.
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Metro New governor poll shows Gavin Newsom favorite Xavier Bercerra breaking away from pack By Annie Gaus Published April 29, 2026, 7:35 p.m. ET A new poll in the California governor’s race shows Democrat dark horse Xavier Becerra in the lead as he quietly consolidates support from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s key allies. Becerra is tied for first with Trump-endorsed Republican Steve Hilton, with both seeing 19% support among likely voters, the poll from EMC Research found. 4 Xavier Becerra has quietly consolidated support from Gavin Newsom’s allies.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at California Post.