The race to succeed California Gov. Gavin Newsom was marked by scandal, social gathering infighting and nationwide scrutiny — creating some controversial moments that would not be scripted.
Sixty-one candidates are on the poll. Former Well being and Human Providers Secretary Xavier Becerra, Trump-endorsed Fox Information commentator Steve Hilton, and billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer all lead the sphere for the state’s prime job.
As polls shut Tuesday at 8 p.m., The California Submit seems again at 5 pivotal moments that outlined the race for governor.
Swalwell Scandal
No second shook the governor’s race greater than the sudden downfall of former Congressman Eric Swalwell.
Swalwell gave the impression to be in control of the race within the days main as much as the scandal. Polling confirmed him main the sphere with 17.3 % assist forward of the June main, and plenty of political observers seen him as one the candidate to beat — that modified nearly in a single day.
The primary main allegation got here from a former staffer who stated Eric Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019 whereas she was too intoxicated to consent. Quickly after, former mannequin and entrepreneur Lonna Drewes accused the congressman of drugging, choking, and raping her throughout a 2018 encounter. Different girls later alleged sexual misconduct, together with claims he despatched unsolicited specific messages and nude pictures through social media.
The accusations triggered an instantaneous political firestorm.
Rival candidates, together with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, referred to as on Swalwell to depart the race. A number of distinguished supporters additionally withdrew their endorsements as stress mounted.
Swalwell denied the allegations, describing them as false and politically motivated. However the fallout proved inconceivable to comprise. Inside days, he suspended his gubernatorial marketing campaign, confronted a Home Ethics Committee investigation, and introduced his resignation from Congress.
Swalwell stays below investigation by the Division of Justice, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division and District Lawyer’s Workplace, which escalated the matter to its Intercourse Crimes Division, and the Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace.
Becerra’s rise and hyperlinks to a former aide’s corruption scandal
One candidate who benefited most from Swalwell’s collapse was Xavier Becerra, who served as California’s thirty third legal professional common from 2017 to 2021 earlier than President Joe Biden elevated him to Well being and Human Providers secretary.
Becerra, who had been polling behind Katie Porter within the single digits, surged into the lead after choosing up unbiased and Democratic voters who had beforehand backed Swalwell.
Becerra has additionally confronted scrutiny all through the race — donations from oil pursuits, an ungainly alternate with a KTLA journalist and his connection to a former aide caught up in a federal corruption scandal.
Dana Williamson — who served as Newsom’s chief of employees between 2022 and 2024 and likewise ran Becerra’s 2018 legal professional common marketing campaign — pleaded responsible to federal expenses of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and financial institution fraud.
Right here is the newest on the 2026 California governors race
Williamson’s connection to Becerra grew to become a subject of debate following Swalwell’s exit from the race amid sexual assault allegations.
Rival candidates, together with Tom Steyer and Katie Porter, have raised questions on Becerra’s data of the marketing campaign finance scandal and whether or not he may face any political fallout.
Becerra was not charged within the federal corruption probe, which alleges Williamson, former chief of employees Sean McCluskie, and lobbyist Greg Campbell funneled marketing campaign cash to McCluskie’s spouse by way of a no-show job.
The indictment states that Becerra was knowledgeable Williamson would obtain $10,000 per thirty days from his dormant marketing campaign account however was not instructed the cash would finally go to McCluskie’s partner. McCluskie and Campbell pleaded responsible final fall, whereas Williamson has not but been sentenced. Becerra has described studying of the scheme as a “intestine punch,” and prosecutors view him as a sufferer.
Porter’s on-camera explosions go viral
A number of movies of former Rep. Katie Porter dropping her mood on digital camera went viral.
The footage included a fiery 2021 Zoom name during which she berated a staffer, screaming, “Get out of my f—king shot,” in addition to a separate on-air confrontation during which she threatened to stroll out of an interview with a CBS reporter.
The controversy considerably stunted Porter’s marketing campaign, triggering widespread backlash, renewed scrutiny of her administration type, and a decline within the polls.
Porter later accused a marketing campaign staffer working for rival Tom Steyer of illegally leaking the government-owned footage to the press in an effort to break her gubernatorial bid — an allegation Steyer’s marketing campaign denied to the New York Submit.
She finally leaned into the controversy, releasing a marketing campaign commercial that referenced the viral “out of my shot” outburst.
Within the fast aftermath of the video’s launch, Porter apologized and acknowledged she may have dealt with the scenario higher.
“I took accountability. After we did that interview — and extra importantly, I took accountability 5 years in the past, too, and labored along with that staffer for 4 years after that,” Porter instructed Nexstar.
She later made mild of the incident in a marketing campaign advert launched only one month earlier than the election, jokingly asking supporters: “Now may you guys please get out of my shot?”
USC variety debate pulled
Few episodes higher captured the chaos of the governor’s race than the controversy that by no means occurred.
What was speculated to be a significant televised showdown on the College of Southern California as a substitute grew to become one of many marketing campaign’s most contentious controversies. Lower than a day earlier than candidates had been scheduled to take the stage, USC abruptly canceled the occasion after dealing with mounting criticism over who had been invited — and who had been not noted.
The controversy lineup included Democrats Eric Swalwell, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, and Matt Mahan, together with Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco. Each invited candidate was white.
Excluded from the stage had been a number of high-profile Democratic contenders of shade, together with Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Tony Thurmond, and Betty Yee.
College officers defended the choice course of, arguing it relied on goal standards akin to polling and fundraising. Critics, nevertheless, questioned the components and argued it produced a outcome that didn’t replicate the variety of each the sphere and the state itself.
The dispute shortly advanced from a debate about marketing campaign {qualifications} right into a broader argument over illustration, equity, and the position of race in California politics.
As stress intensified, lawmakers threatened boycotts, excluded candidates demanded solutions, and even some invited members urged organizers to develop the stage. With protests rising and no compromise in sight, USC finally canceled the occasion.
As a substitute of showcasing the candidates, the canceled debate grew to become a significant marketing campaign story in its personal proper, dominating headlines, fueling political infighting, and underscoring simply how unpredictable the race had change into.
Becerra and Steyer promoting civil conflict
Democratic rivals Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer launched a bitter battle over marketing campaign promoting, turning an already intense contest into open political warfare.
Steyer, the billionaire environmental activist, shattered state spending data by pouring greater than $195 million into tv, radio, cable, and digital promoting. His unprecedented spending dwarfed that of Becerra, whose marketing campaign operated with a much smaller promoting funds. Even with assist from outdoors teams spending hundreds of thousands to spice up his candidacy and assault Steyer, Becerra remained vastly outspent by his rich rival.
The feud escalated when Steyer launched a hard-hitting commercial titled Dangerous. The business sought to hyperlink Becerra to the legal convictions of two former senior aides and urged the Democratic frontrunner may face authorized troubles of his personal.
Becerra’s marketing campaign shortly fired again, accusing Steyer of spreading false and deceptive claims.
A cease-and-desist letter from Becerra’s authorized crew demanded the advert be eliminated, arguing it unfairly related the candidate to crimes dedicated by others.
Moderately than retreat, Steyer’s marketing campaign doubled down. In a sharply worded response, marketing campaign legal professional Ryan Hughes rejected the accusations and challenged Becerra’s crew to pursue authorized motion, saying they’d welcome the chance to query Becerra and others below oath.
