Surprise - GOP's Steve Hilton leads in poll for 2026 California governor's race | Eastern NC Now

California's election system uses a "jungle primary"  where candidates of all parties compete against each other and the top two go to the general election. regardless of party.  It could be two Democrats or two Republicans or one of each.

The Emerson College poll on the California governor's race for next year has been released, and it puts Republican Steven Hilton in first place.  Hilton is a conservative political commentator, naturalized American citizen, and former advisor to former Conservative British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Running second is the Democrats' top candidate, the abrasive and controversial former Congresswoman Katie Porter.  In third place is Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.  Aside from the top three, no other candidate from either party is above 5%.

The poll puts Hilton at 16%, Porter at 15%, and Bianco at 11%.

.https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/10/25/surprise-republican-steve-hilton-leads-poll-for-california-governor/