Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and adviser to a British prime minister, holds a narrow lead in California's crowded gubernatorial race, edging Democrat Tom Steyer, a billionaire investor and former presidential candidate, according to a new poll.
The CBS News survey released Monday found Hilton at 16% support among likely primary voters, with Steyer close behind at 15%, underscoring a tight and unsettled contest ahead of the state's June 2 primary.
Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former secretary of Health and Human Services and former California attorney general, drew 13% support, while Republican Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, had 10%.
Meanwhile, 26% of voters said they remain undecided, reflecting a fluid race with no dominant front-runner.
The findings come as Hilton has emerged as a leading Republican in the race, with Newsmax reporting he has benefited from a consolidated GOP base while Democrats remain divided among candidates.
The race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who is term limited, has drawn a large and fractured field competing under California's nonpartisan primary system, in which the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party.
That dynamic has raised concerns among Democrats that a split vote could allow two Republicans to advance to November, particularly as several high-profile Democrats compete for support.
The contest has already been reshaped by the departure of former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who withdrew from the race and resigned from Congress amid allegations of sexual misconduct, leaving Democrats without a clear consensus candidate.
CBS is scheduled to host a debate Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. Pacific time, giving candidates a major opportunity to reach undecided voters as attention on the race intensifies.
Voters appear to place significant weight on such events, with 30% of respondents saying debates are "very important" for learning about candidates, 46% calling them "somewhat important," and 24% saying they would have little impact.
The poll also found that 77% of voters consider a candidate's "values" important, while 56% prioritize "experience," suggesting that personal alignment and messaging may outweigh traditional political credentials for many voters.
Partisan divisions remain stark, with 71% of Democrats saying they want a governor aligned with Newsom's policies, while 90% of Republicans say they prefer a different direction for the state.
The CBS News poll surveyed 1,479 registered voters from April 23 through April 27 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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