A Democrat has finally climbed to the top of the California governor’s race, according to a new poll.
Xavier Becerra beat out the crowded field in a new Emerson College poll, earning 19% support from voters and besting Republican frontrunner Steve Hilton and Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer.
Hilton and Steyer both trailed Becerra with 17% support, with Republican Chad Bianco at 11% and Democrat Katie Porter at 10%.
“Xavier Becerra tops the crowded California primary for the first time in an Emerson poll, his support increased by nine points since mid-April, driven by now being the top choice among Democratic voters at 31%,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.
Hilton had been leading the pack since early January.
Becerra, who has been the beneficiary of disgraced former candidate Eric Swalwell’s downfall, has gotten support from Gavin Newsom’s inner circle, though the term-limited governor has so far avoided endorsing anyone in the race.
Becerra had been trailing Steyer, who has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into his campaign.
The poll comes after Becerra faced criticism over his handling of an interview with KTLA during which he insisted it to be profile piece rather than a hard-hitting conversation. The network later released a candid interaction of Becerra talking down to a female journalist.
The primary will be held on June 2. Under California’s jungle primary system, the top two vote-getters in June advance to the November general election.
