Republican Steve Hilton has opened up a surprise lead in the California governors race, according to a new poll.
The Fox New contributor and staunch critic of Gov. Gavin Newsom is leading the crowded field with 17% support, according to the Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics survey.
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell and GOP candidate Sheriff Chad Bianco are tied for second at 14%, followed by former Rep. Katie Porter at 10%. Billionaire Tom Steyer trails one point behind her.
About 21% of voters remain undecided, a 10-point decrease from the last poll in December, with Hilton gaining 5 points since then.
“The Republican electorate in California is split between Steve Hilton (38%) and Chad Bianco (37%), while Hilton also picks up a plurality of independent voter support at 22%,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, the last candidate to join the race, only saw 3.4% support in the poll, putting him toward the bottom of the 12-candidate field.
“Democratic voters have not yet clearly coalesced around one candidate,” Kimball added.
The survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted from Feb. 13 to 14 and carries a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
The last time a Republican was elected governor in the Golden State was 2006, when Arnold Schwarzenegger won re-election to a second term. Since then, critics have described the state capital Sacramento as a “one-party” political system.
The primary for the gubernatorial race is slated for June 2. The two candidates who receive the highest vote totals, regardless of party, will advance to the Nov. 5 general election to replace Newsom at the end of his term.
Hilton has raised the most campaign donations by far, with nearly $6 million — with the exception of billionaire Steyer, who is funding his own campaign.
He has opposed the proposed billionaire tax, the proposed mileage tax, and criticized the handling of the Palisades fire by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Newsom.
According to the poll, the top two issues facing California are housing affordability and the economy, with a majority (53%) of voters saying they have considered leaving the state because of the cost of living.
