CA Governor Race: Democrats Panic as GOP Advances & Latino Candidates Struggle

After months of concern, California Democratic leaders are now expressing serious anxiety about too many of their own candidates running for governor, potentially opening the door for two Republican candidates to advance to the general election.

The situation highlights a deeper issue within the California Democratic Party, which has held supermajorities in the state Legislature and the governor’s mansion for much of the last 15 years, yet has faced criticism for not adequately addressing the needs of its constituents.

What does it say about the party that no Democratic candidate of color is currently considered a frontrunner to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, despite white Californians representing only a third of the state’s population? And why isn’t the party urging a wealthy candidate like Tom Steyer – who spent $341 million on a failed 2020 presidential run – to withdraw and consolidate support behind another contender?

California voters have diminished the state Republican Party’s relevance, yet under Democratic rule, many residents continue to struggle. A particularly frustrating point is the party’s perceived lack of effort in elevating Latino leaders to prominence.

Three Latino candidates – former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond – are running, but face an uphill battle to gain traction.

Latinos constitute a plurality of California’s population and are a crucial base for the Democratic Party. Still, there’s a real possibility that after November, no Latino will hold a statewide elected office for the first time since 2014.

While Alex Padilla remains a U.S. Senator, the report notes that former President Trump made gains among Latino voters in California in 2024, and Latino Republican legislative candidates have turn into more visible in Sacramento.

Earlier this week, California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks called for lower-polling candidates to drop out, arguing their continued presence could “imperil” democracy. This move, however, has been largely met with resistance from the candidates themselves.

Critics have likened Hicks’ actions to el dedazo, a historically undemocratic practice of kingmaking used by Mexico’s long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party. Becerra himself dismissed the idea of the party dictating who should run, stating that “a variety of choices” is a positive thing for voters.

As of this report’s publication, no Democratic candidate has withdrawn from the race, and many are officially filing papers to compete. Thurmond even suggested Hicks’ request was racially motivated, given that most of the potential spoilers are people of color, while the leading Democratic candidates are white.

The situation echoes Will Rogers’ observation that Democrats are members of no organized political party. The lack of a clear frontrunner among Democrats has allowed Republican candidates Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco to secure two of the top three spots in recent polling, alongside Katie Porter.

A Republican governor in California during the current political climate would be a significant setback. It would dwarf previous political upsets in the state, such as Prop. 13, Prop. 187, and the recall of Gray Davis.

However, the report argues that asking candidates to withdraw to improve the chances of others is a recurring pattern of decision-making within the Democratic Party. Allowing a competitive primary, even with the risk of a Republican advance, is seen as a necessary step.

Becerra dismissed concerns about a Republican victory, predicting that undecided voters would ultimately coalesce around a Democratic candidate. Villaraigosa, however, offered a more critical assessment, stating that a Republican win would represent a “collective responsibility” and a failure to convince the electorate.

The Democratic candidates are resisting calls to step aside, signaling a willingness to fight for their place on the ballot and a rejection of what they perceive as undemocratic interference from party leaders.