In a new poll conducted after Eric Swalwell’s exit from the California gubernatorial election, two Republicans sit atop the state’s jungle primary.
“A new Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics survey of the June 2026 primary for Governor finds 17% support Republican Steve Hilton, 14% Republican Chad Bianco, 14% Tom Steyer, 10% Democrat Xavier Becerra, 10% Democrat Katie Porter, 5% Democrat Matt Mahan, and 23% are undecided,” Emerson College Polling wrote.

The top two candidates in the primary will advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.

“In the first Emerson poll since Eric Swalwell’s departure from the race for Governor, Democrats now split their vote between Tom Steyer (20%), Xavier Becerra (19%), and Katie Porter (15%), with Becerra gaining 15 points among Democrats without Swalwell on the ballot,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said.

“Hilton and Bianco continue to split the Republican vote, 48% supporting Hilton and 40% Bianco, while independents are more fragmented: 16% support Steyer, 15% Hilton, 14% Bianco, and 10% Porter,” Kimball added.

Swalwell’s campaign rapidly devolved over the weekend as allegations surfaced, prompting prominent lawmakers and organizations to rescind their endorsements and staffers to exit his campaign and office. He later resigned from Congress, though he maintained that he would “fight the serious, false allegations made against” him.

Though he’s out of the race, his name will still appear on next month’s June 2 nonpartisan primary ballot, from which the top two vote-getters will advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation.

The poll was conducted April 14-15 among 1,000 likely voters in California and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

“A plurality of voters under 50 support Steyer at 15%, followed closely by Becerra at 13%, and Katie Porter at 11%. Voters over 50 support Hilton at 24%, followed by Bianco at 14%, Steyer at 13%, Porter at 10%, and Becerra at 8%,” Emerson College Polling wrote.

“The economy is the top issue for California voters at 41%, followed by housing affordability at 20%, threats to democracy at 10%, crime at 6%, immigration at 6%, and healthcare at 6%,” it continued.

Hilton has led the field of candidates in multiple previous polls. The businessman and former Fox News host, who worked as director of strategy for former British Prime Minister David Cameron, has received the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

“With Federal help, and a Great Governor, like Steve Hilton, California can be better than ever before!” Trump said on social media earlier this month.