California Democrats race to avoid shutout in crowded governor primary

California Democrats went to the polls with a larger fear than choosing Gavin Newsom’s successor: that 24 Democratic candidates could split enough votes to leave the party off the November ballot entirely.

The June 2 governor’s primary used California’s top-two system, under which all candidates appear on one ballot and only the two highest vote-getters advance to November, regardless of party. The rule has shaped California politics since voters approved Proposition 14 in June 2010, and the California Secretary of State says it applies to statewide voter-nominated offices such as governor. In a race with 61 candidates, including 24 Democrats, 12 Republicans, one Libertarian, one Peace and Freedom candidate and 23 no party preference candidates, the system turned the primary into a strategic contest as much as a nominating one.

For Democrats, the calculation was blunt. Newsom was term-limited and could not run again, leaving an unusually open field and intensifying the danger that a divided party could miss the general election altogether. California Democrats make up about 45% of registered voters, compared with about 25% for Republicans, but the top-two structure meant raw registration advantage alone did not guarantee a November slot. Party chair Rusty Hicks urged candidates without a viable path to step aside, reflecting a discipline rare in a crowded primary and a clear effort to consolidate the vote.

Newsom said Democrats had a “break-the-glass” contingency plan to avoid a shutout, an unusually stark acknowledgment of how the system can punish fragmentation. The warning carried real weight because early polling and media coverage had raised the possibility that two Republicans could advance, a result that would have been politically extraordinary in a state where Democrats dominate statewide registration. Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco emerged as the strongest contenders on the GOP side, making the shape of the Democratic field even more consequential.

That risk eased somewhat after Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign on April 12, 2026, after allegations of sexual misconduct were reported. Donald Trump also endorsed Hilton during the race, potentially sharpening the Republican field around one candidate. Ballotpedia, summarizing Associated Press reporting, said Democrats initially worried the large number of candidates could split the vote and leave both November spots to Republicans, but that concern diminished after Swalwell exited and Trump’s endorsement narrowed attention on Hilton.

The race showed how California voters are learning the rules of the system as much as choosing among candidates. The top-two primary rewards discipline, punishes fragmentation and forces parties to think tactically about ballot access. In a year when no dominant Democrat consolidated the field, the central question was whether Democratic voters would behave strategically enough to prevent a shutout, or whether California’s own rules would hand the party a rare warning about the costs of disunity.