Emerson Poll shows Xavier Becerra at 19%. One point behind Steyer.

[chowder66]

“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.

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%.

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%.

https://emersoncollegepolling.com/california-2026-poll-april/

[aeromanKC]

1. JFC, just get in the top 2 for the General. ANY Dem!!

[senseandsensibility]

2. I really think he's the logical choice

Glad people are starting to realize it.

[Raine1967]

8. Steyer?

Why?

Not a Californian, but I am watching the race. Personal position, we don't need a billionare 'savior'.

[senseandsensibility]

11. No Becerra

I am supporting Becerra and have been ever since Swalwell dropped out.

[Raine1967]

13. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Becerra is a good dude.

Shenanigans, (According to a friend in CA), Steyer may have some dirty associates. Will not name names, but when I asked about a dude who posted some BS about Becerra she didn't know. She went on to do research.

I've since learned a little more about Amar Shergill, creator of that chart and now of an ugly bullet point memo.

I'm hearing scuttlebutt that Shergill is a buddy of Tom Steyer, and thinks Tom's the Billionaire to save us all.

TIFWIW.

[senseandsensibility]

15. Becerra is Hispanic and in many parts of CA Hispanics are the majority.

In CA as a whole, minorities are the majority with Hispanics as the largest of that group. So it's about time that they had a Hispanic governor. And he's a real son of CA, the first in his family to graduate from college, He grew up in a one bedroom apartment with his three sisters. Kind of the opposite of Steyer.

[Sibelius Fan]

17. Hmm. Would you have objected to a millionaire savior named JFK

back when being a millionaire was the equivalent of today’s billionaire?

I’m leaning toward Steyer. He has put his $ behind progressive issues. He’s the reason we got the redistricting passed here in CA - he bankrolled that initiative.

[Raine1967]

24. Steyer is no JFK.

Things are very different from those days, including the tax system. Millionaires have never been equivalent to Billionaires in my opinion.

Again, I've no skin in the game.

[Sibelius Fan]

25. JFK's wealth - 100% inherited, BTW - was estimated at $500-million in 1960s dollars.

That’s $5-billion in 2026 dollars.

And, yes, his ability to connect to the common man was a campaign issue at the time. That, of course, was coupled with the loyalty question: the USA v the RCC. And, yes, like Steyer, JFK self-financed his campaigns, generously so.

Ergo my question to you.

[Raine1967]

29. I can't answer your question, to be honest.

It was a far different geopolitical landscape.
I wasn't born.

[spooky3]

3. Betty Yee (D) has dropped out. Nt

[chowder66]

5. I know. I really wanted to see her surge as well. I'm glad she made the decision she did though.

[Raine1967]

4. How about the lower % Dems drop out and form a coalition?

You know, Kinda like what happened with Joe Biden.

[chowder66]

7. There are 3 debates coming up so my guess is they are going to wait a bit longer.

April 22 California Governor Debate
April 28 Pomona College Debate
May 5th CNN in Los Angeles Debate

[Raine1967]

9. I hope things fall in place.

I'd hate for California to end up with the choice of 2 repubs for governor.

[chowder66]

12. I think they will.

On edit: I think things will fall into place. At least I hope they do!!

[moonscape]

16. No we won't :)

[senseandsensibility]

28. Very good point

The debates will shine a spotlight on their policies and differences I hope. We do need to coalesce around a candidate at that point, though!

[Journeyman]

6. 23% Undecided. I'd wager those are mainly Democratic voters . . .

At 17% and 14% for the two Republicans, that's almost the full Republican vote in California, 31%. Most of the rest will split between the Democrats.

A lot of the people I've spoken with at various campaign events in recent weeks are undecided on which Democrat they'll support. Most seem to be waiting to make a decision when the ballots arrive, and then they'll try to make the most effective vote. It won't surprise me if we end up with two Democrats in the general election.

[chowder66]

10. 2 Democrats. That's my hope.

[FHRRK1]

14. Much more likely than two repujes

Only 4 dems met the debate threshold, Mayor of SJ needs to drop and that will take it down to three.

[SSJVegeta]

18. Nice! Democrats are dominating the the top spots!!

[MerryBlooms]

19. My only skin in this election is, I'm in Oregon

And want the PNW to hold strong!
Cali do your best to keep our coast Dem!!

[questionseverything]

27. California has such a big economy, it's leadership is important to the whole country

[Emile]

20. Steyer is the most progressive.

[chowder66]

21. Becerra has experience and is progressive.

[obamanut2012]

22. And the one with zero experience

[Sibelius Fan]

26. I'm being bombarded with fundraising emails from Bacerra.

Steyer is self financing. If funding push comes to shove, Steyer will be way ahead, and that can make the difference as the window before the election starts to close.