The key question was whether a candidate for governor would walk away with the party endorsement. As expected, no one met the threshold

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With fewer than 100 days until California’s June primary, Democrats gathered over the weekend in San Francisco for their state party endorsement convention but failed to rally behind a single candidate in the crowded race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom.

More than 4,000 attendees, including about 3,400 delegates, participated in the convention, according to a CADEM spokesperson.

Party members considered endorsements in races up and down the 2026 ballot. The most closely watched question — whether the party would endorse a candidate for governor — ended without a decision, as expected by many.

Eight Democratic gubernatorial candidates addressed delegates during the three-day event. But none secured the 60% support required for the party’s official endorsement ahead of the primary.

“Mathematically, just really difficult to get that 60% threshold you need to get the endorsement,” said Democratic strategist Brian Brokaw.

According to party voting results, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell received 24% of delegate votes, followed by former state Controller Betty Yee at 17%, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at 14%, billionaire Tom Steyer at 13% and former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter at 9%. About 8% of delegates either declined to vote or said they had no preference.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who entered the race late, was not eligible for endorsement consideration.

Republican strategist Tim Rosales said the outcome was widely expected given the size of the field.

“That’s what we thought was going to take place going in. That’s what took place going out,” Rosales said.

California’s top-two primary system sends the two highest vote-getters to the November general election regardless of party, raising questions about how a divided Democratic electorate could shape the outcome.

“Percentage-wise, it could happen that it’s two Republicans. It could happen that it’s two Democrats,” Rosales said. “What’s more likely is it’ll be a Republican and a Democrat.”

Brokaw cautioned against reading too much into convention results, noting that delegates are not necessarily representative of the broader statewide electorate.

“Most voters aren’t going to spend a Friday through Sunday at a state party convention,” he said.

Party leaders used the convention to energize voters ahead of the midterm elections and to highlight opposition to President Donald Trump. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared as a featured guest, and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff told attendees, “There will be a reckoning.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta touted the Newsom Administration’s legal challenges against the Trump Administration, saying to a cheering crowd that he has sued the Trump administration 58 times. State Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón pointed to the victory of Proposition 50 as evidence of voter frustration, saying Californians have had “enough.” 

Strategists from both parties said the field is likely to narrow as fundraising pressures mount, and as resources dwindle. The gubernatorial race in California is among the most expensive in the nation, both Brokaw and Rosales noted.

“It’s still anybody’s race,” Rosales said.

And it doesn’t seem like any candidate is closing down soon.

Steyer has emerged as one of the campaign’s biggest spenders, launching two new advertisements this week and spending at least $30 million so far, according to filings with the secretary of state.

And while no gubernatorial candidate received the formal party endorsement, Xavier Becerra received the endorsement of the California Young Democrats.  

With no endorsement and no clear front-runner, the contest now shifts fully to the primary electorate, where analysts say momentum — and money — could prove decisive in the final stretch.

We reached out to former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco on their response to the Democrats’ convention. The Republican statewide convention will be in April.

Hilton said in a statement, “What an insult this Democrat convention is to every Californian. The same politicians who gave us the highest poverty rate, the highest unemployment rate, and the highest cost of living in America are running around sucking up to the unions and far-left activists for their endorsement for governor when what they should actually be doing is apologizing for the pain they’ve caused working families and small businesses in our state. After 16 years of Democrat one-party rule, we need change, not more of the same.”

Infighting within the Republican party has become more prominent in recent weeks as well, with Hilton pushing for consolidation behind one Republican candidate: himself.

Bianco stated, “I’m fighting to save California whether its one Republican or two in the general. The smartest thing we can do as Republicans is put aside vanity and capitalize on Democratic chaos. I am running for Governor to finally return sanity back to Sacramento. We will rid this state of the crime and corruption that has plagued it for decades. As the Democrats dance for their far-left donors and special interests, I’m giving the middle-class the voice they’ve longed for years. 2026 is the year of the great California comeback.”

It should be noted GOP strategist Tim Rosales is representing Jon Slavet, another 2026 gubernatorial candidate.

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