The chair of the California Democratic Party urged candidates who don’t have a “viable path” to success in the governor’s race to drop out.
Democratic candidates in the California governor’s race are defying calls from top officials in their party who have called on them to drop out of the race to avoid splitting the vote come the primary election in June.
Rusty Hicks, the chair of the California Democratic Party, wrote an open letter Tuesday to all of the candidates in the race and asked the low-polling candidates to make the tough decision to leave the race by this Friday. In response, many of the candidates Hicks’ letter was seemingly targeted toward, filed their official candidacy paperwork.
“Despite the ongoing chatter, the likelihood of two Republicans effectively ‘locking out’ California Democrats from the contest for Governor in the General Election is relatively low,” Hicks wrote, adding that the possibility is not impossible. “Therefore, with the filing deadline approaching this Friday, March 6th, and the Primary Election quickly following, it is imperative that every candidate honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign.”
California’s “top-two” system means the two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary election are the only candidates on the ballot in the November Midterm Election. Recent polling by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California shows two Republicans, Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, in the top three with former Rep. Katie Porter in between them. Rep. Eric Swalwell is now polling in fourth.
Billionaire Tom Steyer polled in fifth place with 10% of the response, and the rest of the candidates are polling at 5% or lower.
With so many Democratic candidates in the running, fears have been circling that there is a risk of Hilton and Bianco taking over the race. Hicks said while he recognizes his letter might be seen as “overly harsh,” but that there is too much at stake.
Hicks called for Democrats to make an “honest assessment” of their campaigns, and if there is no “viable path” forward, to not file the paperwork that is due on Friday putting them on the primary ballot. If the candidates do decide to move forward, Hicks wrote, they should be prepared to suspend their campaigns and endorse another candidate by April 15th if there is still not “meaningful progress.”
Governor Gavin Newsom, whose eight-year term is ending in November, agreed with Hicks’ message.
“At this moment in history, with all the peril and promise that marks this moment for California, the most un-Trump state in America, to have a Republican Trumper running, there is no margin for error,” Newsom said during a book tour stop on Tuesday night.
Candidates reactions
Hicks’ letter seems to have the opposite of his intended effect, with many of the low-polling candidates doubling down on their campaigns.
Betty Yee, former state controller, filed her candidacy paperwork on Wednesday, the day after Hicks’ letter. Former Assemblymember Ian Calderon and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, two more candidates, have also said they are staying in the race.
Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond said on social media he’s “in it to win it,” and essentially accused the letter of being a form of racial discrimination. The candidates currently polling low are all people of color.
“The California Democratic Party is essentially telling every candidate of color in the race for governor to drop out,” Thurmond said in the video. “Instead, they want [Steyer, Swalwell and Porter], all white candidates, to stay in the race.”
Former Attorney General and Health Secretary Xavier Becerra and Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa both filed their candidacy paperwork on Wednesday. The two candidates shared some digs back and forth on social media this week.
In a campaign email and X post, Villaraigosa pointed to political data expert Paul Mitchell’s primary simulator, and called for Becerra to drop out. “The math is clear,” Villaraigosa said on social media.
Becerra replied saying “[Villaraigosa] uses computers to tell him what will happen because he’s never won a statewide election before despite multiple attempts. I have – and I’ll do it again.”