California Democratic Party Chairman to provide update on governor’s race this week | California Politics 360
LET’S GET LOCO! EL NOW THAT DEMOCRATIC FRONTRUNNER ERIC SWALWELL IS OUT OF THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR, THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS SET TO GIVE AN UPDATE NEXT WEEK ON WHERE THE CANDIDATES STAND. OUR POLITICAL EXPERTS JOIN ME NOW, DEMOCRATIC PARTY STRATEGIST STEVE MAVIGLIO, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST TIM ROSEVILLE. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING WITH US. THANK YOU. STEVE, LET ME START WITH YOU. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WITH THE PARTY RELEASING THIS NEW POLL, THIS VOTER INDEX NEXT WEEK? I THINK THIS RACE IS STILL A JUMP BALL. THE DUST HAS NOT SETTLED YET. THERE CONTINUE TO BE ALLEGATIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT AND VOTERS ARE LOOKING AROUND. IF NOTHING ELSE, I THINK THIS EPISODE CRYSTALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTERS TO START FOCUSING ON THIS RACE BECAUSE THEY’VE BEEN SITTING BACK AND NOW THEY SEE WHAT THE CHOICES ARE. HOPEFULLY THESE LAST FEW WEEKS WILL HAVE PEOPLE FASTEN THEIR SEATBELTS AND DECIDE WHO THEY’RE GOING TO VOTE FOR. OKAY. AND TIM, YOUR THOUGHTS HERE? WELL, I THINK BOTH DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES STILL REALLY NEED TO DEFINE THEMSELVES TO THE CANDIDATES OR TO, YOU KNOW, DEFINE THEMSELVES TO THE VOTERS. THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES, HILTON AND BIANCO ARE REALLY SPLITTING REPUBLICAN VOTERS, EVEN WITH TRUMP’S ENDORSEMENT. AND ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, I DON’T SEE ANYONE AS REALLY ELEVATED THEMSELVES AS AS KIND OF A CLEAR LEADER OF THE PACK. AND EVEN WITH SWALWELL OUT. SURE. YOU SEE BECERRA MAKING SOME GAINS. YOU SEE TOM STEYER MAKING SOME GAINS. ALL OF THOSE ARE PREDICTABLE. BUT STILL, EVEN THOUGH MINUTE, THERE IS A CHANCE ON THE TABLE THAT REPUBLICANS COULD OCCUPY THE TOP TWO SPOTS IN THIS PRIMARY ELECTION. SO FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, I MEAN, WHO ULTIMATELY, THOUGH, DO YOU SEE BENEFITING FROM THE SWALWELL EXIT? WELL, I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE XAVIER BECERRA. I THINK KATIE PORTER IS PROBABLY COULD PROBABLY BE THE BIGGEST DARK HORSE HERE. AND I DO THINK TOM STEYER HAS KIND OF REACHED HIS CEILING AND DOESN’T HAVE A LOT OF PLACE TO GO. BUT THAT’S THAT’S MY PREDICTION ABOUT DEMOCRATS, WHICH. STEVE. YEAH. STEVE, DO YOU CONCUR? NO, I THINK, YOU KNOW, STEYER, JUST BECAUSE HE’S BEEN ON THE AIR FULL TIME BLASTING HIS ADS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO WELL BECAUSE HE’S THE CANDIDATE MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH. AND I THINK THE UNIONS ARE GOING TO DRIFT THERE BECAUSE THEY ALIGN WITH HIM ON A LOT OF THESE ISSUES. MAHEN IS ALSO ON THE AIR FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE’LL SEE HIS NUMBERS PROBABLY POP UP. HE’S FROM THE BAY AREA. COULD TAKE SOME OF THAT VOTE FROM THE REGIONAL ASPECT. AND KATIE PORTER, IF THERE’S A BACKLASH AMONG WOMEN VOTERS, I THINK SHE STANDS TO BENEFIT FROM THIS AS WELL. YOU MENTIONED THE UNIONS. AND I MEAN, WITH THE SWALWELL SITUATION, THE CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS, SEIU, ALL OF THESE KINGMAKER GROUPS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN ESSENTIALLY ANOINTING THOSE IN POWER IN OUR STATE. I MEAN, THEY ALL ENDORSED HIM AND THEY ALL QUICKLY ENDORSED HIM. I MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THESE GROUPS AND ALSO JUST ABOUT THE ENDORSEMENT PROCESS? DOES ANY OF IT MATTER? WELL, I THINK A LOT OF DEMOCRATIC GROUPS, NOT ONLY THE UNIONS, WENT INTO THIS WITH THEIR BLINDERS ON BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THE BIGGEST FIGHTER AGAINST TRUMP, AND THEY DIDN’T DO THE PROPER VETTING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. WE KNOW THAT NOW. MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKING. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND FROM UNIONS CERTAINLY HELP THE COMMUNICATION FROM UNIONS AND WHAT IS EXPECTED TO BE A PRETTY LOW TURNOUT ELECTION WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. TIM, THE REPUBLICANS SEE IT THE SAME WAY. I THINK SO. AND THE FACT IS, IS WHEN YOU GET THESE ENDORSEMENTS, A LOT OF TIMES THEY’RE JUST PICKING THE FRONT RUNNER OR WHO THEY PERCEIVE HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF WINNING AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME. AND WE’VE SEEN INSTANCES NOT JUST THIS ONE, BUT EVEN IN THE PAST WHERE THEY’VE KIND OF PUT ALL THEIR CHIPS IN ON A PARTICULAR CANDIDATE, AND THAT CANDIDATE HAS FLAWS THAT ARE FOUND OUT DURING THE CAMPAIGN AND THINGS MOVE PRETTY RAPIDLY WHEN YOU LOSE, WHEN YOUR STAR DIMS, IT DIMS QUICKLY IN POLITICS.
California Democratic Party Chairman to provide update on governor’s race this week | California Politics 360
Updated: 8:25 AM PDT Apr 19, 2026
The chairman of the California Democratic Party this upcoming week is expected to release a new poll on the governor’s race after Eric Swalwell ended his campaign. Party chairman Rusty Hicks has been releasing polls in an attempt to encourage lower-polling candidates to end their campaigns.Some Democrats fear that with too many candidates in the race splitting the vote in January, voters may end up choosing between two Republicans in the general election in November. Swalwell, who was seen as a party front-runner, unexpectedly dropped out of the race after facing numerous allegations of sexual misconduct. His exit leaves more questions for the party and the race moving forward. Many voters are still undecided, according to recent polling. “I think this race is still a jump ball, the dust has not settled yet,” said Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio. “If anything, this episode crystalized the importance of voters to start focusing on this race because they’ve been sitting back.” “Both Democrat and Republican candidates still need to define themselves to voters,” said Republican strategist Tim Rosales. Rosales noted the Republicans leading the polls, Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, have split the party while Democrats have yet to identify a clear front runner. Who benefits most from Swalwell’s exit?Maviglio said billionaire Tom Steyer and San Jose Matt Mahan could benefit because they have ads airing on TV. He also said Katie Porter also stands to benefit if there’s backlash against Swalwell from women voters. KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.
The chairman of the California Democratic Party this upcoming week is expected to release a new poll on the governor’s race after Eric Swalwell ended his campaign.
Party chairman Rusty Hicks has been releasing polls in an attempt to encourage lower-polling candidates to end their campaigns.
Some Democrats fear that with too many candidates in the race splitting the vote in January, voters may end up choosing between two Republicans in the general election in November.
Swalwell, who was seen as a party front-runner, unexpectedly dropped out of the race after facing numerous allegations of sexual misconduct. His exit leaves more questions for the party and the race moving forward. Many voters are still undecided, according to recent polling.
“I think this race is still a jump ball, the dust has not settled yet,” said Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio. “If anything, this episode crystalized the importance of voters to start focusing on this race because they’ve been sitting back.”
“Both Democrat and Republican candidates still need to define themselves to voters,” said Republican strategist Tim Rosales.
Rosales noted the Republicans leading the polls, Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, have split the party while Democrats have yet to identify a clear front runner.
Who benefits most from Swalwell’s exit?
Maviglio said billionaire Tom Steyer and San Jose Matt Mahan could benefit because they have ads airing on TV. He also said Katie Porter also stands to benefit if there’s backlash against Swalwell from women voters.
KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.