California Dems Face Governor Race Crisis Amid Infighting Fears
California's Democratic leaders including Newsom, Harris and Pelosi remain silent on endorsements as the gubernatorial primary approaches with a lackluster field and tight three-way race.
According to New York Post, Democratic powerbrokers including Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi have maintained months of silence on their preferred candidate ahead of Tuesday’s primary, even as Xavier Becerra leads a lackluster field of left-wing contenders.
A Republican official told the outlet that party figures harbor a clear lack of enthusiasm for Democratic candidates who bring no excitement to their campaigns.
One political strategist suggested Newsom and Harris are deliberately staying silent to avoid potential embarrassment ahead of their anticipated presidential bids, unwilling to risk backing a losing candidate.
In a notably awkward weekend interview, even Democratic Party chairman Rusty Hicks repeatedly dodged questions about the race, refusing to confirm he was pleased Becerra had entered the contest.
Tight Three-Way Race Emerges
The election remains highly competitive, with Republican Steve Hilton and Democrats Becerra and Tom Steyer locked in a tight contest across various polls.
Some surveys show Becerra at approximately 28 percent, Steyer at 22 percent and Hilton trailing closely at 21 percent. However, a McLaughlin & Associates poll conducted for New York Post places Hilton and Steyer tied at 25 percent, with Becerra at 19 percent.
Becerra gained ground after Eric Swalwell withdrew from the race following serious rape allegations, absorbing much of his support base and rising to the top tier of polling.
Party Leadership Refuses to Commit
Despite this momentum, party leadership appears unwilling to designate Becerra as their preferred choice. Hicks previously called on lower-polling Democrats to exit the race, though Becerra was among that group at the time.
During his weekend interview with KCRA, the party chairman deflected repeated questions about endorsing Becerra or expressing support for his candidacy, stating only that nobody could have predicted how the race would develop.
The Democratic Party did not respond to requests for comment about a potential forthcoming endorsement.
At the California Democratic Party convention in February, no candidate approached the 60 percent support threshold required for an official party endorsement. Swalwell led with roughly 24 percent, while Becerra finished third with just 3 percent.
Steven Maviglio, a Democratic political consultant, explained to New York Post that everyone who endorsed Swalwell ended up embarrassed, and no one wants a repeat of that scenario.
Biden Also Withholds Support
Harris, Pelosi and Newsom have all declined to endorse any candidate in the gubernatorial race, despite weighing in on other California contests including their backing of Karen Bass for Los Angeles mayor.
Newsom has made clear he wants a Democratic victor without specifying which Democrat. In April, he stated he was supporting a Democrat in the runoff and looked forward to voters making that decision, expressing absolute confidence a Democrat would emerge from the June 2 primary.
Even President Biden has stayed on the sidelines. Becerra served as Secretary of Health and Human Services in his administration, yet the former president has not offered an endorsement.
Biden has endorsed several other former administration officials in different races, including former Deputy Cabinet Secretary Dan Koh in the Massachusetts 6th Congressional District Democratic primary and ex-White House Director of Public Engagement Keisha Lance Bottoms in her Georgia gubernatorial bid.
The former president’s office did not respond to questions about why he withheld endorsement from Becerra. Newsom, Pelosi and Harris similarly did not respond when asked whether they would weigh in before Tuesday’s election.
Strategic Calculations Drive Silence
Maviglio, president of a Sacramento-based public affairs firm, noted there was a scenario where Governor Newsom could have endorsed, but that moment has passed.
He characterized the race as exceptionally fluid without a clear frontrunner, fueling hesitation among top Democrats.
The consultant emphasized that endorsements typically signal shared values to voters, and support from figures like Newsom or Pelosi can provide jet fuel to a campaign.
Maviglio argued the governor is withholding endorsement because of his presidential ambitions, and backing a losing candidate would damage his credibility. He described leading Democrats as naturally risk-averse given their own political calculations.
With information from New York Post
