California Democrats are panicking as acrowded and uninspiring field of gubernatorial candidatesis raising the real possibility two Republicans to advance out of the June primary.
The prospect of the “zombie campaigns” leading to a Republican governor for the first time since Arnold Schwarzenegger left office in 2011 has created a “sh—show,” one Democratic state legislator told The Post.
“I’ve never seen a big race like this before,” the legislator said. “And I am worried that we’re going to have two really whacko Republicans.”
As hundreds gathered this weekend for the California Democratic Party convention in San Francisco, another state legislator took aim at therudderless leadership of the Democratic Partyunder chair Rusty Hicks, who has said he has no intention of leaning on candidates to bow out. Only the top two candidates — regardless of party affiliation — will emerge out of what’s called a jungle primary to run in the general election in November.
“You would think the party chair would be actively doing something to prevent a catastrophe,” a second state legislator told The Post.
“But I’m not hearing anything,”
Thelatest pollingshows two Republicans — former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco — leading the crowded field with 17% and 14% support, respectively.
Meanwhile, support for the top Democratic candidates is split fairly evenly between Rep. Eric Swalwell (14%), former Congresswoman Katie Porter (12%) and progressive billionaire Tom Steyer (9%).
The flailing group of Dem candidates desperately seeking to gain traction also includesSan Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, state Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond, former Secretary of Health Xavier Becerra and former state controller Betty Yee.
Despite the rising anxiety among Democratic leaders, Hicks — a former Southern California labor boss who has served as Democrats’ state party chair since 2019 — said he believes the field will “naturally winnow itself.”
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
