The chair of the California Democratic Party, Rusty Hicks, issued an unusual plea Tuesday to candidates running for governor of the Golden State: drop out, please.
He urged candidates to evaluate their campaigns’ viability and leave the race if there is no path to victory in the general election — part of a bid to avoid a situation in which a packed Democratic ticket would split the vote and sink the party’s chances of advancing a candidate to a general election because of California’s unique primary rules.
“So much is at stake in our Nation and so many are counting on the leadership of California Democrats to stand up and speak out at this historic moment,” Hicks said in his letter. “California’s leadership on the world stage is significantly harder if a Democrat is not elected as our next Governor.”
The California gubernatorial primary is a “jungle primary,” where candidates from all parties are in the same primary, and the top two candidates face each other head-to-head in the general election, no matter their party affiliation.
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“If in the unlikely event a Democrat failed to proceed to the General Election for Governor, there could be the potential for depressed Democratic turnout in California in November,” Hicks said. “The result would present a real risk to winning the congressional seats required and imperil Democrats’ chances to retake the House, cut Donald Trump’s term in half, and spare our Nation from the pain many have endured since January 2025. We simply can’t let that happen.”
Hicks did not identify any particular candidates by name, but there is a lengthy list of Democrats vying for the job, including Rep. Eric Swalwell, former Rep. Katie Porter, billionaire Tom Steyer, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
There are also at least 10 Republicans who have announced a bid for the governor’s seat, with two polling among the top-five candidates: former television commentator Steve Hilton and the sheriff of Riverside County, Chad Bianco.
The fear among many Democrats is that a split vote could lead to Hilton and Bianco becoming the two contenders in the general election.
“The likelihood of two Republicans effectively ‘locking out’ California Democrats from the contest for Governor in the General Election is relatively low,” Hicks said. “However, while it is implausible, it is not impossible and I know we are collectively committed to taking the steps required to avoid that possibility.”
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