California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a news conference in March.Jessica Christian/The Associated Press
California Democrats have gotten used to winning. Their party has supermajorities in both the state assembly and senate and has held the governor’s office since 2011. Under the state’s quirky “jungle” primary rules, where the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation, a Democratic candidate is often more likely to face off against another Democrat than a Republican in congressional and state elections.
So panic set in among top Democrats earlier this year when it looked like no Democrat might make it on to the general-election ballot for governor this fall. The reason: a crowded field of primary candidates was being overtaken by two Republicans mobilizing GOP and independent voters fed up with one-party rule in Sacramento.
Democratic fears ebbed, but did not subside, after President Donald Trump endorsed former Fox News commentator and Republican candidate Steve Hilton in the primary. Mr. Trump’s endorsement helped the British-born Mr. Hilton consolidate Republican support that had previously been evenly split between him and Chad Bianco, a MAGA-friendly sheriff in Riverside County. As a result, the chances have increased that a Democrat will snag at least one of the top two spots in the primary on June 2, to face off in the gubernatorial election on Nov. 3.
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Not that any Democrat is generating much enthusiasm among voters.
Until she ruled it out last year, former U.S. vice-president and 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris had been widely expected to run to replace incumbent Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Ms. Harris instead appears to be preparing to run – likely against Mr. Newsom, among others – for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination.
One result is that rarely, if ever, has a more mediocre slate of candidates vied for the top job in the most populous U.S. state. Audiences across the United States and the world got to see this for themselves as CNN broadcast its own California gubernatorial debate this week. What they witnessed was a slew of personal attacks, but precious little substance.
California gubernatorial candidates look on during a CNN debate at East Los Angeles College on Tuesday.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
“Donald Trump sucks,” charged former Democratic representative Katie Porter, one of the candidates – five Democrats and two Republicans – who qualified for the CNN debate.
“I’m going to repeat ‘Donald Trump’ as often as I have to because he’s the real menace that we have in California,” added Xavier Becerra, a former Democratic state attorney-general and health secretary under former president Joe Biden.
“Donald Trump is the President in all the other states in America where the cost of living is way lower than in California,” said Mr. Hilton, who promises to eliminate state income taxes on earnings under US$100,000.
Indeed, the California dream died long ago under the weight of restrictive (read: NIMBY) zoning regulations that have made housing unaffordable and state taxes that have sent middle- and upper-income earners fleeing for Texas and Florida, which have no state income tax. California’s population has plateaued at around 39.5 million people.
To be sure, Silicon Valley remains a beacon for the world’s best minds and tech entrepreneurs. It is also the epicentre of efforts to defeat a proposed ballot initiative that would impose a one-time, 5-per-cent tax on billionaires in the state.
A group called Building a Better California has raised more than US$100-million from donors, including Google co-founder Sergey Brin, to fight the billionaire tax proposal and back a competing ballot initiative that aims to block any new taxes on personal assets other than real estate.
The only candidate in favour of the billionaire tax among those at the CNN debate was Tom Steyer, who also happens to be the only billionaire running to become governor.
Mr. Steyer, a former hedge-fund manager, spent US$345-million on a disastrous attempt to win the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. By mid-April this year, he had already shelled out more than US$120-million on advertising to back his California gubernatorial bid, with millions more expected to be spent by his campaign before the primary ballots are counted.
His rivals at the CNN debate attacked the pro-environment Mr. Steyer’s hypocrisy – he obtained his wealth in part by investing in fossil fuels – and alleged use of tax havens. It remains to be seen if any of the attacks stick, as Mr. Steyer racks up endorsements from powerful unions in the state thanks to his pledge to raise taxes on the rich.
It is hard to imagine a Trump-backed Republican becoming governor in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by almost two to one. Mr. Trump’s immigration raids have also sown more fear in California, whose population is 40-per-cent Hispanic, than almost anywhere else.
It is just unfortunate that Californians do not have better choices for governor. Their state may be in even deeper trouble after the election.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the second reference to Steve Hilton.