Republican Steve Hilton is closing the gap with Democrat Xavier Becerra in the California governor race, according to a poll released on August 24, 2026. Becerra leads Hilton 49% to 41% among likely voters, with nearly 10% undecided. This represents a significant narrowing from a previous poll by the University of California, Berkeley, which showed Becerra with an 18-point lead.
The latest poll indicates Becerra has fallen below the 50% mark for the first time, raising questions about his ability to secure majority support in the upcoming election. Hilton expressed confidence in his campaign, citing the poll results on social media. He criticized Becerra's record as Secretary of Health and Human Services, claiming that it has negatively impacted California residents.
Becerra has served as the Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden and was previously California's attorney general. Hilton, who is new to U.S. politics, has a background as a conservative commentator and strategist.
A previous poll from the Public Policy Institute of California indicated Becerra had a 25-point lead over Hilton, which has now been reduced significantly. The poll conducted by David Wolfson surveyed 912 registered voters in California from August 14 to 16, with a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.