Becerra, Hilton to face each other in gubernatorial race

By Chris Woodward
The Center Square

Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra apparently will square off in the Nov. 3 general election for governor of California, according to unofficial results in Tuesday’s primary. They were the top two voter getters.

Meanwhile, Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta and Republican candidate Michael E. Gates will advance to the general election for attorney general of California.With 49% of precincts partially reporting, the Secretary of State Office’s website reported Hilton had 26.8% of the vote at 9:22 p.m. Pacific time. Becerra had 25.8% of the vote.In the gubernatorial race, billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer, a Democrat who funded the campaign to pass congressional redistricting, had 19.7%. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, the other leading Republican in the race, had 11.4%. Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, a Democrat, had 5%. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a Democrat, had 4.3%. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat who served in the state Assembly, had 1.4%.Hilton is a former Fox News Channel personality and United Kingdom political advisor. Becerra is a former U.S. representative, California attorney general and U.S. Secretary for Health & Human Services under the Biden administration.In the race for attorney general, Bonta had 53.8% of the vote. Gates, a former deputy U.S. attorney and former city attorney for Huntington Beach, had 41.7%.Marjorie Mikels, the Green Party candidate for attorney general, only had 4.5% of the vote.This is with 49% of precincts partially reporting at 9:22 p.m. Pacific time.In total, there were approximately 61 candidates for governor of California, taking up the entire first page of the ballot. Most of them were “no party preference.” Democrats had 24 candidates on the ballot. Republicans had 12. There was one Libertarian candidate and one Peace and Freedom candidate.