CBS News poll on California governor’s race: What are primary voters looking for?
The California governor’s primary — and Tuesday’s debate — happen towards a backdrop of voters calling the price of dwelling within the state unmanageable, with many feeling the well-known “California Dream” is out of attain.
So, what would primary voters need executed about that proper now?
Democrats, who are inclined to see the state’s financial system as higher than different voters do, are looking for at the least some similarity with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s insurance policies and overwhelmingly desire a candidate who’d oppose President Trump. Republicans, nevertheless, painted a a lot bleaker image of the state.
All which means it is nonetheless a wide-open contest with quite a lot of candidates within the combine, together with a closely fractured Democratic area, as the proportion of undecided voters outweighs any single candidate’s assist. And candidates are typically being thought-about by extra individuals than those that are presently voting for them.
Describing a alternative
The descriptors “values” and “judgment” stand out as fascinating qualities in a candidate. Democrats additionally need “experience” — maybe partly reflecting that they are the incumbent celebration.
More Republicans desire a candidate they affiliate with “change.”
With most voters saying debates matter at the least considerably, all of it suggests a dramatic ultimate month earlier than the primary.
Cost of dwelling
More Californians name the price of dwelling in California “unmanageable” than did 5 years in the past, partly reflecting the inflationary pressures over the following years after COVID.
More broadly, and maybe extra long run, there’s a insecurity that the California Dream is attainable.
That mentioned, youthful individuals stay comparatively extra optimistic, and there is extra confidence amongst these beneath 50 than amongst older Californians, and amongst Democrats extra so than Republicans.
The total financial system
Beyond the private, partisans have barely completely different takes on what’s occurring to the state’s financial system. That, in flip, shapes what they need from a governor.
Democrats are inclined to have a greater impression of how issues are moving into California, in comparison with different voters total.
Democrats additionally are inclined to say California extra usually units a very good instance for the remainder of the nation. Republicans assume it units a nasty one.
So, Democratic primary voters desire a candidate with insurance policies at the least considerably, if not very, much like Newsom’s.
Within the Democratic ranks, those that desire a candidate with very related insurance policies to Newsom are a little bit extra for former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, whereas Democrats who need somebody with completely different insurance policies are a bit extra for philanthropist Tom Steyer.
Republicans, for his or her half, painted a way more dire image of the state. They see a state the place issues aren’t going nicely, the place the financial system isn’t just unhealthy, however it’s worse than the nation’s.
And there’s a distinction of opinion on what the following governor ought to prioritize of their strategy to serving to the center and dealing class.
Democrats need the following governor to prioritize a combination that features constructing extra housing, whereas Republicans largely establish the highest precedence as reducing taxes.
Gas costs
Gas prices particularly have hit exhausting. (This just isn’t distinctive to California, as our polling nationally has additionally proven.)
As one potential coverage to handle fuel costs in California, voters are combined on whether or not they need the following governor to suspend part of the state’s gas taxwith barely extra saying not to take action.
The problems with the economy and jobs and inflation are at or close to the highest for each events. Immigration and crime are greater in significance for Republicans, and local weather change and healthcare are greater for Democrats.
Nationally, Americans have perceived a connection between the rise in fuel costs and the conflict in Iran.
Large majorities of California voters are against the US military action in Iran and inform a candidate’s place on it is very important their vote.
The Trump issue
Democrats overwhelmingly desire a candidate who all the time opposes Mr. Trump, and particularly wouldn’t cooperate with the administration on ICE operations.
This is partly as a result of they — like nearly all of voters total — consider the Trump administration treats California worse than different states.
Republicans desire a candidate who normally, if not all the time, helps Mr. Trump.
Vote alternative
On vote election, it stays a fractured area and a really open contest total to safe the highest two positions that advance to the November common election. No single two candidates have pulled away, and the 2 highest — Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer — are within the mid-teens, with a lot of the others separated from one another by single digits. In truth, there are extra “undecided” voters than any single candidate has assist, underscoring the potential volatility of the race.
The state’s Democratic voters drastically outnumber its Republican voters. However, with many Democratic candidates operating and splitting up all these Democratic votes, there may be concern amongst Democrats that the 2 Republican candidates may then end on prime. That would depart the Democrats shut out of the overall election.
That mentioned, particular person Democrats have not but consolidated behind anybody or two candidates en masse.
We additionally requested which candidates voters may take into account — even when they are not backing them now — and voters may choose as many or as few as they preferred.
The chart under reveals the proportion who would take into account supporting every candidate, maybe reflecting their ceiling in the meanwhile, if they will translate that consideration into assist down the highway.
Also, for a lot of voters, there are quite a lot of candidates about whom they haven’t heard sufficient.
Democratic voters say they might take into account a number of candidates proper now, however virtually solely Democratic candidates. For occasion, only a few of these contemplating Becerra and Steyer are additionally contemplating Republicans Hilton or Bianco. Similarly, few very who are contemplating GOP candidates are additionally contemplating Democratic ones.
That giant variety of undecided voters might be partially as a result of a large portion of primary voters are not happy with the present alternative of candidates. It’s independents who most want there have been extra decisions. But these unhappy are additionally much less prone to say they’ll vote, so it could be that the voters shifts as nicely if they do not present up.
This CBS News/YouGov survey was carried out with a consultant pattern of 1,479 registered voters in California interviewed between April 23-27, 2026. The pattern was weighted in response to gender, age, race, schooling, and geographic area primarily based on the voter file and US Census information, in addition to to 2024 presidential vote. The margin of error is ± 4.2 factors for registered voters and ± 4.1 factors for seemingly primary voters.
