Under California’s unique “top-two” system, all candidates run on a single ballot regardless of party, with only the top two moving on to November. With six major Democrats fracturing the vote, party leaders initially panicked that the two leading Republicans—Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton—could sweep both spots and completely lock Democrats out of the general election, News.Az reports, citing NBC.
That nightmare scenario eased up after former Representative Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race amid a sexual assault scandal, but the controversy has only added to voter anxiety. Meanwhile, a recent endorsement from Donald Trump has successfully united Republican support behind Hilton.
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As a result, reliable Democratic voters are holding onto their mail-in ballots until the absolute last minute, waiting to see if a viable front-runner emerges from the pack. Data shows that only 11% of the state’s 23 million voters have cast ballots, with Republicans uncharacteristically out-voting Democrats early on.
Right now, the Democratic field is a neck-and-neck scramble. Former state Attorney General Xavier Becerra and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer are leading the Democratic options, but polling shows them neck-and-neck with Republican Hilton—leaving many voters admitting they are simply “pinching their noses” and settling for the lesser of evils.
