Democratic Race to Replace Newsom Begins

California State Capitol, AP Photo/Juliana Yamada

California is about to change governors. As Governor Newsom ends his term and the Democratic Party struggles for a strategy and message after November 5, a host of Democrats are beginning the early primary maneuvering.

A new statewide poll of all voters from UC Berkeley shows the early order of names, mostly sorted by their name identification, with liberal former US Senate candidate Katie Porter ahead and followed by more than a dozen lesser known politicians.

Republicans came in second and third. The table shows the top seven names.

The field then drops to less than 7 percent of the 1st or 2nd choice among voters. Included in the “other” category was Rob Bonta, California Attorney General, Betty Yee, former State Controller, and Rick Caruso, L.A. businessman. One large caveat is, if Kamala Harris jumps in the race she would start with a third of the vote as “very likely” to support her and another 13 percent “somewhat likely” (46% total).

The Democrats begin the race with a major advantage in the general election. However, their effort to adjust to the November 5 voter slippage and address the state’s population slow down and affordability crisis will be watched by Democrats nationwide.