Becerra Leads California Governor's Race, But Faces Voter Skepticism, Poll Finds

Xavier Becerra, the Democratic candidate for California governor, is leading Republican challenger Steve Hilton by a margin of 52% to 37%, according to a new poll commissioned by Hilton's campaign. Despite this lead, the survey by Echelon Insights reveals that voter enthusiasm for Becerra is tepid, with only 32% of likely voters viewing him favorably, matching Hilton's favorable rating.

Furthermore, Becerra's unfavorable rating stands at 37%, slightly higher than Hilton's 30%. The poll suggests Becerra's advantage is largely attributed to the Democratic Party's registration advantage in the state, rather than widespread voter approval.

Becerra, who has a career in politics spanning over three decades, has maintained a low public profile since the June primary, reportedly avoiding reporters and holding few public events. Hilton, a former Fox News host and adviser to ex-British Prime Minister David Cameron, is also not widely known, with 21% of respondents unfamiliar with him, compared to 15% who haven't heard of Becerra.

Hilton has sought to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction, stating, "A majority of Californians want change, not more of the same." He criticized Becerra as a "rubber stamp for the costs and craziness from his Democrat friends in Sacramento." Hilton's campaign highlighted a scenario where negative statements about Becerra's record, including his tenure as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services where reports indicate issues with unaccounted-for migrant children, narrowed the gap to 44% for Becerra and 42% for Hilton.

President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Hilton, also performed poorly in the poll, with a 28% favorable rating and a 64% unfavorable rating among California voters. Hilton suggested this indicates his strategy of distancing himself from Trump is working, arguing that the "insane costs and craziness" in California are due to state Democratic policies, not those from Washington.

When asked about succeeding Gov. Gavin Newsom, 52% favored Becerra and 37% chose Hilton, with 11% undecided. Approximately half of the voters indicated they would consider voting for Becerra, while 40% said the same for Hilton. Conversely, 45% stated they would not consider Hilton, compared to 38% who would not consider Becerra.

Echelon Insights conducted the survey in mid-September among 1,199 likely California voters. The margin of sampling error for the statewide results is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.