No clear front-runner in race for California governor, new poll shows

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A caller canvass shows there's inactive nary wide front-runner successful the contention to regenerate Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Republican Steve Hilton is successful the pb astatine 15%, followed by Democrat Katie Porter astatine 13%. Republican Chad Bianco sits astatine 12%.

Democrats Eric Swalwell is astatine 11% and Tom Steyer astatine 10%, rounding retired the apical tier.

"Right now, these Democrats are not precise different," said USC Professor of Professional Practice and Director of the Annenberg Media Center Christina Bellantoni. "They don't person a batch distinguishing them successful their platforms. You tin beryllium 'anti-Trump' oregon 'pro-Newsom' oregon person a small spot of nuance successful immoderate of your positions, but generally, they privation to enactment the people with a Democratic politician successful California that is playing the foil to President Trump and protecting Californians."

According to the PPIC Survey, 10% of voters are undecided and the canvass has a borderline of mistake of 3.1%.

Although Porter's run is feeling bully astir this poll, Porter is down 7 points from wherever she was successful the December PPIC survey.
Steyer, connected the different hand, is up.

"Tom Steyer has really raised his profile," Bellantoni said. "Well, that's successful portion due to the fact that he's spending millions and millions of dollars, including connected a Super Bowl ad. His advertizing is beauteous good. It's overmuch amended than we saw successful the statesmanlike race, for example. This is idiosyncratic who's investing to get himself amended known, and you tin spot that's working."

Although it remains unlikely, Hilton and Bianco could some beforehand past the June superior - the caller canvass shows the chances are increasing.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a Democrat, campaigned with Rick Caruso successful Pacific Palisades connected Thursday. In the poll, Mahan is lone astatine 3%.

"You're going to beryllium seeing a batch of me," helium said. "I conscionable got into the contention 3 and a fractional weeks ago. I'm going to beryllium traveling up and down the state. I've recovered myself successful L.A. erstwhile oregon doubly each week truthful far."

Meantime, Democrat Betty Yee - who is astatine 5% - campaigned successful the Inland Empire connected Thursday.

"The contention is inactive wide open," she said. "I judge that each the things we're talking about, affordability ... You person to person idiosyncratic who tin hole affordability situation by archetypal fixing the authorities budget, and that's what I'm bringing to the role."

Early voting starts successful little than 3 months.