California's Governor Race: No Clear Favorite, Wide Open Finish

For the first time in years, California’s gubernatorial race has no front-runner—and that’s making political insiders genuinely nervous.

Today’s primary on June 2 will determine which two candidates advance to November’s general election, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for Democratic leaders in the state. Because California operates under an open primary system where the top two vote-getters move forward regardless of party affiliation, there’s a real scenario where two Republican candidates could both advance past the June deadline. If that happens, Democratic voters would face a general election without a single candidate from their own party on the November ballot—a sobering thought for a state that’s been a Democratic stronghold for decades.

The reason for the wide-open race is straightforward: Governor Gavin Newsom has hit his term limit. California law prevents governors from serving more than two consecutive terms, so Newsom cannot seek reelection. That means the state will have a new governor by year’s end, and unlike recent cycles, there’s no clear establishment pick waiting in the wings. Instead, you’ve got a genuine free-for-all where party affiliation actually matters more than usual—and it’s putting some Democratic leaders on edge about the mechanics of their own primary system.

What happens tonight when the polls close at 8 p.m. will tell us a lot about where California voters’heads are at heading into one of the most consequential elections the state has faced in recent memory. The open primary system, long touted as giving voters more choice, is being tested in real time.