California

California Democrats May Have To Choose Between 2 Republicans in November's Gubernatorial Race

California initiatives will fuel an already fiery November election, and the state's top-two primary might end up excluding Democrats in the governor's race.

Steven Greenhut | 3.20.2026 12:29 PM

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(Illustration: Adani Samat; Dreamstime)

The November California elections are shaping up to be fairly wild. There's no clear frontrunner in the governor's race, and a non-zero possibility that two Republicans take the top two primary slots and head to the general election.

That's because multiple, second-tier Democrats are slicing up the Democratic vote into small portions, and Republicans are splitting theirs between only two choices. That would be something to see how any Republican would govern in a state with Democratic legislative supermajorities. Weird times.

If that happens, expect renewed vigor for revisiting the top-two primary, which was sold as a means to moderate the parties—not to create electoral flukes. And, of course, the November congressional midterms will be a referendum on Donald Trump's divisive second term. Based on the smattering of Democratic special-election victories in deep-red districts nationwide, Democrats expect an energized base that will express its displeasure at the administration. California voters will vote in hastily redrawn congressional districts designed to boost Democratic seats.

Lost in the partisan scuffles,........

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