Executive Summary
- No candidate for California Governor reached the 60% delegate vote threshold required for an official party endorsement.
- Representative Eric Swalwell led the gubernatorial field with 23% of the vote, followed by Betty Yee at 17%.
- Incumbents Rob Bonta, Shirley Weber, and Malia Cohen successfully secured endorsements for their re-election campaigns.
- The lack of a gubernatorial endorsement signals a wide-open and competitive primary election in June.
SAN FRANCISCO — The California Democratic Party is expected to conclude its annual convention without endorsing a candidate for governor, following a voting session where no contender secured the requisite 60% support from delegates. The results, posted late Saturday, indicate that the crowded field of candidates remains deeply fractured heading into the June primary election.
According to party bylaws, a candidate must meet a 60% threshold to obtain the official endorsement, which unlocks significant financial and organizational resources. In the gubernatorial ballot, Representative Eric Swalwell received the highest share of the vote with 23%, followed by former State Controller Betty Yee at 17%. With no candidate nearing the supermajority, the party is scheduled to ratify these results on Sunday, leaving the endorsement for the state’s highest office vacant.
The lack of consensus extended to other major statewide offices. In the race for lieutenant governor, State Treasurer Fiona Ma secured nearly 50% of the vote but failed to cross the threshold, with support split among challengers including former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. Similarly, in the contest for state treasurer, current Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis received over half the votes but did not reach the 60% mark required for an automatic endorsement.
Incumbent officials were the only candidates to successfully consolidate delegate support. Attorney General Rob Bonta, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, and State Controller Malia Cohen all met the endorsement threshold for their respective re-election bids. Conversely, San Jose Mayor Matt Mehan was ruled ineligible for endorsement consideration after party officials confirmed he had missed the necessary filing deadline.
Electoral Implications
The failure of the California Democratic Party to coalesce around a single successor for the governorship underscores the competitive nature of the upcoming election cycle. By withholding its official seal of approval, the party effectively levels the playing field, forcing leading candidates like Swalwell and Yee to rely on independent fundraising and voter outreach rather than institutional backing. This outcome guarantees a prolonged and potentially costly battle for the nomination, reflecting a delegation that remains undecided on the future ideological direction of the state leadership.
