We combed the internet to present, in one place, each California Gubernatorial candidate’s “best case,” absent all the attacks and without any editorial comment from us.
When Independent Voter posted a series of videos about primary turnout on its Facebook page, the comments revealed a startling reality: Many voters think California’s semi-closed presidential primary rules apply to the 2026 midterm elections.
The state’s nonpartisan Top-Two primary was never designed to produce a Democrat vs. Republican Race or to prevent two Democrats or two Republicans from being in the final contest.
Democrats, Republicans and Greens for Constitutional Office publicly defend the right of every voter to participate. The Democratic secretary of state is on the record saying she would prefer a return to closed partisan primaries. Most statewide candidates won’t say where they stand.
While California voters are making their decisions ahead of the June 2 primary election, the state Republican Party has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, one of its own, over mailers the party says is a “calculated deception."
California’s nonpartisan primary system is built around a simple promise: Every voter gets a say. But, not every voter takes advantage of this. There is a noticeable turnout gap with Latino voters, in particular, who could completely reshape the electoral landscape if they participate.
El sistema de primarias no partidistas de California está construido sobre una promesa muy sencilla: cada votante tiene voz. Pero no todos los votantes aprovechan esto.
If the November general election were held today with the same electorate that turned out in 2022, Spencer Pratt would lead at 27%, followed by Karen Bass at 24% and Nithya Raman at 23%.
The national story is about which party gains seats. However, this obscures the local impact. Even if temporary, many voters in California will not have the same voting power they had in previous election cycles.
Mail-in ballots are out, and voting has begun in California’s June 2 primary. This election, though, is not just about who wins power. It is also a fight over who voters trust to run the system.
The message from party leaders on both sides is predicated on a hypothetical – a “doomsday scenario” that will scare their voters into thinking the worst possible outcome will happen if they don’t “chip in.”
IVN Editorial Board
Shawn Griffiths
Steve Peace
Cara Brown McCormick