Democrats narrow field in California’s crowded gubernatorial race to avoid primary disaster

California’s crowded gubernatorial race is beginning to narrow, with former State Controller Betty Yee becoming the latest prominent Democrat to drop out, a sign that the party may be coalescing around a leading candidate to avoid disaster in the upcoming primary.

The California gubernatorial primary started with 61 official candidates in March, and approximately 20 have since dropped out.

‘I continue to believe there are too many Democrats in the field.’

While two Republican front-runners have emerged, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host and small-business owner Steve Hilton, Democrats have not yet rallied unified support behind any leading contenders for the upcoming election on June 2.

With Primary Election Day right around the corner, voters in the state will begin receiving mail-in ballots in two weeks.

California’s primary election operates on a nonpartisan basis, meaning all candidates are listed on the same ballot, and the two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.

The nonpartisan election rules could spell trouble for Democrats if they cannot rally enough support behind a candidate to beat at least one of the top two Republicans competing to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who has reached his term limit.

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Chad Bianco. Kent Nishimura/Getty Images. Steve Hilton. Robin L Marshall/FilmMagic

Democrats began the race with eight high-profile candidates: former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, climate advocate and businessman Tom Steyer, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former California State Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, and former California State Controller Betty Yee.

The Democratic field narrowed when Swalwell announced last week that he was suspending his campaign for governor and resigning from Congress amid sexual misconduct allegations.

On Monday, Yee became the latest Democrat to drop out of the race, citing low polling results. She told local CBS affiliate KOVR that the Democratic Party had “for whatever reason decided to put money into a poll that would narrow the field” and that the results showed that “experience and competence was not polling as high as we thought when I first started this race.”

“We’re in this new era where it’s kind of almost reality TV show mentality that people want,” Yee told the news outlet. “And, frankly, conflict sells. That’s what gets people’s attention. I’m not a flashy person. I don’t come with gimmicks. I even said and joked with my team one time, ‘Maybe I just need to bring like a folding stool and throw it off the stage just to get some attention.’ I mean, what’s it gonna take, right?”

Yee stated that she plans to endorse one of the remaining candidates soon.

The California Democratic Party’s poll showed voters leaning toward Republican candidates Hilton and Bianco. The highest-polling Democratic candidates were Becerra and Steyer. However, many of those surveyed stated they were still undecided.

RELATED: Republicans shine in first poll since Eric Swalwell stumbled out of California governor’s race

Betty Yee. ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP/Getty Images

Rusty Hicks, the chair of the California Democratic Party, compared the latest polling results to those from an April 7 poll.

Hicks stated that it showed Becerra had moved from 4% to 13%, with him “now tied for third with Tom Steyer.” He also noted that the undecided rate had fallen from 24% to 20%.

“All of these are positive signs for ensuring a strong Democrat moves into the General Election. But it is not enough and our work is not done,” he said.

Hicks addressed Yee’s decision to drop out of the race.

“Earlier today, we saw Betty Yee suspend her campaign. I commend her leadership and commitment to California. And I hope other candidates will consider her example,” Hicks added. “I continue to believe there are too many Democrats in the field.”

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