Polls and early vote-count reporting indicate California’s 2026 governor primary is effectively a three-way contest among Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer and Republican Steve Hilton. Multiple outlets describe Becerra as taking or holding an early lead, while Hilton and Steyer compete closely for the second qualifying spot that advances to the November general election. CBS News and other coverage characterise the race as narrowing, with the top contenders emerging clearly in polling data. Newsweek reports that Becerra and Steyer, along with Hilton, are locked in a tight fight for the two available positions. Courthouse News similarly notes Hilton and Becerra move into an early advantage, while Steyer trails in third even as millions of votes remain uncounted. The Washington Post and World & Nation frame the contest as a battle over who will finish ahead of the others as votes continue to be tallied. Across sources, the overall picture is consistent: a clear top three in the nonpartisan primary, with Becerra leading and Hilton and Steyer disputing second place amid a still-slow count.