Becerra surges, Steyer burns cash, as CA gov debate tests the field — April 23, 2026

The California governor's race hit a genuine inflection point this week, with a debate Wednesday night forcing the question every voter and donor is quietly asking: can anyone actually catch Tom Steyer's money machine — and does money even matter here? Steyer has now poured a staggering $115 million of his personal fortune into the race, dwarfing his nearest rivals by a factor of 30. And yet, per a new Emerson College poll, he's trailing both Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco. That's the brutal irony of this cycle: the guy flooding the airwaves can't seem to buy a polling lead. IATSE's endorsement — Hollywood's biggest crew union, drawn in part by Steyer's production-incentive pitch — adds labor credibility, but it's a hard sell when your anti-billionaire message is underwritten by your own billions. Reddit noticed the tension immediately, with one thread pointing out Steyer citing Karl Marx while managing a hedge fund empire. Meanwhile, the candidate with actual momentum right now is Xavier Becerra. The former HHS Secretary was barely registering in the single digits until Eric Swalwell's exit reshuffled the board. Now he's racking up institutional firepower fast — Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas's endorsement is the kind of Sacramento-insider validation that signals the political establishment is starting to coalesce. The SF Chronicle's Joe Garofoli frames Wednesday's debate as a breakthrough opportunity for both Becerra and Kate Porter, each needing a defining moment to cut through Steyer's ad saturation. Porter, once considered a top-tier contender, is clearly struggling to find her footing post-Swalwell. The debate — streaming free on KTLA+ — may be her last best chance to remind California progressives why they were excited about her in the first place. The broader picture: this is a race with no dominant Democrat, two Republicans polling surprisingly well, and a billionaire spending at historic levels without consolidating support. Becerra's surge is real but still early. The next few weeks of polling after this debate will tell us whether this is finally crystallizing — or whether it stays scrambled all the way to the June primary. In this episode: Top stories: 1. Porter, Becerra seek breakthrough at California governor's race debate — Joe Garofoli https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/porter-becerra-california-governor-22218445.php 2. IATSE Backs Tom Steyer in Race for California Governor ... - Variety — Gene Maddaus https://variety.com/2026/politics/news/iatse-tom-steyer-california-governor-endorsement-1236728164/ 3. Becerra sees momentum, money and movement in the polls in governor's race | News Pub — Press Room https://newspub.live/politics/becerra-sees-momentum-money-and-movement-in-the-polls-in-governors-race/ 4. California governor’s race remains wide open as Steyer pours $115M into campaign — Bakersfieldnow https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/california-governors-race-remains-wide-open-as-steyer-pours-115m-into-campaign 5. New Xavier Becerra endorsement: Top California lawmaker backs surging Democrat — Kron4 https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/inside-california-politics/california-assembly-speaker-endorses-xavier-becerra-for-governor/amp/ Notable reactions: 1. Running for California Governor, Tom Steyer Says Billionaires Like Him ‘Should Pay More Taxes’ — r/California (852 pts, 510 comments) https://www.reddit.com/r/California/comments/1sstegy/running_for_california_governor_tom_steyer_says/ 2. California governor debate set for Wednesday night: How to watch — r/California (139 pts, 23 comments) https://www.reddit.com/r/California/comments/1ssz39c/california_governor_debate_set_for_wednesday/ 3. Progressive Group Founded by Bernie Sanders Endorses Billionaire for California Go… Follow and rate California Governor's Race on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Feedback? Email [email protected]