Betty Yee Exits CA Governor Race, Democrats Worry

0:00It's April 20th. Welcome to Canada News today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Betty E, the former California State Controller, just suspended her run for governor. She's the latest Democrat to bow out of this packed race to replace Gavin Newsom. Yee jumped in back in 2024 aiming to become the state's first female governor, but she couldn't gain traction in the polls, or fundraising. This comes just over a week after Eric Swahwell dropped out amidst sexual assault claims he denies. Yee tried branding herself as the steady, solutions focus candidate, think boring Betty, but pricey media markets across California drained her. Resources fast. Donors weren't stepping up, forcing her hand. Voters and supporters seemed ready to shift focus elsewhere, since Yee was stuck at the bottom of the pack, with little backing. Her exit won't shake things up much, unlike Swahwell's departure from the top tier. The field stays chaotic with six main Democrats, two top Republicans, and over 50 names total.

1:02Recent polls from late March and early April showed a tight bunch leading Tom Steyer, Katie Porter on the dem side, Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco for Republicans plus Swahwell before he quit. Mail ballots hit homes in early May ahead of the June 2nd primary, where only the top two advanced to November no matter the party. This worry their split votes could let Republicans sneak into the general, keeping this race wide open.