California Governor Race: Top-Two System Under Fire

0:00It's April 23rd. This is California News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story. California's governor race is heating up with the top two primary just around the corner on June 2nd, and Betty Ease recent dropout is. Spotlighting flaws in the system. The former state controller, a long time San Francisco Democrat, bowed out and through her support behind Tom Steyer, saying polls and big money, sideline her experience and grassroots backing. Here this week, ye held a virtual press conference, blaming weaker donor and union support on the race's early viability game, where low pull. Numbers force candidates to fold fast. This comes after Eric Swalwell, who had surged to lead among Democrats, quit amid a scandal, sparking a donor scramble to back front runners and avoid. A Republican sweep in November. Folks are fired up over the top two setup, where all candidates run together in the primary and just the top two advance. They be damned. Critics like ye argue a booze cash and momentum over real merit, while fans say it pushes moderation.

1:06Political pros note it was meant to center state politics, but in this packed field, it's squeezing out lower tier dims. Now polls show former health secretary Xavier Basera, climbing unexpectedly from single digits, shaking things up as other candidates linger in low. Numbers. Party leaders urge viability checks, without naming names, but the churn keeps the race wide open. With ye and Swalwell still on the June 2nd ballots, since the deadline passed, mail invotes hit homes in two weeks, leaving everyone wondering if the top two system mirrors voter choice or manufactures it behind the scenes.