Swalwell Out, Hilton Leads in CA Governor Race

0:00It's April 16. You're listening to California News today, AI-powered local news. I'm Corey with the story. In the first poll after Eric Swalwell, bailed on the California governor's race, two Republicans are out front, former Fox News host Steve Hilton at 16.6% and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 14.4%. Billionaire Tom Styris sits close at 14.1% while ex-health secretary Xavier Basera jumped to 10.4%. This Emerson college poll from April 14th and 15th sets the lineup for next week's inside California politics debate, using a 5% cutoff. That means Hilton, Bianco, Styris, Basera at 10.4, Katie Porter at 10.3 and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan at 5.4. Likely headed to the stage. Swalwell led the last poll but dropped out Sunday amid sexual misconduct claims he denies, and quit his East Bay Sea Tuesday as more allegations surfaced.

1:01Among Republicans, Hilton pulls 45% to Bianco's 40, even after Trump's nod to Hilton, and 23% of all voters are still on the fence with ballots mailing soon. Basera, California's Attorney General from 2017 to 2021, saw the biggest bounce his support double-demand, Swalwell's mess. His team raised nearly $400,000 in days, averaging 42 bucks a pop, with big jumps in social media buzz too. Swalwell's name stays on the June 2nd primary ballot anyway, where the top two advance to November no matter the party. As this wide open field titans, watch for those undecided to shake things up big time.