Becerra Surges as Yee Exits, While Steyer's $115M Can't Buy a Lead
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 · 8 min
California's governor's race just got a lot clearer — and messier — in the span of 24 hours. Former State Controller Betty Yee has dropped out, citing the brutal reality of lagging polls and a fundraising deficit she couldn't overcome. But in a move that immediately reshuffled the board, Yee endorsed Tom Steyer on her way out the door, throwing her support behind the billionaire climate activist who has now poured a staggering $115 million of his own money into the race — roughly 30 times what his nearest Democratic rivals have spent. The problem for Steyer? Money isn't moving the needle the way you'd expect. A new Emerson College poll shows him trailing Republican candidates Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco despite the unprecedented self-funding blitz. It's the kind of data point that fuels the r/California crowd's gleeful mockery: 'Running for governor, says billionaires like him should pay more taxes.' Meanwhile, a Bernie Sanders-affiliated progressive group endorsed Steyer — a billionaire — which is exactly as awkward as it sounds and generated plenty of online chatter. The bigger story, though, is Xavier Becerra. The former U.S. Attorney General has been quietly building momentum since Eric Swalwell's scandal-driven exit cratered the Democratic establishment lane, and now the surge feels real. California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has endorsed Becerra, joining a wave of Democratic lawmakers lining up behind him. His rising poll numbers suggest voters are responding to his federal experience and name recognition at a moment when California Democrats are anxious about competence and national standing. The Becerra question — as analyst Ed Kilgore frames it — is whether his surge saves California Democrats by giving them a credible, experienced standard-bearer, or whether it exposes just how thin the bench became after Swalwell's collapse. With Yee out, the Democratic primary is effectively shaping up as Steyer's money versus Becerra's momentum. Republicans Hilton and Bianco, meanwhile, are watching Democrats burn through resources and goodwill and quietly liking what they see.
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Show notes
California's governor's race just got a lot clearer — and messier — in the span of 24 hours. Former State Controller Betty Yee has dropped out, citing the brutal reality of lagging polls and a fundraising deficit she couldn't overcome. But in a move that immediately reshuffled the board, Yee endorsed Tom Steyer on her way out the door, throwing her support behind the billionaire climate activist who has now poured a staggering $115 million of his own money into the race — roughly 30 times what his nearest Democratic rivals have spent. The problem for Steyer? Money isn't moving the needle the way you'd expect. A new Emerson College poll shows him trailing Republican candidates Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco despite the unprecedented self-funding blitz. It's the kind of data point that fuels the r/California crowd's gleeful mockery: 'Running for governor, says billionaires like him should pay more taxes.' Meanwhile, a Bernie Sanders-affiliated progressive group endorsed Steyer — a billionaire — which is exactly as awkward as it sounds and generated plenty of online chatter. The bigger story, though, is Xavier Becerra. The former U.S. Attorney General has been quietly building momentum since Eric Swalwell's scandal-driven exit cratered the Democratic establishment lane, and now the surge feels real. California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has endorsed Becerra, joining a wave of Democratic lawmakers lining up behind him. His rising poll numbers suggest voters are responding to his federal experience and name recognition at a moment when California Democrats are anxious about competence and national standing. The Becerra question — as analyst Ed Kilgore frames it — is whether his surge saves California Democrats by giving them a credible, experienced standard-bearer, or whether it exposes just how thin the bench became after Swalwell's collapse. With Yee out, the Democratic primary is effectively shaping up as Steyer's money versus Becerra's momentum. Republicans Hilton and Bianco, meanwhile, are watching Democrats burn through resources and goodwill and quietly liking what they see.
In this episode
- Lagging in polls and fundraising, Betty Yee drops out of California governor’s race - Local News Matters — Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters
Lagging in polls and fundraising, Betty Yee drops out of California governor’s race - Local News Matters ## Support our work! Ensure the future of local Bay Area News by becoming a Local News Matters member today. One-time Monthly Annually One-time $25 $50 $365 Other Donation amount $ Monthly $9 $30 $50 Other Donation amount per month $ Annually $90 $365 $500 Other Donation…
- Former California controller Betty Yee drops out of governor's race | Fox News — Fox News
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- California governor’s race remains wide open as Steyer pours $115M into campaign — Bakersfieldnow
# California governor’s race remains wide open as Steyer pours $115M into campaign Published: 2026-04-22T00:17:44+00:00 ## Summary Tom Steyer has poured over $115 million into his campaign for California's governor, largely using his personal wealth to reach voters. This is 30 times the amount of his nearest Democratic rivals, who are spending around $3 million to $10 million. Despite this, a…
- Will the Becerra Surge Save or Sink California Democrats? — Ed Kilgore
Will the Becerra Surge Save or Sink California Democrats? The new mover and shaker in the California governor’s race. Photo: Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images Like nature itself, politics abhors a vacuum. So the hole in the California Democratic gubernatorial field caused by front-runner [Eric…
- California democratic lawmakers rally behind Xavier Becerra for governor amid rising poll numbers | abc10.com — abc10.com
California democratic lawmakers rally behind Xavier Becerra for governor amid rising poll numbers | abc10.com Breaking News # California democratic lawmakers rally behind Xavier Becerra for governor amid rising poll numbers California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and other lawmakers endorse Xavier Becerra for governor amid rising poll support, emphasizing his experience and readiness. To…
Notable reactions
- Betty Yee backs Tom Steyer for governor after exiting race | abc10.com — X
“Betty Yee backs Tom Steyer for governor after exiting race | abc10.com Breaking News # Betty Yee backs Tom Steyer for governor after exiting race Former California State Controller Betty Yee endorses Tom Steyer for governor, citing his dedication to working families and the…”
- Progressive Group Founded by Bernie Sanders Endorses Billionaire for California Governor — r/politics (15 pts, 43 comments)
“Progressive Group Founded by Bernie Sanders Endorses Billionaire for California Governor”
- California Assembly speaker endorses Xavier Becerra for governor - AOL — AOL
“Tue, April 21, 2026 at 5:49 PM UTC 0 (Inside California Politics) — The top lawmaker in the California Assembly is backing Xavier Becerra for governor, adding to a wave of new support for the surging Democrat. Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, announced his…”
- Running for California Governor, Tom Steyer Says Billionaires Like Him ‘Should Pay More Taxes’ — r/California (606 pts, 348 comments)
“One interesting thing I noticed in this article is the fact that he referenced Karl Marx, stating that he disagrees with the Marxist perspective, below is an excerpt: Steyer said during his interview with Sirota that he doesn’t agree with the assertion that billionaires are a…”
- California built a new 911 system. Now the state must use it - Capitol Weekly — Brian Joseph
“# California built a new 911 system. Now the state must use it - Capitol Weekly | Capitol Weekly | Capitol Weekly: The Newspaper of California State Government and Politics. Published: 2026-04-22T15:00:38+00:00 Author: Brian Joseph ## Summary California's Office of Emergency…”