California’s Governor Race Meets the Limits of Big Money
Sunday, June 14, 2026 · 9 min
California governor race spending records show primary money flooded around Steyer, Becerra, Hilton and others, while post-primary analysis asks whether saturation ads can still beat party structure and name ID in a state this vast.
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Show notes
California governor race spending records show primary money flooded around Steyer, Becerra, Hilton and others, while post-primary analysis asks whether saturation ads can still beat party structure and name ID in a state this vast.
In this episode
- June 2026 Primary Election | FPPC — Fair Political Practices Commission
 # June 2026 Primary Election Last Modified: June 2, 2026 The lists below reflect top contributors as reported by committees that have raised at least $1,000,000 and are primarily formed to support or oppose a state ballot measure or a candidate for state office in the June 2026 primary election. ## Top Contributors List ### Aggregate…
- New poll shows Steyer edging Hilton in CA governor's race as battle for 2nd tightens — ABC7 News Bay Area
# New poll shows Steyer edging Hilton in CA governor's race as battle for 2nd tightens ## ABC7 News Bay Area 680000 subscribers 161 likes ### Description 37305 views Posted: 1 Jun 2026 The Emerson College poll found former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is leading the field with 28% support. Steyer followed with 22%, while Hilton was close behind at 21%. The results…
- Step Back — California’s governor’s race is seeing huge spending and rich candidates, but for most voters it just looks like a blizzard of ads and mailers — in a state this big, what does campaign money actually buy, and where does it stop mattering?
Background sources
- Billionaire Tom Steyer's ad spending breaks records in California governor's race | PBS News — PBS News
- Billionaire Tom Steyer's spending binge dwarfs rival campaigns in California governor's race - ABC7 Los Angeles — Abc7
- California governor’s race: Steyer’s spending binge dwarfs rival campaigns — Bostonglobe
- Where the money’s coming from in California governor’s race — Jeanne Kuang, Jeremia Kimelman
- Steyer campaign may highlight limits of money in elections — Desertsun
- Steyer campaign may highlight limits of money in elections — Vcstar
- Tom Steyer isn't the only CA candidate spending a fortune - CalMatters — Jeremia Kimelman, Kate Li
- Candidates will have spent millions to lose California’s high-dollar elections — San
- Governor Candidate Statements | Official Voter Information Guide — California Secretary of State
## Official Voter Information Guide # Governor Candidate Statements  ## Katie Porter | DEMOCRATIC I've spent my entire career holding those in power accountable when they lie or break the rules. As Governor, I will go toe-to-toe with Donald Trump and anyone who tries to harm California families. As a Member of Congress, I took on billionaire CEOs and…
- [PDF] Certified List of Candidates for the June 2, 2026, Primary Election
Official Certified List of Candidates Statewide Direct Primary Election - June 2, 2026 3/26/2026 Page 1 of 53 Governor Akinyemi Agbede Democratic Mathematician Mohammad Arif Democratic Immigrants Organizer Larry Azevedo Democratic Businessman Xavier Becerra Democratic Voting Rights Attorney Carolina Buhler Democratic Civil Rights Advocate Louis A. De Barraicua Democratic Teacher/Business Owner…