LONG BEACH, CA — Ballots for the June 2 Statewide Direct Primary Election will land in mailboxes starting next week, bearing the names of more than 60 candidates for one of the most chaotic gubernatorial races California has seen in decades.
It’s a political contest plagued by scandal, partisan infighting, and a lack of clear frontrunners. Beyond the swift rise and fall of Democratic former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who ended his campaign and congressional career amid allegations of sexual assault, the major storyline has been the possibility that two Republican candidates might emerge from the primary as dozens of Democrats divide the vote. In California, the top two vote-getters in the primary — regardless of party preference — advance to the November general election.
Down-ballot, voters will weigh in on congressional races. Thanks largely to the naked gerrymandering of Proposition 50 passed by Golden State voters last year in a rebuke of President Donald Trump, 2026 is shaping up to be a slog for the California GOP, according to the polls. The party currently holds just eight of the state’s 52 congressional seats after the Jan. 6 death of Northern California’s Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa. According to the Cook Political Report, only four of those eight are solidly Republican heading into the primary.
Closer to home, voters will cast ballots in several local races.
Long Beach is holding primary elections for mayor, city attorney, city auditor, city prosecutor, and city council on June 2. A primary election is then scheduled to follow on Nov. 3. The filing deadline for the election was March 6.
Four citywide races will be voted on during the primary; however, two of the candidates are running unopposed, meaning that they're shoo-ins for re-election.
In addition, five of the City Council's nine seats will be voted on by the voters in their districts.
Long Beach Races:
In the mayoral race, incumbent Rex Richardson is facing off against Joshua Rodriguez, Lee Goldin, Oscar Cancio, Terri Rivers, Chris Sweeney and write-in candidate April Ronay.
The Third District race is also notable in that the area has received negative publicity in recent months due to an increase in fights, stabbings and other incidents outside of or near bars on Second Street in Belmont Shore.
The candidates in that race are Ronald Sampson, Kristina Duggan, Rebecca Hinderer and Brian Cochrane.
Measure ER Countywide Ballot Measure:
Besides the municipal races, there's one ballot measure that all Los Angeles County registered voters will have an opportunity to weigh in on: a sales tax increase.
Measure ER: The Essential Services Restoration Act for Los Angeles County General Sales Tax Measure, is focused on funding healthcare and other essential services.
It proposes a temporary 0.5% (half-cent) increase in the county sales tax. The tax would rise from 9.75% to 10.25% for five years if approved.
The measure, if passed, is projected to generate roughly $1 billion per year for the county. The money would be used to fund public hospitals, community clinics and health services.
State Assembly:
Long Beach voters who live in the 69th State Assembly district will have a chance to choose their representation.
There are two candidates in the race, incumbent Josh Lowenthal and challenger Carolyn Essex, both Democrats. Lowenthal was re-elected by a strong margin in 2024.
Since the top two vote getters in California primaries move on to the general election, then Lowenthal and Essex are likely to face off again on Election Day in November.
California's 2026 gubernatorial contest has become one of the most unpredictable races in political history, and with just one month left before the primary election, the slate of leading contenders to succeed outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom continues to evolve.
Swalwell's departure and political collapse had a tremendous impact on the gubernatorial race, according to experts. Before the sexual assault allegations surfaced, Swalwell, who represented the Bay Area, received the support of 17 percent of likely voters, polls showed.
Swalwell's April 11 gubernatorial exit triggered an immediate shift, allowing former state Attorney General Xavier Becerra to advance in a new poll, gaining 10 percent of likely voters, while fellow Democrat and billionaire Tom Steyer was the frontrunner among Democrats with 14 percent of likely voters. Former Fox News commentator Steve Hilton, who received President Donald Trump's endorsement earlier this month, received 17 percent of support and was leading his Republican rival, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who polled at 14 percent.
Former Rep. Katie Porter was in a dead heat with Becerra at 10 percent, while San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan received 5 percent of likely voters' support.
The poll, released on Thursday, was commissioned by the right-leaning Nexstar Media Group and Inside California Politics and conducted by Emerson College from April 14 through April 15.
Last month, California Democratic National Committee Chair Rusty Hicks released an open letter and made an unexpected plea for the Democratic field of contenders to "assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign," but stopped short of calling out any candidates or pressuring anyone to drop their bid.
With the primary election only a few weeks away — and the top Democratic contenders currently splitting the vote — 27 percent of likely voters remain undecided, which could affect the candidates who have moved up in the polls.
"The Emerson poll shows Becerra going from 7th or 8th place to tied for 4th or 5th place right now. Swalwell's exit, at least based on this poll, seems to have benefitted Steyer, Porter, Becerra, and Mahan — all Democrats who have improved over the last Emerson poll," Christian Grose, a political expert and director of the USC Democracy and Fair Elections Lab, told Patch.
"However, I think Steyer or Porter are best poised to benefit from Swalwell's exit as they have consistently polled the best among Democrats over multiple polls. The Emerson poll's results for other candidates will need to be replicated elsewhere before I believe there is movement for Becerra or Mahan. The race is fluid so seeing multiple polls with increases in these candidate numbers could help," Grose added.
A CBS News/YouGov poll released on Tuesday indicates the 2026 California governor's race continues to shift, but no contender — Democrat or Republican — has emerged as the frontrunner since Stalwell's campaign imploded. The poll was conducted between April 23 and April 27 following last week’s contentious gubernatorial debate.
According to the poll, Hilton has the strongest support among voters, with 16 percent. Steyer trailed with 15 percent of support.
Becerra continued to climb, with 13 percent. Bianco was polling at 10 percent, and Porter showed a marginal slip with 9 percent of support. Mahan also slid by about 1 percentage point, tying with former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, with 4 percent. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond received 1 percent of support.
Traditional in-person voting: Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 2. Click here to find your polling location.
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