The 2026 California primary election has delivered some surprising early results, with several high-profile races still too close to call. As of 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 7, 2026, 77% of ballots have been counted in San Diego County, while the state has 33 days remaining to complete the count across all jurisdictions.
In this primary election, the top two vote-getters in each race will advance to the November 3 general election. Let’s examine the current standings in some of the most watched contests.
Gubernatorial Race Shows Tight Competition
The race for California governor has produced an unexpected three-way contest. Democrat Xavier Becerra currently leads with 27.2% of the vote, narrowly ahead of Republican Steve Hilton at 25.8%. Close behind is fellow Democrat Tom Steyer with 21.5%. This tight race demonstrates the diverse political landscape of the state.
Other notable candidates in the governor’s race include Democrat Katie Porter at 3.98% and Republican Chad Bianco at 8.77%. The significant number of candidates reflects the competitive nature of this statewide election.
Statewide Offices See Clear Leaders
Several statewide offices appear to have clear frontrunners based on the current count. Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber both have commanding leads with over 50% of the vote, suggesting strong support for their re-election bids.
The race for Lieutenant Governor is more competitive, with Democrat Fiona Ma leading at 19.3%, followed by Republican Gloria Romero at 18.6%, and Democrat Josh Fryday at 14.3%. This contest could go either way as more ballots are counted.
For Insurance CommissionerDemocrat Jane Kim holds a slight edge with 25.9% over Republican Stacy Korsgaden at 16.2%. The race for Superintendent of Public Instruction sees Democrat Sonja Shaw leading with 23.5%, followed by Democrat Richard Barrera at 19.7%.
Local Races Show Mixed Results
In San Diego County, several local races are drawing attention. The 48th Congressional District contest features Republican Jim Desmond leading with 40.1%, followed by Democrat Marni von Wilpert at 20.7%. This race could be significant in the upcoming general election.
The 40th State Senate District shows Democrat Mara Elliott with a substantial lead of 46.6% over Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane at 28.6%. In the 74th State Assembly DistrictDemocratic challenger Sergio Farias is leading incumbent Republican Laurie Davies by a narrow margin of 51.15% to 48.85%.
Local government races are also producing interesting results. In the San Diego City CouncilDistrict 4 features an extremely close race between challenger Martha Abraham and incumbent Henry Foster IIIwith both candidates currently tied at 40.2%. In Chula Vista, incumbent Mayor John McCann appears headed for re-election with 58.4% of the vote.
As vote counting continues, these results may shift significantly. The next update will provide further insights into how these races are developing as California moves closer to finalizing its primary election results.
