As of April 20, 2026 · polls from the last 14 days
Currently ahead in the Democratic field:
Tom Steyer 15.3%
Runner-up: Xavier Becerra (13.1%)
Biggest mover · post-Swalwell shakeout
Xavier Becerra (D) ▲ 11.6 pts — surging at 13.1% over the last 30 days
Eric Swalwell withdrew Apr 12 holding ~14% — that support appears to be flowing to Becerra.
The race for the two top-two slots
arrows = change in 30-day poll avg
Slot #2 is contested — a 1.8-pt gap between Tom Steyer and Chad Bianco. If Chad Bianco overtakes, both top-two slots go Republican.
This will shift before June 2. Check back before you mail your ballot — and vote as late as you can. California's top-two primary advances the two highest vote-getters regardless of party, so Democrats need to concentrate on one candidate to avoid handing both top-two slots to Republicans.
Sample-size-weighted average of 7 polls ending in the last 14 days. Full methodology →
Polling trend
48 polls · updated Apr 24, 12:50 PM
11 polls in window
Click a candidate in the legend to toggle. Withdrawn candidates shown dashed. Only shows top 10 candidates.
Every poll
| Date | Pollster | Sample | Becerra (D) | Steyer (D) | Porter (D) | Mahan (D) | Thurmond (D) | Villaraigosa (D) | Hilton (R) | Bianco (R) | Yee (D) | Swalwell (D) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14–20 | Independent Voter Project | 3,404 LV | 23% | 14% | 11% | 4% | 1% | 1% | 20% | 17% | 1% | — |
| Apr 12–18 | Kreate Strategies | 900 LV | 10% | 16% | 10% | 4% | — | 1% | 18% | 14% | 2% | — |
| Apr 14–18 | Gudelunas Strategies | 800 LV | 15% | 15% | 13% | 6% | 2% | 3% | 20% | 14% | 2% | 0.5% |
| Apr 15–17 | Evitarus (D) | 1,200 LV | 13% | 13% | 10% | 5% | 1% | 2% | 16% | 14% | 1% | 1% |
| Apr 14–15 | Emerson College | 1,000 LV | 10% | 14% | 10% | 5% | 1% | 3% | 17% | 14% | 1% | — |
| Apr 8–12 | Impact Research (D) | 900 LV | 7% | 16% | 14% | 8% | — | — | 25% | 10% | — | — |
| Apr 8–10 | SurveyUSA | 788 LV | 4% | 21% | 8% | 4% | 1% | 5% | 18% | 8% | 4% | 9% |
| Apr 1–6 | David Binder Research (D) | 800 LV | 4% | 12% | 11% | 5% | 2% | 2% | 22% | 13% | 2% | 18% |
| Mar 31–Apr 5 | Evitarus (D) | 1,200 LV | 4% | 11% | 7% | 4% | 0.5% | 4% | 14% | 14% | 1% | 12% |
| Mar 26–Apr 3 | PPIC | 1,008 LV | 5% | 14% | 10% | 5% | 2% | 5% | 17% | 14% | 3% | 18% |
| Mar 23–29 | Kreate Strategies | 700 LV | 2% | 13% | 8% | 4% | — | 2% | 19% | 10% | 3% | 13% |
| Mar 12–17 | Evitarus (D) | 2,000 LV | 3% | 10% | 10% | 3% | 1% | 3% | 16% | 14% | 2% | 10% |
| Mar 12–17 | Echelon Insights (R) | 600 LV | 3% | 13% | 10% | 4% | 1% | 3% | 20% | 14% | 2% | 15% |
| Mar 9–14 | Berkeley IGS | 3,889 LV | 5% | 10% | 13% | 4% | 1% | 4% | 17% | 16% | 1% | 13% |
| Mar 7–9 | Emerson College | 1,000 LV | 3% | 11% | 8% | 3% | 1% | 3% | 13% | 11% | 2% | 17% |
| Feb 25–Mar 3 | Politico/UC Berkeley/ TrueDot | 1,004 LV | 5% | 13% | 11% | 3% | 1% | 4% | 19% | 11% | 2% | 11% |
| Feb 27–Mar 2 | Global Strategy Group (D) | 1,340 LV | 5% | 16% | 13% | 3% | — | 2% | 20% | 15% | — | 11% |
| Feb 13–20 | Independent Voter Project | 868 LV | 3% | 8% | 12% | 2% | 1% | 3% | 15% | 23% | 2% | 18% |
| Feb 13–14 | Emerson College | 1,000 LV | 4% | 9% | 10% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 17% | 14% | 2% | 14% |
| Feb 3–11 | PPIC | 1,049 LV | 5% | 10% | 13% | 3% | 2% | 5% | 14% | 12% | 5% | 11% |
| Feb 2–5 | Tavern Research (D) | 1,097 LV | 6% | 9% | 9% | 2% | — | 3% | 12% | 20% | — | 10% |
| Jan 29–Feb 4 | EMC Research (D) | 1,400 V | 6% | 9% | 12% | 5% | 1% | 3% | 17% | 21% | 2% | 18% |
| Jan 29–Feb 3 | Global Strategy Group (D) | — LV | 4% | 10% | 12% | 3% | — | 3% | 18% | 18% | — | 11% |
| Jan 29–Feb 1 | J Wallin Opinion Research | 1,000 RV | 6% | 12% | 8% | 4% | 3% | 7% | 14% | 11% | 4% | 9% |
| Jan 25–29 | RBI Strategies & Research (D) | — LV | 4% | 8% | 13% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 16% | 15% | — | 14% |
| Jan 22–28 | Tulchin Research (D) | 1,000 LV | 5% | 10% | 13% | — | 1% | 7% | 15% | 15% | 2% | 14% |
| Jan 20–21 | Public Policy Polling (D) | 1,001 V | 6% | 8% | 14% | 5% | 1% | 2% | 17% | 18% | — | 12% |
| Jan 17–20 | David Binder Research (D) | 800 LV | 5% | 8% | 11% | — | 2% | 3% | 14% | 17% | 1% | 11% |
| Dec 14–16 | CivicLens Research | 400 LV | 1% | 7% | 9% | — | 3% | 2% | 18% | 14% | 2% | 12% |
| Nov 30–Dec 7 | FM3 Research (D) | 632 LV | 3% | 6% | 13% | — | 1% | 3% | 18% | 17% | 1% | 17% |
| Dec 1–2 | Emerson College | 1,000 LV | 4% | 4% | 11% | — | 2% | 5% | 12% | 13% | 2% | 12% |
| Nov 17–20 | Lake Research Partners (D) | 600 LV | 6% | 4% | 15% | — | 3% | 7% | 17% | 10% | 3% | 10% |
| Nov 13–19 | PPIC | 1,086 LV | 14% | — | 21% | — | 2% | 8% | 14% | 10% | 7% | — |
| Oct 27–30 | Tavern Research (D) | 1,001 LV | 9% | — | 15% | — | 2% | 5% | 12% | 16% | 3% | — |
| Oct 20–27 | Berkeley IGS | 8,141 RV | 8% | — | 11% | — | — | 5% | 8% | 13% | 3% | — |
| Oct 22–26 | EMC Research (D) | 1,000 LV | 9% | 3% | 16% | — | 3% | 5% | 20% | 14% | 3% | 11% |
| Oct 16–21 | Bold Decision | 509 LV | 8% | 7% | 12% | — | 1% | 7% | 13% | 14% | 4% | — |
| Oct 20–21 | Emerson College | 900 LV | 5% | — | 15% | — | 3% | 5% | 16% | 11% | 2% | — |
| Sep 15–16 | Emerson College | 1,000 RV | 5% | — | 16% | — | — | 4% | 10% | 8% | 3% | — |
| Aug 11–17 | Berkeley IGS | 4,950 RV | 9% | — | 17% | — | — | 4% | 6% | 10% | 2% | — |
| Jul 28–Aug 12 | True Dot/ Politico | 875 RV | 9% | — | 21% | — | — | 9% | 10% | 15% | 6% | — |
| Aug 4–5 | Emerson College | 1,000 RV | 3% | — | 18% | — | — | 5% | 12% | 7% | 2% | — |
| Apr 12–14 | Emerson College | 899 LV | 3% | — | 12% | — | 2% | 5% | — | 4% | 3% | — |
| Feb 10–11 | Emerson College | 469 RV | — | — | 9% | — | 1% | 4% | — | — | 2% | — |
| Feb 3–7 | Capitol Weekly | 692 RV | 4% | — | 16% | — | 1% | 2% | — | — | 2% | — |
| Nov 22–26 | Breakthrough Campaigns | 1,228 LV | 2% | — | 21% | — | 3% | 3% | — | 6% | 3% | — |
| Sep 12–25 | USC/CSU Long Beach/ Cal Poly Pomona | 1,685 LV | 3% | — | 14% | — | 1% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 3% | — |
| Aug 8–12 | Tulchin Research (D) | 800 LV | — | — | 4% | — | 4% | 13% | 10% | — | 7% | — |
Tap any row for source link and residual breakdown. Data from Wikipedia's 2026 California gubernatorial election page, refreshed daily.