California governor race narrows as Becerra's lead shrinks

A new post-debate poll shows the California gubernatorial race tightening significantly. Democrat Xavier Becerra holds a 5.6 percentage point lead over Republican Steve Hilton, with Becerra at 45.7% and Hilton at 40.1%.

Commissioned by Hilton’s campaign and conducted by pollster David Wolfson on October 1-2, the survey of 1,020 voters indicates a substantial shift from previous polling that had Becerra leading by 15 points. Becerra’s support decreased by 6.3 percentage points, while Hilton’s rose by 3.1 points. Approximately 14.1% of voters remain undecided.

The survey also highlights voter dissatisfaction with the state's current trajectory. Roughly 58.8% of respondents stated California is moving in the wrong direction, while only 28.1% believe it is headed the right way. Despite the narrowing margin, Becerra maintains a lead among those who have decided, with 72.5% of undecided voters leaning toward him.