Xavier Becerra leads Steve Hilton in California governor race

A new poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times shows Democrat Xavier Becerra maintaining a lead over Republican Steve Hilton in the race for California governor. Becerra currently holds the support of 55% of likely voters, while Hilton holds 37%.

While Becerra remains the frontrunner, the data indicates a slight shift in momentum. His support has decreased from 61% in a previous month's poll, while Hilton has seen a marginal increase from 36% to 37%. This has narrowed the gap between the candidates from 25 points to 18 points.

The election, scheduled for November 3, will determine the successor to Governor Gavin Newsom. Support for the candidates remains largely divided along partisan lines, with the majority of Democrats favoring Becerra and the majority of Republicans backing Hilton.