Staff Reports
The California governor’s race just handed Republicans a late gift-wrapped moment. The state Democratic Party’s own Evitarus tracking poll shows Republican Steve Hilton tied with Democratic front‑runner Xavier Becerra, and a viral KTLA clip of Becerra telling a reporter “this is not a gotcha piece, right?” has left Democrats grumbling and scrambling. If you needed a clearer snapshot of a party that can’t get its act together, here it is.
CADEM’s Evitarus poll: a wake-up call for Democrats
The California Democratic Party released the Evitarus tracking poll showing Steve Hilton at 22% and Xavier Becerra at 21% among likely voters, with Tom Steyer trailing at about 15%. The poll sampled roughly 1,200 likely voters and is the party’s final tracker ahead of the jungle primary. Yes, the party that paid for the survey is the one now waving it around — and for good reason: this result exposes a split Democratic field that could hand the top-two primary to Republicans if Democrats don’t consolidate.
Becerra’s KTLA moment: entitled and awkward
Then came the KTLA clip that went viral. During a routine on‑camera exchange, gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra asked reporter Annie Rose Ramos, “By the way, this is a profile piece, this is not a gotcha piece, right?” Critics — including veteran analyst Jon Ralston — labeled the moment “pathetic,” and it was amplified by prominent Democrats. Whether you call it tone-deaf or downright arrogant, the clip damages the image of a candidate who’s suddenly polling near the top and asking to be treated gently.
Why the poll and the clip matter
Put the numbers and the video together and the picture is plain: Democrats are running a weak, splintered slate just as a Republican insurgent is polling well. Tom Steyer’s nearly $193 million in self-funding has kept him competitive, but cash isn’t leadership. The jungle primary rules only magnify the danger — split the Democratic vote and you could see a November lineup that looks very friendly to Republicans. Meanwhile, Democrats squabble about optics while the real race is about who can actually govern California’s long list of problems.
What Democrats should do (but probably won’t)
If California Democrats cared about holding the governorship, they’d consolidate quickly and pick a candidate who can survive press scrutiny without asking for soft interviews. Instead, they have a fractured field, viral gaffes, and a polling snapshot that reads like a how‑not‑to guide for party unity. Voters tired of one‑party dominance deserve better than name recognition and megabucks; they deserve competence. But until the Democratic machine learns that handing the keys to mediocrity has consequences, this race will keep giving Republicans an opening — and California will keep getting the government it voted for.
