With the midterm elections rapidly approaching, the California gubernatorial race continues to heat up. The incumbent governor, Gavin Newsom, has reached his term limit and will therefore not be running for governor in the upcoming election. This has led to a highly contested race, with several individuals vying for the open seat. Currently, the top candidates are Republicans — a notable shift in the heavily Democratic-controlled state. While the outcome of this election could have a major impact on California, and thus on Biola University, students at large are disengaged.

THE CURRENT RACE

The primary election for California governor will take place on June 2, 2026, determining the two candidates who will advance to the general election on November 3, 2026.

As of April 22, 2026, the race currently features eight candidates:

• Xavier Becerra, Democrat
• Chad Bianco, Republican
• Steve Hilton, Republican
• Matt Mahan, Democrat
• Katie Porter, Democrat
• Tom Steyer, Democrat
• Tony Thurmond, Democrat
• Antonio Villaraigosa, Democrat

Democratic candidates Eric Swalwell and Betty Yee were also a part of this race, but suspended their campaigns earlier this month. Swalwell suspended due to allegations of sexual harassment, and Yee due to a lack of voter support. However, their names will still appear on the ballot in June as they missed the withdrawal deadline.

In the past, Democrats and Republicans held separate primary elections for the California governor, and the individual winners of those elections would then run against each other in the general election. However, this has changed. The current primary election system — called a top-two open primary, or “jungle primary” — pits all candidates from both parties against one another, resulting in a more unpredictable field. 

Dr. Scott Waller, chair of the Political Science department, explained that since California is effectively a one-party state, it is generally assumed that the top two candidates will be Democrats. However, current polling shows the two Republican candidates — as well as two Democratic candidates, in a recent update — to be at the head of the race.

“This state is largely controlled by Democratic-based politics. So, for two Republicans to possibly emerge in June would be a huge shock,” said Waller.

Though these rankings remain fluid, the dynamic may be influenced by the large number of Democratic candidates currently running. With more candidates, voter support may be spread thin across multiple contenders. Meanwhile, with fewer Republican candidates, their support may appear more concentrated in early polling. Analysts note that factors such as name recognition and media coverage may also play a role in early polling.

Recent polling from Race to the White House shows Republican candidate Hilton currently leading a tightly packed field, with Democrats Steyer and Becerra and Republican Bianco following closely behind.

According to CBS News, California voters are primarily focused on housing affordability, with the economy and cost of living, homelessness, taxes and government spending, public safety and immigration also ranking among their top priorities.

While the Democrats and Republicans tend to emphasize slightly different concerns, the race has generally centered around these issues: Democrats are focusing on acting as a hedge against the Trump administration, increasing taxes for those with higher incomes, addressing climate concerns and expanding healthcare and other state-funded services. Meanwhile, Republicans are looking at reforming the entire system within California, framing the past and current Democratic administrations as failures; they’re focusing on reducing taxes and state spending, lowering crime, and lowering housing, energy and economic costs.

STUDENT ISSUES

These issues are particularly relevant for young voters, many of whom are navigating housing costs, job markets and education expenses in California.

Waller identified affordability as the issue most likely to affect Biola and its students:

“Gas prices and housing prices are going to be two big issues that impact Biolans and the general population. Higher energy costs usually translate into higher costs for almost everything — especially food prices,” he said. “This means prices for the Caf might be on the rise!”

He went on to detail the issue of housing prices for students who strive to be future homeowners, stating that California is beginning to be seen as a place that is unaffordable for many individuals, especially those of the younger generations. 

“To try to break into the housing market here seems like a pipe dream to many who are just starting out in their careers,” he said.

THE STUDENT RESPONSE

Despite these concerns, Biolans — including students who are California natives — are generally disengaged from the current election. While many students acknowledge the importance of this election, they still are not actively following the race. 

“It’s not something I really care enough to put my time towards,” said sophomore Nursing major and California resident Megan Stratton. She later followed up with the statement that the election would have a significant impact on her life in California: “The government plays a big role in how we live our lives. So I think who’s in charge is gonna play a big role [in my future].”

Many expressed concerns about the potential for rising costs, and the possibility of having to leave California altogether. Others disregarded the election, stating nothing would really change.

“I doubt that a whole lot is going to change. I mean, it’s California, it’s not going to suddenly get a Republican governor. Their policies are not gonna change,” said Caleb Nestor, second-year student in the Pastoral Care and Counseling graduate program at Talbot.

Overall, regardless of whether the students cared about the election, they agreed that they were not up to date on the governor’s race, and generally had little to no knowledge of the current candidates or their platforms.

Waller explained that this is because politics is not typically a concern of young people, with few acknowledging it as a topic of significance.

“Politics in general is just not usually on the radar of most young people 18-22 years old. It’s hard enough to get students to pay attention or be informed about the big, notable federal politics out of DC. So, to get on the radar of college students for state politics is an especially big challenge. That’s pretty typical as for most of us politics didn’t get on our radars until sometime after college,” he explained.

For the average Biola student, the choice between these two administrations represents two very different futures. A Democratic victory would most likely mean the continuation of California’s role as a progressive leader. There would be a potential for more state-funded financial aid and other living assistance from the state, but it would also likely mean a higher cost of living. Meanwhile, a Republican victory could mean a ‘reset’ of the state’s economy, with the goal of lowering everyday expenses such as groceries and gas through tax cuts. However, this would likely be at the expense of state-funded services, meaning students could see a reduction in their financial aid.