California's 2026 gubernatorial race has entered a state of uncertainty that has Democratic leaders concerned about maintaining control of the state's top office for the first time in two decades.

With more than 50 candidates on the ballot, including eight established Democrats and two leading Republicans, the contest has been marked by internal disputes and personal attacks rather than policy discussions. A major televised debate was canceled after controversy over selection criteria that resulted in only white candidates qualifying while excluding Black, Latino and Asian candidates.

Democratic officials fear the party's 24 listed candidates will fragment the vote under California's "top two" primary system, potentially allowing Republicans Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton to advance to November. Both Republicans are supporters of President Donald Trump.

The chaotic nature of the race has prompted state Democratic Chair Rusty Hicks to urge lagging candidates to drop out. Rep. Eric Swalwell, one of the leading Democratic contenders, recently accused the Trump administration of trying to influence the race through FBI document requests related to a decade-old investigation into his ties to a suspected Chinese spy.

Polling in early February by the Public Policy Institute of California showed Bianco, Hilton and three Democrats - Swalwell, former Rep. Katie Porter and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer - in close competition for the top positions.

Democratic leaders worry that without a strong candidate at the top of the ticket in November, voter turnout could drop in critical U.S. House races that could determine control of Congress. The situation has drawn comparisons to 1998, when Democrat Gray Davis emerged from a fractured primary field to ultimately win the governorship.