California Democrats Fail to Endorse Governor Candidate

Party convention leaves field wide open with no clear frontrunner emerging

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

California Democrats failed to endorse a candidate for governor at their annual convention, with eight candidates vying for the party's nod. U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell received the most delegate support at 24%, followed by former State Controller Betty Yee at 17.3% and former Attorney General Xavier Becerra at 14%. The lack of an endorsement highlights the challenge Democrats face in consolidating their field before the June primary, with concerns that a split vote could send two Republicans to the November runoff.

Why it matters

The California governor's race is a crucial contest, with the winner leading the nation's largest state. The lack of a Democratic endorsement signals ongoing divisions within the party and the difficulty in coalescing around a single candidate. This could impact the primary and general election dynamics, potentially benefiting Republicans if Democrats are unable to unite behind a frontrunner.

The details

At the California Democratic Party convention in San Francisco, delegates failed to reach the 60% threshold required to endorse a candidate for governor. The eight eligible candidates included San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who entered the race too late to be considered. Political experts say it will take intervention from party heavyweights like Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown to pressure some candidates to drop out and consolidate the field.

  • The California Democratic Party convention was held from February 17-19, 2026 in San Francisco.
  • The filing deadline for the California governor's race is next month in March 2026.

The players

Eric Swalwell

U.S. Representative who received the most delegate support at 24% at the convention.

Betty Yee

Former California State Controller who received the second-highest delegate support at 17.3%.

Xavier Becerra

Former California Attorney General who received the third-highest delegate support at 14%.

Gavin Newsom

Current Governor of California who is expected to play a role in consolidating the Democratic field.

Nancy Pelosi

Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who was honored at the convention as she heads towards retirement.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The activist-insiders do not elect the governor. There's still a mountain to climb if you are a single digit candidate (in the polls).”

— David McCuan, Sonoma State Political Science Professor

“I think what I expect to see is there to be a lot of conversations and a lot of meetings with the candidates in the race and I expect us to start to unite together around one common candidate in the next few weeks.”

— Patrick Ahrens, California State Assemblymember

What’s next

The California Democratic Party will need to work to consolidate the field of candidates before the June primary, with pressure expected from party leaders like Governor Newsom and former Speaker Pelosi.

The takeaway

The California Democratic Party's failure to endorse a candidate for governor highlights the ongoing divisions within the party and the challenge they face in uniting behind a single frontrunner. This could benefit Republicans if Democrats are unable to coalesce their support, underscoring the high stakes of this crucial gubernatorial race.