California Democrats Struggle to Find Viable Gubernatorial Candidate as Newsom Privately Criticizes Potential Replacements

Leaked reports suggest Gavin Newsom is unhappy with all the Democratic contenders to succeed him as California governor.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:19pm

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A fractured, abstract painting in shades of blue, red, and grey depicting the California state capitol building in a state of disarray, with overlapping, fragmented waves of color representing the political turmoil.The California governor's race has descended into chaos, with the Democratic frontrunner's implosion and the sitting governor's reported criticisms of his party's remaining candidates.San Jose Today

California Governor Gavin Newsom is reportedly panicking behind the scenes as the Democratic field to replace him implodes. After the frontrunner, Eric Swalwell, dropped out of the race amid sexual misconduct allegations, Newsom is said to be privately criticizing the remaining Democratic candidates, including Tom Steyer, Katie Porter, Matt Mahan, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Xavier Becerra. With Newsom's preferred options seemingly unavailable, there are growing concerns that two Republicans could advance to the general election, potentially locking Democrats out of the governor's mansion entirely in the deep-blue state.

Why it matters

The collapse of the Democratic field in California's gubernatorial race is a significant political development, as the party has dominated state politics for decades. Newsom's private critiques of the remaining candidates suggest a lack of confidence in the party's ability to retain the governorship, raising the possibility of a Republican victory in the traditionally Democratic stronghold.

The details

According to reports, Newsom has expressed concerns about the remaining Democratic candidates. He reportedly views Tom Steyer as "incoherent" with "management worries," Katie Porter as someone who would "trigger capital flight," Matt Mahan as a frequent critic he is "not a fan of," Antonio Villaraigosa as someone he is "still sore over" from their 2018 race, and Xavier Becerra as having done an "unsatisfactory job" as attorney general. With Newsom's preferred options seemingly unavailable, there are growing concerns that two Republicans could advance to the general election, potentially locking Democrats out of the governor's mansion entirely.

  • The sexual misconduct allegations against Eric Swalwell, the Democratic frontrunner, emerged over the weekend of April 14-15, 2026.
  • Newsom has been in a "marathon of calls and meetings" about the governor's race since the Swalwell scandal broke.

The players

Gavin Newsom

The current Democratic governor of California who is reportedly panicking over the lack of viable candidates to replace him.

Eric Swalwell

The former Democratic frontrunner in the California gubernatorial race who dropped out of the race amid sexual misconduct allegations.

Tom Steyer

A Democratic candidate for California governor whom Newsom reportedly views as "incoherent" with "management worries."

Katie Porter

A Democratic candidate for California governor whom Newsom reportedly worries would "trigger capital flight."

Matt Mahan

A Democratic candidate for California governor whom Newsom is reportedly "not a fan of" due to his "frequent criticism."

Antonio Villaraigosa

A Democratic candidate for California governor whom Newsom is reportedly "still sore over" from their 2018 race.

Xavier Becerra

A Democratic candidate for California governor whom Newsom reportedly has "reservations about" due to his "unsatisfactory job as AG."

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What they’re saying

“Gavin Newsom's thoughts on the current field of Dem candidates for governor: Steyer: incoherent, mismanagement worries; Porter: would trigger capital flight; Mahan: not a fan of his frequent criticism; Villaraigosa: still sore over 2018 race; Becerra: unsatisfactory job as AG.”

— Rob Pyers, California political analyst

What’s next

With the Democratic field in disarray, Republicans are now seen as having a real chance of advancing two candidates to the general election, potentially locking Democrats out of the California governorship entirely. The next key milestone will be the June 2nd primary, where voters will begin to get a clearer picture of the final gubernatorial matchup.

The takeaway

The collapse of the Democratic field in the California gubernatorial race, combined with Newsom's private criticisms of the remaining candidates, highlights the party's struggles to find a viable successor and maintain control of the state's top political office. This unexpected development has opened the door for Republicans to potentially make historic gains in the deep-blue state.