Former California State Controller Betty Yee suspended her campaign for governor on Monday, ending a bid that failed to gain traction with voters despite support from Democratic Party insiders. Yee attributed her decision to persistently low poll numbers and the limited time remaining before the primary election.
In announcing her withdrawal, Yee described a campaign marked by "a series of starts and stops" and acknowledged that pressure from state Democratic leadership to consolidate the field had discouraged potential donors. While she stated the choice was ultimately her own, she confirmed that calls from party chair Rusty Hicks for candidates to assess their viability had created a difficult fundraising environment.
Sharp Criticism of a Rival
Yee did not immediately endorse another candidate but used her exit interview to reiterate pointed criticism of former Congresswoman Katie Porter. She stood by previous comments labeling Porter a "weak, self-destructive candidate" who is "unfit to lead California," remarks originally made after Porter threatened to walk out of a television interview last year.
"I think temperament really does matter," Yee stated, indicating her forthcoming endorsement would hinge on finding a candidate who could properly represent the policy priorities she championed. She said she expects to make that endorsement decision within days.
A Campaign That Never Caught Fire
Yee's campaign consistently registered in the low single digits in public polling, exceeding five percent support in only a handful of surveys. A recent Emerson College poll showed her with just one percent support among likely primary voters. This stood in stark contrast to her performance among party activists; she secured seventeen percent of the delegate vote at the California Democratic Party convention in February.
Her exit follows that of another former convention favorite, ex-Congressman Eric Swalwell, who also left the race. Yee's political career includes two terms as state controller and over a decade serving on the State Board of Equalization.
Ripple Effects in a Crowded Field
Yee's departure increases pressure on other Democratic candidates struggling to gain momentum, including State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. All three polled at five percent or less in the recent Emerson survey.
The Democratic primary lacks a clear frontrunner, with businessman Tom Steyer, Porter, and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra holding modest leads. This dynamic, as reported in our coverage of Governor Newsom's private concerns, leaves an opening for lower-polling candidates to potentially surge into the top two spots ahead of the general election.
The Republican Contenders and Upcoming Debate
The leading Republican candidates remain conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Hilton has previously dismissed concerns about former President Trump's unpopularity in the state, arguing it is irrelevant to the governor's race.
Most major candidates, including Hilton, Bianco, Steyer, Porter, Becerra, and Mahan, are scheduled to participate in a gubernatorial debate Wednesday night, broadcast live on Nexstar television stations across California. The event will be a critical test as the field winnows, a process that reflects broader national tensions within party primaries, similar to shifts seen in other key state races.
The party's anxiety about a split Democratic vote enabling two Republicans to advance to the general election was a significant undercurrent in Yee's exit, highlighting the strategic calculations that often define crowded primaries.
