With Gov. Gavin Newsom termed out and high-profile Democrats Kamala Harris and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis not running, California’s 2026 governor’s race is wide open, according to a new Berkeley IGS Poll.

The survey, conducted Aug. 11-17 among 4,950 registered voters, found 38% undecided when asked to name their first choice. Among declared and potential candidates, Democratic former Rep. Katie Porter leads with 17%. Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco follows at 10%, with former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, close behind at 9%. No other candidate tops 6%.

When voters’ first and second choices are combined, Porter’s advantage narrows. She garners 22%, Becerra 18%, Bianco 15%, and Republican commentator Steve Hilton 12%.

Voters also ranked their top concerns. The cost of living leads at 36%, followed by housing affordability (29%), homelessness (19%), and the state of democracy (18%). Crime and public safety (12%), taxes (11%), and immigration (10%) rounded out the list.

Candidate support often tracks with these concerns. Porter and Becerra perform best among voters prioritizing climate change and democracy, while Bianco and Hilton resonate with those citing taxes, crime, and immigration.

Poll co-director G. Cristina Mora noted the absence of a clear frontrunner will push candidates to invest heavily in name recognition and digital outreach.

“I expect that candidates will be focusing heavily on new media forms, like short internet interview videos, podcasts, and social media posts as they race towards 2026,” Mora said.

63% Say Harris Shouldn’t Run for President Again

The survey also tested enthusiasm for potential 2028 presidential runs. Among Democrats, 69% said they would welcome a Newsom candidacy, compared with 54% for Harris. Overall, 63% of Californians said Harris should not run again.

The poll’s margin of error is estimated at plus or minus 2 percentage points.

Take a deep dive into the poll at this link.