LOS ANGELES — The competitive race for California’s governorship has lost another Democratic contender as former state controller Betty Yee withdrew her candidacy on Monday.
Yee’s departure comes just over a week following the exit of former U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell, who also dropped out amid sexual assault allegations he has disputed.
The former controller had hoped to make history as California’s first female governor but struggled with campaign fundraising and consistently ranked low in voter polls since launching her bid in 2024. Throughout her campaign, she marketed herself as a pragmatic leader “who focuses on solutions rather than soundbites” and embraced the nickname “boring Betty” to highlight her steady approach.
Despite these two departures, the race to succeed outgoing Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom remains highly competitive with no frontrunner emerging. Following Yee’s withdrawal, six prominent Democrats and two major Republican candidates remain among more than 50 names appearing on the ballot.
Voters will receive mail-in ballots in early May ahead of the June 2 primary election. Due to timing constraints, Yee’s name will still appear on ballots despite her campaign suspension.
While Swalwell’s departure significantly altered the race dynamics given his position among top Democratic contenders, Yee’s exit has less impact as she remained at the bottom of polling with minimal voter backing.
Democratic Party leaders worry that having too many candidates could result in being completely excluded from November’s general election. California’s primary system advances only the two highest vote recipients to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation.
Recent polling conducted in late March and early April by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California showed several candidates in tight competition: Democrats Tom Steyer and former U.S. Representative Katie Porter, along with Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, plus Swalwell. Other candidates trailed significantly behind. This polling data was gathered before Swalwell’s withdrawal from the race.
