Overview

• A UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Times poll conducted Aug. 11–17 finds nearly 4 in 10 registered voters undecided in the 2026 governor's race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.
• Among voters with a preference, Katie Porter leads at 17% and Republican Sheriff Chad Bianco is at 10%, with other declared and potential contenders in single digits.
• When first and second choices are combined, Porter registers 22%, Xavier Becerra 18%, Bianco 15% and Steve Hilton 12%, underscoring a tightly bunched field under California’s top-two primary system.
• The Berkeley/LA Times survey also shows 45% of Californians enthusiastic about a Newsom presidential run compared with 36% for Harris, and nearly two-thirds say Harris should not run again, including 51% of Democrats.
• A separate Morning Consult poll of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (Aug. 22–24) puts Newsom at 19% for 2028, up from 11% in June and 5% in March, while Harris leads at 29% after slipping from 36% in March.