The warm California summers have nothing on the flaring tempers within the state’s crowded gubernatorial race.
And most of that bickering is coming from just one side of the political aisle.
As Democrats vie to get past the state’s unique primary system — wherein neither major political party is guaranteed to have a candidate in the final two — tensions are rising significantly between them.
As the New York Post pointed out, one of the contenders, California Rep. Katie Porter, is now trying to reframe one of her biggest campaign blunders as an indictment against a fellow Democrat.
Porter told CNN that she was “confident” that the unflattering videos that began circulating in October 2025 of her screaming at various aides and acting in other uncouth manners were ultimately leaked by billionaire gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer.
“I am confident that is the case,” she said.
Steyer’s campaign has denied this allegation.
“This is an attempt from Katie Porter to deflect from her past mistakes,” Steyer’s team said. “Katie Porter only has one person to blame for her standing in the race, and it’s herself.”
This latest round of finger-pointing comes after the Democratic side of the ballot was thrown into disarray following the sudden dropout of former Rep. Eric Swalwell — largely seen as one of the frontrunners to replace incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom once he terms out this year.
Swalwell left the race — and the House of Representatives — under a cloud of disgrace as a deluge of heinous sexual assault allegations surfaced, alleging among other things that the lawmaker had used his position to solicit sexual favors from staffers.
BREAKING: Facing a potential expulsion vote, Eric Swalwell has announced he is resigning from Congress. pic.twitter.com/wDVeSss8FE
— The Western Journal (@WesternJournalX) April 13, 2026
While Swalwell denied some of the more sinister allegations, he did admit to some form of wrongdoing.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” Swalwell said in an April statement. “I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.”
Prior to the withdrawal, however, many of Swalwell’s Democratic rivals sensed blood in the water, causing the first wave of significant infighting in the party that’s largely had California in an ironclad grip.
But that could be poised to change soon.
According to Real Clear Polling, Republican candidate Steve Hilton (20 percent) holds a slim lead over Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra (19.8 percent).
Steyer is in third place with 14 percent, while Porter is in fifth with just 9.8 percent.
But it’s not just the state’s highest elected office that could see a Republican assume office.
As the Los Angeles Times noted on Wednesday, former reality television star Spencer Pratt has burst onto the scene as a bona fide contender in the Los Angeles mayoral race — and is the only Republican in the race.
The California gubernatorial race will be decided during the November midterms.
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