The California Democratic leader is urging weak gubernatorial hopefuls to withdraw

Fearing that he will lose to the Republicans in California, the Chairman of the Democratic Party, Rusty Hicks, on Tuesday called on the representatives of his party who do not have an effective way to win, to resign.

“It is important that every candidate honestly examine the merits of his or her candidacy and campaign,” Hicks wrote in an open letter to politicians vying to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom. I realize that my proposals are difficult for many to consider and may be considered too harsh for others.”

Hicks did not name the Democrats he wants out of the race, but such a public reprimand from a party leader is rare in California politics.

Even though the odds are very low, California won’t risk a Republican being elected as the next governor while President Trump is in the White House, Hicks said.

“[S]o much is at stake in our nation and many are counting on the leadership of California Democrats to stand up and speak out at this historic time,” Hicks wrote. “California’s leadership in the world is very difficult if a Democrat is elected as our next Governor.”

Hicks urged Democrats who are sinking in the field of candidates to come out before Friday’s deadline to officially file to run for governor — to ensure their names don’t appear on the June primary ballot.

Under California’s first primary system, the two candidates who receive the most votes in the June primary advance to the November general election, regardless of party.

With nine Democrats running, the fear is that the contenders will split their votes and allow the top two Republicans in the race to finish in first and second place. This is despite Democratic registered voters outnumbering Republicans by 2 to 1, and no GOP candidate has won a national election since 2006.

Having two Republicans compete in the November election could seriously hurt Democratic voters and could hurt candidates in key down-ballot races.

“The outcome would jeopardize winning the necessary congressional seats and jeopardize the Democrats’ chances of retaking the House, cutting Donald Trump’s term in half, and protecting our nation from the pain many have endured since January 2025,” Hicks said in his letter. “We will not allow that to happen.”

A recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found that the five leading candidates — former Rep. Katie Porter, Rep. Eric Swalwell and hedge fund founder Tom Steyer between Democrats and conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, both Republicans. Hilton and Bianco have led all other candidates in the polls over the past few months. No other candidate received the support of more than 5% of voters.

The field of Republican candidates narrowed even further this week when Silicon Valley businessman Jon Slavet announced he was dropping out of the gubernatorial race. Although Slavet was not well known across the state, his departure also solidifies GOP support behind Hilton and Bianco, adding to concerns among Democrats.

After Hicks issued his order, two influential Democratic political leaders said they shared his concerns.

Lorena Gonzalez, head of the California Federation of Labor Unions, said she is concerned that Democratic candidates who receive low single-digit support in the polls and remain in the race could throw off the election.

“You are in a situation where a person who gets 2 or 3% can make the difference if there are two Republicans and anti-union candidates in the runoff or if they are not,” he said.

Gonzalez said that while he believes the legislature, where Democrats hold majorities in both chambers, will be a check if a Republican is elected state leader, that may not be enough to protect Californians from Trump’s destructive policies.

“We see with Trump how much damage can be done by an official who wants to ignore the general rules of communication or the Constitution,” he said. “We can’t afford that.”

The coalition began its endorsement process last week, and there have been tough conversations with candidates not only about their political beliefs, but also about their performance. The umbrella group of unions is expected to make an announcement on any potential approval on March 16.

Jodi Hicks, the CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, said it is important to block the “real opportunity” of two Republicans to advance to the national election because of the deep cuts the Trump administration has made to health care, including access to abortion.

“Given the difficulty of this time, we urge candidates to consider how continuing to run could put California’s values ​​and reproductive freedoms at risk,” said Jodi Hicks. “The stakes are high for all of us, but especially for immigrant communities, transgender people, the more than 15 million patients enrolled in Medi-Cal, and the more than 25,000 patients a week who receive essential health care from Planned Parenthood.”

Discussions about the need for some Democrats to drop out of the race took place at the California Democratic Party convention last weekend.

But the thorny issue in politics is that nearly every Democrat is left behind in the polls by people of color, as former US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra noted at a candidate forum Monday evening.

“There are people calling for candidates to drop out of the race,” he said at a rally organized by Equality California and the Los Angeles LGBT Center at the Renberg Theater in Hollywood. “Isn’t it interesting that those who ask them to leave the race are colorful?”

Rusty Hicks, asked about the effect on several students who have spent years or decades of their lives in public service, did not directly answer the question but praised what the field has accomplished.

“We have a number of great candidates. They have amazing stories, and they show the diversity of our party. That being said, there are political realities about where we are at this time,” he said in an interview. “I am not calling any candidate to look in one direction or the other, I am just asking them to check their campaign and see if they have the strength.” [path] and if they don’t, don’t file.”

At Monday evening’s gubernatorial briefing, Porter said he was worried about the prospect of two Republicans making it to the top.

“I hear people say to me, it will never happen, but everyone said that about Trump,” he said at the forum. “And I look at how much damage we are facing, and I think about all the political risks that people face every day, the risks of immigrants leaving their homes and walking on our streets, the risks of a child trying to play sports in this state as well. And I don’t think we can take any more political risks.”

Times staff writer Phil Willon contributed to this report.