California Democrats launch pricey polling effort to winnow crowded gubernatorial field

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As anxiety mounts among California Democrats about the potential of a Republican being elected governor, the state party will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on polling to assess the viability of the sprawling field of candidates hoping to replace termed-out Gov.Gavin Newsom, according to plans released Tuesday.The move comes after nearly every Democratic candidate refused party leaders’ call last week to withdraw from the race to avoid splitting the vote in the June primary — an outcome that could lead to a Republican being elected to statewide office for the first time in two decades.“Candidates have filed, and now they’ve got the opportunity to showcase their viability, their path to win.

I want to simply ensure that everybody has information to fully understand the current state of the race,” said Rusty Hicks, the leader of the California Democratic Party.As campaign season ramps up, the series of six polls will allow “candidates, supporters, the media, voters, anyone and everyone to have a clear understanding of what is or is not happening in this particular race,” he said.

California Despite a warning from the state Democratic Party chair that a crowded field could hand the governorship to a Republican, eight of nine major Democratic candidates filed their paperwork to run, betting they can build momentum before the June primary.The filing deadline to appear on the June 2 ballot was Friday.Three days earlier, Hicks released an open letter urging candidates who did not have a path to victory to withdraw from the race.

Of the nine prominent Democrats who had announced runs for governor, only one heeded his call: former state Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon.That means the eight other candidates’ names will appear on the ballot, regardless of whether they decide to later drop out.And that creates the possibility of a Republican winning the race b...