Burbank, CA polling place June 6, 2010 (mediacityg photo)
The statewide special election is next Tuesday, November 4, and Proposition 50 appears headed for a major victory. In the latest Emerson College Poll, 57% of California voters said they plan to vote for the proposition, 37% turned thumbs down on it, and only 6% remained undecided. Proposition 50 would temporarily redraw some state congressional districts to give Democrats a better chance to increase representation in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a slim majority.
As for next year’s California governor’s race, Republican Steve Hilton and former Fox News host are in a tight battle with Democrat Katie Porter. Hilton has a slight lead with 16% of those surveyed in the Emerson poll. Porter is close behind with 15%, followed by Republican and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianca with 11% and the rest of the candidates in single digits. A lot of voters are still undecided, with that number coming in at 39% in this survey. The governor’s race is a year away, so much could change voters’ minds about the candidates in the coming months.
The Emerson College Polling California survey was conducted October 20-21, 2025.
CBS News Poll
Looking far ahead to the 2028 presidential election, 48% of registered voters in the state think Governor Newsom should run for president. However, 52% said he should not make a run for that office. That according to a CBS News Poll taken from October 16-21, 2025. Among Democrats, Newsom’s support is very high: 72% backed his candidacy for President, while only 28% opposed it.
Newsom’s potential rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, former Vice President Kamala Harris, did not fare as well among California voters. Only 31% of all registered voters supported a Harris for president candidacy, 69% did not. Among Democrats, voters were split, 52% said she should pass on a run for president in 2028, while 48% said she should try again to become the first female president. Harris lost to Donald Trump in 2024.
Also, she represented the Golden State in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021. Harris was selected as Joe Biden’s vice presidential candidate in 2020. She served as vice president of the U.S. from 2021 to 2025.
For the next California governor, surprisingly, 38% of the voters say they are considering Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla. That is the highest percentage of any candidate. Padilla has not announced his interest in becoming governor.
