In the California governor’s race, Rob Pyers reported another major batch of results after ballots were counted from several counties. This update covers 157,235 votes coming from Los Angeles, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Madera, and Trinity Counties.
The latest numbers show Democratic candidate—and reported frontrunner—Becerra continuing to lead within this batch. Becerra received 35.2% of the vote share, translating into a strong margin relative to several other candidates. The next-place candidate in this set was Steyer, who received 31.2%. Although Steyer is behind Becerra in percentage terms, the difference in votes matters for how the race is trending county by county as more ballots are tallied.
Rounding out the top three in the reported batch were Hilton and Bianco. Hilton captured 15.2% of the vote, while Bianco received 4.4% in the same batch of counties. While these candidates are behind the top two, their vote shares can still influence downstream outcomes, especially when other batches show different patterns of support.
A key comparison in Pyers’s update is the gap between Becerra and Hilton, which reflects how the race is shaping up at the candidate level as counting continues. According to the reported totals, Becerra pulls ahead of Hilton by 19,013 votes for first place within this batch. That margin indicates Becerra is not only leading by percentage but is also establishing a more substantial numerical lead over the next strongest candidate.
At the same time, the report notes that Steyer trails by a much larger figure than the margin over Hilton. In this batch, Steyer is said to be behind Becerra by 332,951 votes. Although the stated vote-share percentages (35.2% versus 31.2%) might suggest Steyer is relatively close in share, the large trailing figure highlights that Steyer’s deficit—possibly from cumulative totals or how the race is positioned overall—remains significant. The distinction between the first-place lead over Hilton and the larger deficit versus Steyer underscores how vote distributions and earlier or later-counted ballots can impact the apparent closeness of standings.
Pyers’s update is framed as part of the ongoing and incremental process of election results reporting. By specifying the counties included in this particular batch, the report helps readers understand which geographic areas produced these figures and why new counts can alter the trajectory of the race. The counties named include a mix of large and small jurisdictions, from Los Angeles and San Mateo to Napa, Santa Cruz, Madera, and Trinity. Different counties often lean differently politically, and so reporting by batches can reveal shifting momentum as more results are added.
Overall, the core takeaway is that Becerra continues to lead in the most recently counted set of ballots. In this update, Becerra leads with 35.2% and maintains a 19,013-vote edge over Hilton, while Steyer remains behind with 31.2%. Hilton, at 15.2%, is clearly in third place in this batch, and Bianco at 4.4% trails further down. The report suggests that while the vote share gaps between the top candidates may not be enormous, the race remains competitive enough to watch closely as additional results roll in from other counties.
As counting progresses, each new batch provides fresh data that can either reinforce the current order or create movement if a particular candidate performs strongly in specific regions. This latest batch, as reported, confirms that Becerra has a continued advantage, and it also clarifies the relative standing of Hilton and Steyer within the newly counted counties.
Source: Rob Pyers
Rob Pyers: Another 157,235 votes in the CA Governor’s race from L.A., Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Madera, and Trinity Counties, this batch breaking 35.2% Becerra, 31.2% Steyer, 15.2% Hilton, and 4.4% Bianco. Becerra pulls 19,013 votes ahead of Hilton for 1st, Steyer trails by 332,951. #breaking
— @rpyers May 1, 2026
SHOP AMAZON BEST SELLERS, CLICK TO BUY FROM AMAZON.
SHOP AMAZON BEST SELLERS, CLICK TO BUY FROM AMAZON.
