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With California’s governor’s race heating up, Reform California Chairman and State Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is issuing a stark warning: too many Republican candidates running for Governor may unintentionally hand the election to Democrats by splitting the vote.
DeMaio says the threat isn’t hypothetical — it’s baked into California’s controversial Top Two Primary system, which allows only the two highest vote-getters REGARDLESS of their political party to advance to the general election.
In other words, if two Democrat candidates get more votes than Republican candidates who split the vote, then the runoff in November will only have the two Democrat candidates.
“If Republicans divide their support among multiple candidates, Democrats will take both top spots — and voters will be left with no real choice in November,” said DeMaio. “That’s exactly how Sacramento’s political insiders designed the system.”
Recent polls show just how a crowded race for Governor has split the votes on both sides - with Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco at 12-15% each and Democrats Katie Porter and Eric Swalwell are also drawing roughly 12-15% each. Other candidates are in single digits.
To make matters worse, a multi-millionaire Jon Slevat has decided to jump in the race as a Republican candidate to further split the vote.
“We’ve seen this play out before — conservatives cancel each other out, Democrats waltz into November unopposed, and the media pretends it’s a mandate,” said DeMaio. “It’s voter suppression by manipulation of the rules.”
Reform California is urging candidates, donors, and grassroots activists to avoid repeating the mistakes of past cycles.
“This race cannot be about ego. It must be about winning. And winning requires discipline, coordination, and a clear path to defeating the Democrats’ machine,” DeMaio emphasized.
According to DeMaio, Republicans don’t need a crowded field — they need a unified effort that turns voter frustration into one viable candidacy.
“Our opponents want confusion and division. Republicans need clarity and unity, or we risk giving Democrats another uncontested pathway to power.”
Reform California is conducting a poll of its volunteers and supporters to see which candidate they prefer to back for Governor.
The Reform California endorsement could help a candidate consolidate support and make it into the runoff. The Reform California “Plain English” Voter Guide is the most utilized guide in California elections for center-right voters.
Take the Poll:
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