A new poll in the California governor\u2019s race shows Democrat dark horse Xavier Becerra in the lead as he quietly consolidates support from Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s key allies.<\/p>\n
Becerra is tied for first with Trump-endorsed Republican Steve Hilton<\/a>, with both seeing 19% support among likely voters, the poll from EMC Research found<\/a>. <\/p>\n Xavier Becerra has quietly consolidated support from Gavin Newsom\u2019s allies. ASSOCIATED PRESS<\/p>\n The former Health and Human Services secretary under President Biden was polling in the single digits just weeks ago, but rapidly racked up support after Eric Swalwell<\/a> quit the race and resigned from Congress amid sexual assault allegations.<\/p>\n The new poll, which surveyed 1,000 likely voters from April 21-26,\u00a0showed Republican Chad Bianco and Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer each receiving 14% support. Democrats Katie Porter and Matt Mahan were trailing at 8% and 7%, respectively.<\/p>\n Becerra, who has billed himself as a no-drama Dem with leadership experience, had the highest favorability ratings of any candidate \u2014 with 72% of Democrats and 47% of overall voters having a positive impression of him.<\/p>\n Newsom has repeatedly refused to make an endorsement in the governor\u2019s race. Nathan Posner\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n The poll had a margin of error\u00a0of\u00a0\u00b13.1 percentage points.\u00a0<\/p>\n Newsom has repeatedly refused to make an endorsement<\/a> in the governor\u2019s race, but his top allies have quietly rallied around Becerra \u2014 a longtime California politician who served in the state legislature and as attorney general before joining Biden\u2019s administration.<\/p>\n Becerra has tapped\u00a0Lindsey Cobia and Courtni Pugh<\/a>, two political consultants who have worked with Newsom since 2015 and 2021, as senior political advisers, according to Politico.<\/a><\/p>\n Cobia heads up Newsom\u2019s national political operation, Campaign for Democracy, and has been described as the governor\u2019s \u201cSwiss army knife\u201d involved in strategy, scheduling and key decisions. <\/p>\n Becerra served as Health and Human Services secretary under President Biden. AP<\/p>\n Becerra is tied with Republican Steve Hilton in the latest poll. REUTERS<\/p>\n Two firms that helped power Newsom\u2019s social media and digital fundraising \u2014 Lamont Digital and Aisle 518 \u2014 have also jumped on the Becerra bandwagon.<\/p>\n Despite his recent surge in popularity, critics are wary of Becerra\u2019s record at the Department of Health and Human Services<\/a>, which lost contact with 85,000 unaccompanied migrant children, some of whom were later found laboring in factories under exploitative conditions.<\/p>\n He has also taken heat for ties to a Sacramento corruption scandal. <\/p>\n