18 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 23-29, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Down Ballot California’s wide-open field for governor has some people reminiscing for a political machine. By Maya C. Miller FORUM Democrats are searching for a hero to save them in the California governor’s race. So far, no one in party leadership has come to the rescue. Despite U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell’s exit from the race, the Democratic field remains unwieldy, with six major candidates still splitting the field less than three weeks before ballots are sent. On April 20, former State Controller Betty Yee reluctantly suspended her campaign, but the others refuse to bow out, regardless of their polling numbers. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the face of the party in California, is not interested in elevating a successor. Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks, who faces criticism for not using his position to cull the field, has relied on party-commissioned polls and vague pleas to candidates. Even former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—who urged Adam Schiff to run for Senate and former President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid—won’t intervene. Gone is the heyday of the San Francisco-based political machine, a network of political talent that dominated state politics for decades and produced titans such as Pelosi and Newsom, both of whom are moving on from California politics. Both presumptive favorites—former Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla—opted not to run. That has made top Democrats loath to weigh in on the state’s first truly open Democratic primary in 16 years. (In 2018, Newsom, then the lieutenant governor, was widely viewed as the likely successor to Jerry Brown, another product of the San Francisco political machine.) The 2026 race is also only the second time an open field has competed under the top-two primary system, adopted 16 years ago to the chagrin of both parties. That means two Democrats or two Republicans could advance to the general election and lock the other party out. While grassroots activists have for decades decried the king-making of insider machine politics, the alternative—an abundance of candidates with no clear frontrunner— has proved unappealing too. The resulting decision paralysis has resurrected calls for a strong leader to step in. “This has been incredibly frustrating, not to mention scary, with the idea that we could end up with two Republicans,” says RL Miller, a longtime delegate and chair of the party’s environmental caucus. “I really do believe there has been a failure of leadership at the top.” Anxieties were already spiking before the Democrats’ convention in February, where none of the nine candidates vying for the gubernatorial nod amassed more than 25 percent—far short of the 60 percent needed for an endorsement. “By the party convention, the alarm bells had been ringing for months,” says Miller, who has consistently voted against Hicks. After the convention, Hicks released an open letter urging that “every candidate honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign.” Only one listened, Ian Calderon, polling at 1 percent. Maya C. Miller covers politics for CalMatters, where this story first appeared. Yue Stella Yu contributed to this report. OPINION “There has been a failure of leadership at the top.” Camp Quien Sabe Overnight Camp >> Whispering Pines Day Camp >> Tiny Tots Summer Camp >> Summer Fun Playground Program >> Sports Camps >> Specialty Camps >> LEGO® Camps >> Gymnastics Programs >> And so much more! SUMMER REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! MONTEREY.GOV/REC WHERE SUMMER BUILDS MORE THAN MEMORIES. Scan here for more info + online registration. Whispering Pines Day Camp and Camp Quien Sabe Overnight Camp ADVENTURE good vibes good vibes o v Camp Counselors at Summer Programs LEADERSHIP POSITIVITY CONFIDENCE THE CITY OF MONTEREY friendship friendship f h COMMUNITY
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