by Ellen Finkelpearl | Special to the Courier

Pay attention, Democrats:

Last week I received my ballot for the California primary election, which includes the important race for governor. It’s bewildering; there are literally 61 candidates on the ballot, most of whom I have never heard of, but also several who have dropped out (e.g. Eric Swalwell, Betty Yee).

The crucial issue for Democrats is that California has a “top two” primary system: the two candidates who receive the most votes will advance to the November 3 general election, regardless of party. Currently, there is a possibility that those top two will both be Republicans. As a Democrat, I am concerned that in this very blue state we will not be able to cast a vote for a Democrat for governor in November.

The situation: Republican Trump-endorsed Steve Hilton has consistently polled highest, but Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco polls neck-and-neck with top Democrats Tom Steyer, Xavier Becerra, and Katie Porter, while several other Democrats who have consistently polled low are drawing votes away from Democrats who could make it onto the ballot. Party leadership failed to cull the field. We voters need to consolidate.

What can Democrats do?

We can’t afford to vote for candidates who can’t win. I won’t vote for my favorite, Tony Thurmond, who polls around 1%. There are currently three Democrats leading the field, but, from a strategic and mathematical perspective, we need to narrow our choices to two. The situation is shifting rapidly. So, my advice is to wait until later in the voting period to see who is leading and who may even have dropped out, then vote for one of the top two. But be sure to consult the most reliable and unbiased polls, e.g. Emerson College. (Check to see who is generating any given poll.)

I wish I were not advocating this approach, but Democrats, be clear: the two Republicans are deep MAGA, not moderates. Bianco and former Fox News host Hilton are running on a joint platform of aggressive deregulation of the state’s environmental standards. They want to boost in-state oil production and eliminate protections against toxic pesticides. At the April 28 Pomona College debate Hilton spoke enthusiastically of his endorsement by Trump. Election-denier Bianco favors more cooperation with ICE and an end to sanctuary cities.

The candidates

Matt Mahan is gaining traction, but note that his campaign has been funded heavily by right wing Silicon Valley executives and investors such as Sergei Brin ($1 million) and the AI data-gathering firm Palantir. He’s been called a Republican in disguise. At this writing, Thurmond and Villaraigosa don’t look like they have a chance.

I was initially excited about Katie Porter and contributed to her campaign. She stands up to Wall Street and has consistently fought for working people, but currently she is polling around 8%.

That leaves Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer, and I expect they will continue to poll highest among Democrats in a few weeks. If we could all get behind one or the other, a moderate and a progressive, and not vote for those who can’t win, we could get a Democrat on the ballot — or maybe even two!

Those supporting Becerra point to his extensive government experience both in the state and nationally, to his bringing a spate of lawsuits against the Trump administration, to his temperament and practicality, his working class background, and to the idea that we know who he is. Becerra has hired senior advisors who have worked with Newsom since 2015. He is more likely to support the status quo. In the debate he gave Newsom an A.

Steyer is the advocate for change. He is the only top candidate who supports the billionaire tax and unequivocally supports CalCare, a healthcare-for-all plan. He is endorsed by nurses and teachers, numerous environmental organizations, and by the progressive Our Revolution. Some distrust him because he is a billionaire, understandably. However, he has spent the last several decades supporting and fighting for progressive legislation and setting up organizations to further the public good.

Consult their websites.

Indivisible El Dorado outlines pros and cons for Steyer, Porter, and Becerra at indivisibleeldorado.org/governor-matrix?ref=indivisible-alta-pasadena.org.

Above all, use your vote wisely, and vote.

Ellen Finkelpearl is professor emerita of Classics at Scripps College.