Billionaire Tom Steyer, a Democrat who’s running for governor of California, broke the record for the most money spent on a political campaign this year with an advertising buy worth at least $195 million.
However, the campaign spending isn’t entirely translating to poll performance. Steyer has recently made some gains, but he generally remains behind fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican candidate Steve Hilton ahead of next week’s gubernatorial primary.
The latest poll in a list curated by the New York Times shows Hilton leading Steyer by 7 points, and a separate poll conducted by Emerson College shows Becerra leading Steyer by 1 point.
Steyer’s campaign released new polling on Wednesday that shows both him and Becerra tied at 19% while Hilton stands at 22%, demonstrating how close the race is in the final days leading up to the June 2 primary.
Steyer is optimistic he can gain ground in the crowded race. More than 50 names appear on the ballot. His campaign touted how the billionaire has been able to gain 4 points since late April despite facing $30 million spent on negative ads against him.
“This poll confirms what we’re hearing on the ground across California: voters are looking for an outsider who will take on the political establishment to lower costs and deliver real change,” campaign manager Heather Hargreaves said. “Xavier Becerra’s momentum has stalled as voters are taking a closer look at his candidacy.”
Steyer’s massive campaign spending total dwarfing other Democratic candidates. Becerra has spent roughly $9.75 million, according to the Associated Press. Steyer’s net worth amounts to $2.4 billion.
Former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, who is also running to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), argues Steyer’s spending puts other candidates at a notable disadvantage. Her campaign accuses him of “trying to buy the governor’s office.”
Months before dropping his long-shot bid for the White House in 2020, Steyer addressed criticism that he was using his vast wealth to buy the presidency.
“I don’t think that’s possible,” he told the Associated Press at the time. “I’m never going to apologize for succeeding in business. That’s America, right?”
California operates a nonpartisan primary that pits the top two candidates against each other in the general election. It remains to be seen whether Hilton and fellow Republican Chad Bianco secure the top two spots, but Steyer’s campaign believes that scenario is “nearly impossible” given Steyer’s latest polling numbers.
“There are now three candidates competing for two spots, and Tom Steyer has the momentum heading into the final days of the campaign,” Hargreaves said.