But some critics argue that Harris and other Democratic leaders may have avoided the race to avoid association with California’s bitter political battles.
In addition to constantly battling homelessness and housing costs, the state faces a multibillion-dollar budget deficit. Republicans like Hilton and Bianco are laying these problems at the feet of the state’s Democratic leadership.
“We need a change from these policies and they can’t be the same anymore,” Hilton said during a gubernatorial debate in May.
But Democratic leaders contend their party has guided the state through multiple crises without Republican support.
“Democrats have led the state for the past decade-plus on issues like affordability, health care, public safety and education,” Hicks said.
“Indeed, the other party, the California Republican Party, has done little to offer meaningful alternatives.”
The winner of Tuesday’s primary will likely be the candidate who best touts a plan to improve California’s cost of living problem.
Throughout the campaign, Emerson College has cited the economy and housing as the top issues facing voters in the state, far outpacing concerns such as health care and immigration.
The Public Policy Institute of California also released a survey in February that found that nearly one-third of Californians cite inflation and the cost of living as their top concerns for the state.
Much of the blame lies with the Democratic Party, since it has been in power since 2011, said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California, San Diego.
Still, Kousser questions whether the top Republican candidates in the primary represent the will of California’s majority, given the growing backlash against President Trump’s policies across the state.
“There’s a lot of frustration,” Kooser said. “But Donald Trump’s direction for the national Republican Party means it’s almost inconceivable that Californians would rely on someone with Trump ties like Steve Hilton to solve their problems, other than the oddity of the top two primaries.”
As Democratic candidates aim to win in jungle primaries, some are trying to capitalize on anti-Trump sentiment. For example, Porter appeared on stage at this year’s state Democratic convention holding a sign that read “Fuck Trump.”
Experts say the showdown with Trump helped boost the national profile of figures like Newsom. But Schnurr warned that this strategy has limitations for Democrats.
In his view, Tuesday’s jungle primary will come down to consumer cost issues.
“It’s pretty hard for any candidate to make the argument that they hate Donald Trump more than any other candidate,” Schnurr said. “So we are left with a political mosh pit where all the candidates act as if they know how to solve this affordability crisis.”
