California Democrats defy call from party to abandon crowded race: ‘Voters choose the next governor’

California's Democratic party chair, Rusty Hicks, urged Democratic gubernatorial candidates without a clear path to victory to drop out of the race, fearing a split vote could lead to two Republicans advancing to the November election. However, the crowded field of at least nine Democratic candidates, including prominent figures like Katie Porter, Eric Swalwell, and Tony Thurmond, showed no signs of narrowing. Hicks's open letter advised candidates to assess their viability and consider suspending their campaigns if they haven't made significant progress. Candidates criticized the suggestion, arguing that voters should decide. The nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that the race has split into two distinct groups, with polling indicating Hilton, Porter, Bianco, Swalwell and Steyer are in close competition.

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