Democrats are flustered over governor's race

That quiet whimpering you hear is the sound of Democrats, astonished at the notion that two Republicans just might become the finalists in the governor's race.

- JAMES RAINEY

GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton at a town hall in Mentone, Calif.

(GINA FERAZZI Los Angeles Times)

The latest poll shows two GOPers — conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco - leading a pack of Democrats less than three months before California’s June primary. The primary is June 2 and the general election Nov. 3.

The two Republicans lead other candidates only fractionally, according to results released Wednesday by UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies and cosponsored by The Times.

Hilton drew support from 17% of likely voters and Bianco 16%, just ahead of U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell of Northern California and former Rep. Katie Porter of Orange County, both with 13%.

But that counterintuitive ranking, in a state that hasn't elected a Republican statewide in years, has Democrats in a dither and reform advocates once again saying that California needs to shift to a more representative form of voting. A favorite system among nonpartisan groups: ranked-choice voting.

How ranked-choice voting works

It's a system already in place in states such as Alaska and in several California cities, including Oakland, San Francisco and Redondo Beach.