Democrat Betty Yee Leaves the California Governor’s Race
Another Democrat has dropped out of the race for California governor, this time with no hint of drama.
Betty Yee, the former state controller, announced on Monday that she was suspending her campaign to lead the nation’s most populous state.
Following the implosion of Eric Swalwell’s campaign 10 days ago amid accusations of sexual assault, Ms. Yee pitched herself as a scandal-free choice. She called herself “Boring Betty” in social media posts that highlighted her deep experience in California state government, including two terms as the state’s chief fiscal officer.
But Ms. Yee has lagged at the bottom of most polls since she entered the race in 2024 and has struggled to raise money. Her message had not broken through in a state with several expensive media markets.
Ms. Yee, 68, has longstanding ties to the California Democratic Party and saw a glimmer of hope when she came in second place in the party’s endorsement vote in February.
But she never broke through in public polls, and she was among several candidates who faced pressure from the state party leader to withdraw so that Democrats could consolidate behind someone with a better shot at winning.