Energy Reality Emerges As A Clear Winner In California Primary

BusinessEnergyEnergy Reality Emerges As A Clear Winner In California PrimaryByDavid Blackmon,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Blackmon is a Texas-based public policy analyst/consultant.Follow AuthorJun 11, 2026, 09:19am EDTSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 26: California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra takes a selfie at an event while campaigning on May 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Becerra finished in first place in the state's jungle primary for the governor's office on June 2, ahead of Republican Steve Hilton. (Photo by Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images)Getty ImagesIn a striking break from the green orthodoxy that has dominated California politics for years, former Attorney General Xavier Becerra openly declared in May that the state still needs Chevron and the reliable energy it produces. “They’re not the bad guy,” Becerra said. “You need Chevron. I need Chevron. My people of the state of California need Chevron.” That pragmatic nod to energy reality helped propel Becerra to victory in the state’s jungle gubernatorial primary, while billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer finished a distant third behind Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton. Steyer’s also-ran finish came despite having poured more than $215 million of his own money into the race while pushing the Rockefeller-backed “Make Polluters Pay” and “Keep It in the Ground” agenda.This outcome should send a clear message to the entire climate-lawfare litigation complex: Even in deep-blue California, voters appear to be growing weary of policies that prioritize virtue-signaling over keeping the lights on and cars affordably fueled. Steyer campaigned aggressively against “Big Oil,” utilities, and anyone associated with conventional energy production. But Californians, saddled with the nation’s highest gasoline prices, electricity rates, and insurance premiums thanks in large part to Sacramento’s green agenda, rejected the pitch. I...