A late-hour attempt by California’s top Democratic official to thin out the party’s crowded field for governor flopped, leaving Democrats anxious over the possibility about a Republican upset in November. Outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has acknowledged fears inside the party that multiple Democratic candidates could undercut each other in the June 2 primary election, opening a pathway for a Republican to seize the top job in one of the nation’s most solidly Democratic states. California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged lagging candidates to exit the race before the Friday deadline to formally enter the contest, but none of the established Democrats dropped out.
