2019 California Governor Race

The 2019 California gubernatorial election was an unusual special election held due to Governor Gavin Newsom's appointment of his predecessor, Jerry Brown, to the U.S. Senate, leaving the governor's seat vacant. The race was primarily a Democratic contest with no Republican candidate on the ballot, as California's top-two primary system allows the two highest vote-getters to advance to the general election regardless of party. Newsom was widely considered the frontrunner and was re-elected outright in November 2018, serving a full term, since no different candidate emerged from the primary.