The 2026 California primary is heavily influenced by massive campaign spending and billionaire tax battles. - Tom Steyer has spent over $200 million of his own money on his gubernatorial campaign, but polling shows him in third place.
- Silicon Valley billionaires are funding opposition to the Billionaire Tax Act, raising over $100 million. - In San Francisco, competing tax propositions (Prop.
C and Prop. D) are backed by tech and labor groups respectively.
- The outcome could reshape California politics, with potential implications for wealth inequality and campaign finance. The primary election results will determine whether Steyer's gamble pays off or if the billionaire tax movement gains momentum.