East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell is making serious moves in California’s 2026 governor’s race, and it’s actually good news for Democrats who were sweating bullets a month ago.

According to the latest Emerson College Polling data, Swalwell has taken the lead with 17% support among likely voters, a solid bump that comes as Republicans have been dominating the top spots. Republican Steve Hilton dropped from 17% to 14%, while Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco slipped from 13.5% to 11.4%. For context, Bianco is basically the embodiment of Trump’s America, his rise in the polls in previous months had everyone in the state party sweating.

What’s really telling is how Democratic voters are consolidating around Swalwell. His support among Democrats jumped from 23% to 27% in just one month. Tom Steyer, the billionaire who’s been dropping serious cash on TV ads, has crept up to 10.9% overall and sits at 16% among Democratic voters. Meanwhile, former House Rep. Katie Porter, who was initially seen as a frontrunner, has slipped to 8.4%.

Here’s where things get interesting: with multiple Democrats splitting the vote, there’s a real risk that Republican candidates could both make it to the general election. California’s primary system sends the top two vote-getters to the general, regardless of party affiliation. A month ago, people were genuinely worried Hilton and Bianco would be the final two standing, which would’ve been a nightmare scenario.

But the state Democratic Party isn’t having it. On Tuesday, party chair Rusty Hicks announced he’s spending “multiple six figures” to publicly pressure lower-polling candidates to drop out. Those struggling candidates include San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan (3.2%), former state Controller Betty Yee (2.3%), and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond (1%). The strategy is brutal but logical: fewer candidates means better vote consolidation around viable options.

“I would simply say if people are afraid of information, you have to ask why,” Hicks said, basically calling out anyone resisting the party’s push. The Democratic Party plans to release new polling every seven to ten days from late March through early May to keep the pressure on.

The race still feels wide open, though. Nearly 25% of voters remain undecided, which is actually up from 21% last month. That’s a pretty significant chunk of the electorate that could swing things dramatically as we get closer to the June 2 primary. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Democrats can actually unite behind a candidate strong enough to challenge the Republican frontrunners.