Environment a Factor in Governor’s Race, US House Races

SAN FRANCISCO, July 15, 2026-Majorities of Californians say that gubernatorial candidates' views on the environment are important in determining their vote and throw their early support to Xavier Becerra. They also support a ballot initiative to amend the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and are not willing to pay more for energy from renewable sources. Most residents oppose the construction of an AI data center in their area. These are among the key findings from a statewide survey released today by the Public Policy Institute of California.

Currently, Democrat Xavier Becerra leads Republican Steve Hilton by a wide margin among likely voters (61% to 36%) in the race for governor. Democrats (93%) and independents (60%) favor Becerra, while Republicans (90%) choose Hilton. Becerra tops Hilton across age, gender, homeownership, income, and racial/ethnic groups, and across the state's major regions. Most likely voters (85%) say the gubernatorial candidates' positions on environmental issues are important in determining their vote.

A similar share of likely voters (81%) prioritizes the environmental positions of congressional candidates in deciding who to support. When asked about their House district race, most likely voters say they would vote for the Democratic candidate over the Republican candidate (63% to 35%). This preference holds true across demographic groups and regions.

Proposition 45 on the November ballot would amend CEQA to expedite environmental reviews for housing, transportation, water, health, and clean energy projects. Seventy-three percent of likely voters say they would vote yes on this initiative. (Note: the ballot title and label were not available at the time of the survey launch.) A majority of likely voters (55%) say that the state government should ease current land use and environmental restrictions to increase the supply of housing.

"At this early stage in the campaign, California voters are feeling more aligned with Democratic candidates on the environment, and it shows in the polling," said Mark Baldassare, PPIC Statewide Survey director and Miller Chair in Public Policy. "But strong support for Proposition 45 reveals their desire to balance environmental priorities with housing and infrastructure needs."

The new statewide survey also finds:

• Less than half are willing to pay more for electricity from renewable sources. Most Californians (62%) favor the state law requiring 100 percent of California's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2045. However, nearly four in ten (38%) are willing to pay more for electricity generated by renewable sources like solar or wind energy. A solid majority (60%) say they are not willing to pay more.

  "With energy prices spiking and affordability a growing concern, Californians are just not willing to pay more for renewable energy," Baldassare said. Indeed, most state residents (96%) say the cost of energy-including gasoline, natural gas, and electric utility bills-is a problem. The share calling energy prices a big problem is up 9 points in the last 12 months (from 54% in July 2025 to 63% today).

• Most oppose the construction of AI data centers in their area. Overwhelming majorities of adults (73%) and likely voters (77%) oppose the construction of a data center in their area to support artificial intelligence technology. Opposition is strongest in the Inland Empire and Los Angeles, although at least two in three residents in every major region of the state share this view. One possible explanation? Many Californians (63%) say they worry about the environmental impact of building more AI data centers.

  "Every day, we are hearing about how local communities across the nation are responding to plans for data centers," Baldassare said. "Californians have weighed in and they share this growing concern."

• Climate change is a serious threat to California's future, Californians say. Wildfires (19%), climate change (16%), government overregulation (14%), and water supply (14%) are the top environmental issues facing the state. Overwhelming majorities say that extreme weather events are a problem in their area (77%) and are concerned that home insurance will become more expensive due to climate change risks (84%). Nearly eight in ten (78%) view climate change as a serious threat to the state's economy and quality of life.

  Overall, 51 percent of Californians approve of how Governor Newsom is handling environmental issues in the state. In stark contrast, only 25 percent approve of President Donald Trump's handling of environmental issues in the US.

  "Given this ratings gap, it's not surprising that Californians want to see the state take the lead on climate change policy," Baldassare said. Indeed, 65 percent of state residents favor California making its own policies, separate from the federal government, to address climate change.

• Californians say yes to offshore wind and wave projects, no to oil drilling. Nearly three-quarters of Californians (73% adults, 74% likely voters) are in favor of allowing wind power and wave energy projects off the state's coast. Only about one-third (35% adults, 36% likely voters) approve of allowing more oil drilling off the coast.
• More survey tidbits.
  • 73% favor taxing corporations based on the amount of carbon emissions they produce.
  • 66% oppose Governor Newsom's executive order banning the sale of all new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
  • 82% say the California Coastal Commission has been mostly a good thing for the state.
  • 95% think that plastics and marine debris are a problem in the part of the coast that is closest to them; 93% say declining sea life is a problem.

About the Survey

The Californians and the Environment survey is supported with funding from the Arjay R. and Frances F. Miller Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Windy Hill Fund.

The findings are based on responses from 1,578 California adult residents. The sampling error is ±3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level for the total unweighted sample and ±3.8 percent for the 1,003 likely voters. Interviewing took place from June 29-July 6, 2026. For more information, please see the methodology section in the full survey report.

Mark Baldassare is statewide survey director at PPIC, where he holds the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Public Policy. He is founder of the PPIC Statewide Survey, which he has directed since 1998.

The Public Policy Institute of California is dedicated to informing and improving public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research. We are a public charity. We do not take or support positions on any ballot measure or on any local, state, or federal legislation, nor do we endorse, support, or oppose any political parties or candidates for public office. Research publications reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of our funders or of the staff, officers, advisory councils, or board of directors of the Public Policy Institute of California.