California governor’s race heats up amid primary election

(CNN, KYMA) - Voters in California are heading to the polls Tuesday for the state primary, and some big races hang in the balance.

Voters will choose which top two candidates, regardless of party, will face off in November for governor and for other local races.

In the governor's contest, Democrat Tom Steyer courted votes on the UCLA campus Monday, where he spoke with students about his vision for the state.

Steyer also talked about his billionaire status.

"My first name for the last year has been billionaire, and a lot of people are very offended by it, and I understand that. I'm the only billionaire on the ballot, but not the only billionaire in the race because there are a lot of billionaires who think that they know how to make this race turn out the way they want," Steyer explained.

One of his opponents, fellow Democrats and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, campaigned in Southern California Sunday, where most polls show him leading the race.

"We are not going to let a billionaire or Trump's handpicked candidate take over this state. We are not going to let them buy an election. And we are not going to step aside while they dismantle the dream my mother and my father believed in when they came to California with those $12," Becerra remarked.

However, Republican Steve Hilton is trying to spoil the Democrats' chances.

He has asked fellow Republican, Sheriff Chad Bianco, to drop out of the race so he can consolidate conservative support for himself.