2014 California gubernatorial election
The 2014 California gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of California , concurrently with elections for the rest of California's executive branch , as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Democratic governor Jerry Brown ran for re-election to a second consecutive and fourth overall term in office. Although governors are limited to lifetime service of two terms in office, Brown previously served as governor from specifically 1975 to 1983, and the law only affects terms served after November 6, 1990.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
A primary election was held on June 3, 2014. Under California's nonpartisan blanket primary law, all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. In the primary, voters may vote for any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation. The top two finishers — regardless of party — advance to the general election in November, even if a candidate manages to receive a majority of the votes cast in the primary election. Washington is the only other state with this system, a so-called "top two primary" (Louisiana has a similar "jungle primary"). Brown and Republican Neel Kashkari finished first and second, respectively, and contested in the general election,[ 4] which Brown won. He won the largest gubernatorial victory since 1986 , "despite running a virtually nonexistent campaign."[ 5] This was the first time since 1978 that a Democrat carried Nevada County.
Primary election
Republican candidate Kashkari campaigns at the San Diego LGBT Pride Parade.
A certified list of candidates was released by the secretary of state on March 27, 2014. The primary election took place on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, from 7am to 8pm.[ 6]
Party candidacies
Democratic Party
Declared
Withdrew
Geby Espinosa, gym owner
Hanala Sagal, author and fitness personality
Michael Strimling, attorney
Declined
Republican Party
Declared
Withdrew
Declined
Libertarian Party
Declined
Green Party
Declared
American Independent Party
Endorsed Tim Donnelly[ 28]
Withdrew
Peace and Freedom Party
Declared
Independent
Declared
Bogdan Ambrozewicz, small business owner, Independent candidate for the State Senate in 2012 and Republican candidate for the State Assembly in 2011[ 30]
Janel Buycks, minister/business owner[ 14] [ 31]
Rakesh Kumar Christian, small business owner, independent candidate for governor in 2010 [ 7]
Joe Leicht, golf course operator[ 14]
Robert Newman, psychologist, farmer and Republican candidate for governor in 2003 , 2006 , and 2010 [ 14]
Polling
Poll source
Date(s) administered
Sample size
Margin of error
JerryBrown (D)
AndrewBlount (R)
TimDonnelly (R)
NeelKashkari (R)
AbelMaldonado (R)
Other
Undecided
GQR [ 32]
May 21–28, 2014
626
± 4.4%
50%
—
13%
18%
—
5%
14%
SurveyUSA [ 33]
May 16–19, 2014
610
± 4%
57%
—
18%
11%
—
4%
10%
PPIC [ 34]
May 8–15, 2014
901
± 4.9%
48%
—
15%
10%
—
1%
27%
PPIC [ 35]
April 8–15, 2014
944
± 5.1%
46%
3%
9%
2%
—
2%
38%
Field Poll [ 36]
March 18–April 5, 2014
504
± 4.5%
57%
3%
17%
2%
—
1%
20%
PPIC [ 37]
March 11–18, 2014
936
± 4.7%
47%
2%
10%
2%
—
3%
36%
Field Poll [ 38]
November 15–December 3, 2013
836
± 3.5%
52%
—
9%
3%
11%
—
25%
PPIC [ 39]
November 12–19, 2013
1,081
± 4.5%
46%
—
16%
—
7%
1%
29%
Polling with all candidates listed
Results
Results by county: Donnelly ≥ 30%
Brown ≥ 30%
Brown ≥ 40%
Brown ≥ 50%
Brown ≥ 60%
Brown ≥ 70%
Brown ≥ 80%
General election
Debates
Predictions
Polling
Poll source
Date(s) administered
Sample size
Margin of error
Jerry Brown (D)
Neel Kashkari (R)
Other
Undecided
Zogby Analytics [ 45]
October 28–31, 2014
705
± 3.8%
51%
33%
16%
GQR /American Viewpoint [ 46]
October 22–29, 2014
1,162
± 3.3%
56%
37%
—
7%
Field Poll [ 47]
October 15–28, 2014
941
± 3.4%
54%
33%
—
13%
CBS News /NYT /YouGov [ 48]
October 16–23, 2014
7,463
± 2%
55%
37%
1%
8%
PPIC [ 49]
October 12–19, 2014
1,704
± 3.5%
52%
36%
—
12%
CBS News /NYT /YouGov [ 48]
September 20 – October 1, 2014
7,943
± 2%
56%
36%
1%
7%
PPIC [ 50]
September 8–15, 2014
916
± 4.9%
54%
33%
2%
11%
LA Times /USC [ 51]
September 2–9, 2014
1,089
± 3.3%
57%
36%
—
7%
GQR /AV[ 52]
September 2–8, 2014
8,941
± 2%
57%
32%
—
11%
CBS News /NYT /YouGov [ 53]
August 18 – September 2, 2014
8,941
± 2%
53%
35%
2%
10%
Field Poll [ 54]
August 14–28, 2014
467
± 4.8%
50%
34%
—
16%
Gravis Marketing [ 55]
July 22–24, 2014
580
± 4%
52%
35%
—
13%
CBS News /NYT /YouGov [ 56]
July 5–24, 2014
9,393
± ?
57%
33%
3%
7%
PPIC [ 57]
July 8–15, 2014
984
± 4.7%
52%
33%
4%
11%
Field Poll [ 58]
June 5–22, 2014
2,013
± 3.2%
52%
32%
0%
16%
Rasmussen Reports [ 59]
June 4–5, 2014
823
± 4%
52%
33%
5%
10%
GQR [ 32]
May 21–28, 2014
626
± 4.4%
53%
35%
2%
9%
MFour /Tulchin Research [ 60]
August 27–30, 2013
1,001
± 3.5%
44%
15%
8%
33%
Hypothetical polling
Poll source
Date(s) administered
Sample size
Margin of error
Jerry Brown (D)
Tim Donnelly (R)
Other
Undecided
GQR [ 32]
May 21–28, 2014
626
± 4.4%
54%
32%
3%
11%
PPIC [ 61]
January 14–21, 2014
1,706
± 3.8%
53%
17%
—
30%
MFour /Tulchin Research [ 62]
August 27–30, 2013
1,001
± 3.5%
43%
21%
7%
30%
Poll source
Date(s) administered
Sample size
Margin of error
Jerry Brown (D)
Abel Maldonado (R)
Other
Undecided
MFour /Tulchin Research [ 62]
August 27–30, 2013
1,001
± 3.5%
42%
21%
9%
29%
Results
Brown won easily, by nearly twenty points. He outperformed his majority margin from 2010. As expected, Brown did very well in Los Angeles and in the San Francisco Bay Area . Kashkari conceded defeat right after the polls closed in California.
By county
County[ 64]
Jerry Brown Democratic
Neel Kashkari Republican
Margin
Total votes cast
#
%
#
%
#
%
Alameda
293,081
82.17%
63,593
17.83%
229,488
64.34%
356,674
Alpine
284
61.87%
175
38.13%
109
23.75%
459
Amador
5,682
44.55%
7,071
55.45%
-1,389
-10.89%
12,753
Butte
29,520
47.79%
32,249
52.21%
-2,729
-4.42%
61,769
Calaveras
6,870
43.73%
8,841
56.27%
1,971
12.55%
15,711
Colusa
1,789
42.73%
2,398
57.27%
-609
-14.55%
4,187
Contra Costa
174,403
68.65%
79,660
31.35%
94,743
37.29%
254,063
Del Norte
3,488
49.64%
3,539
50.36%
-51
-0.73%
7,027
El Dorado
27,916
45.50%
33,443
54.50%
-5,527
-9.01%
61,359
Fresno
76,143
47.62%
83,744
52.38%
-7,601
-4.75%
159,887
Glenn
2,049
34.40%
3,908
65.60%
-1,859
-31.21%
5,957
Humboldt
24,003
64.61%
13,146
35.39%
10,857
29.23%
37,149
Imperial
13,457
64.26%
7,484
35.74%
5,973
28.52%
20,941
Inyo
2,317
42.68%
3,112
57.32%
-795
-14.64%
5,429
Kern
54,269
40.90%
78,417
59.10%
-24,148
-18.20%
132,686
Kings
8,752
39.20%
13,575
60.80%
-4,823
-21.60%
22,327
Lake
10,722
61.28%
6,775
38.72%
3,947
22.56%
17,497
Lassen
2,213
32.44%
4,609
67.56%
-2,396
-35.12%
6,822
Los Angeles
978,142
66.84%
485,186
33.16%
492,956
33.69%
1,463,328
Madera
9,974
37.22%
16,825
62.78%
-6,851
-25.36%
26,799
Marin
69,751
79.35%
18,147
20.65%
51,604
58.71%
87,898
Mariposa
2,499
38.23%
4,038
61.77%
-1,539
-23.54%
6,537
Mendocino
17,340
71.76%
6,825
28.24%
10,515
43.51%
24,165
Merced
18,945
50.13%
18,848
49.87%
97
0.26%
37,793
Modoc
770
27.20%
2,061
72.80%
-1,291
-45.60%
2,831
Mono
1,632
53.09%
1,442
46.91%
190
6.18%
3,074
Monterey
51,315
69.43%
22,591
30.57%
28,724
38.87%
73,906
Napa
25,846
68.19%
12,059
31.81%
13,787
36.37%
37,905
Nevada
20,976
54.63%
17,419
45.37%
3,557
9.26%
38,395
Orange
275,707
44.43%
344,817
55.57%
-69,110
-11.14%
620,524
Placer
51,241
45.41%
61,604
54.59%
-10,363
-9.18%
112,845
Plumas
2,966
41.75%
4,139
58.25%
-1,173
-16.51%
7,105
Riverside
165,340
47.09%
185,805
52.91%
-20,465
-5.83%
351,145
Sacramento
202,416
62.33%
122,342
37.67%
80,074
24.66%
324,758
San Benito
8,654
63.52%
4,969
36.48%
3,685
27.05%
13,623
San Bernardino
134,417
46.86%
152,458
53.14%
-18,041
-6.29%
286,875
San Diego
346,419
51.07%
331,942
48.93%
14,477
2.13%
678,361
San Francisco
196,745
88.15%
26,442
11.85%
170,303
76.31%
223,187
San Joaquin
62,614
53.54%
54,331
46.46%
8,283
7.08%
116,945
San Luis Obispo
46,606
54.32%
39,186
45.68%
7,420
8.65%
85,792
San Mateo
120,280
75.22%
39,615
24.78%
80,665
50.45%
159,895
Santa Barbara
64,912
58.26%
46,503
41.74%
18,409
16.52%
111,415
Santa Clara
288,732
72.94%
107,113
27.06%
181,619
45.88%
395,845
Santa Cruz
56,977
78.61%
15,499
21.39%
41,478
57.23%
72,476
Shasta
21,509
38.06%
35,007
61.94%
-13,498
-23.88%
56,516
Sierra
679
44.21%
857
55.79%
-178
-11.59%
1,536
Siskiyou
6,103
44.16%
7,717
55.84%
-1,614
-11.68%
13,820
Solano
57,874
64.57%
31,754
35.43%
26,120
29.14%
89,628
Sonoma
107,328
74.75%
36,249
25.25%
71,079
49.51%
143,577
Stanislaus
46,566
51.54%
43,786
48.46%
2,780
3.08%
90,352
Sutter
8,688
42.73%
11,644
57.27%
-2,956
-14.54%
20,332
Tehama
5,408
35.21%
9,952
64.79%
-4,544
-29.58%
15,360
Trinity
1,711
44.17%
2,163
55.83%
-452
-11.67%
3,874
Tulare
23,708
38.42%
37,996
61.58%
-14,288
-23.16%
61,704
Tuolumne
7,9581
46.75%
9,058
53.25%
-1,107
-6.51%
17,009
Ventura
106,072
53.07%
93,797
46.93%
12,275
6.14%
199,869
Yolo
31,431
69.12%
14,043
30.88%
17,388
38.24%
45,474
Yuba
5,166
41.62%
7,245
58.38%
-2,079
-16.75%
12,411
Total
4,388,368
59.97%
2,929,213
40.03%
1,459,155
19.94%
7,317,581
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
By congressional district
Brown won 41 of the 53 congressional districts, including two held by Republicans.[ 65]
References
^ "Summary of Qualifications and Requirements for the Offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor" . California Secretary of State Department. Archived from the original on July 6, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2014 .
^ "Campaign Finance: Brown For Governor 2014" . California Secretary of State . Retrieved August 6, 2013 .
^ "Brown Shows Early Lead for 2014 California Gubernatorial Race" . IVN . Archived from the original on August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013 .
^ "Governor: Tim Donnelly congratulates Neel Kashkari" . IVN . Archived from the original on June 4, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014 .
^ "Jerry Brown Coasts To Re-Election With Nonexistent Campaign" . Huffington Post. November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014 .
^ "Key Dates and Deadlines: June 3, 2014, Statewide Direct Primary Election" . California Secretary of State. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2014 .
^ a b c "Preliminary statewide candidates Form 501 status report" (PDF) . California Secretary of State . Archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2014 .
^ "California Gov. Jerry Brown to run for reelection" . The Sacramento Bee. February 27, 2014. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2014 .
^ a b c d "Forecast: Who Will Run for California Governor in 2014?" . IVN.us. November 3, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013 .
^ Associated Press . Attorney General Harris to announce re-election bid Archived March 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine . KPCC , Feb. 11, 2014. Retrieved Feb. 28, 2014.
^ ABC7 Eyewitness News. Gavin Newsom announces candidacy for re-election for Lieutenant Governor of California . Twitter.com . Mar. 6, 2014.
^ "Hilda Solis, Next CA Gov? All Options Open for Outgoing Labor Secretary" . Latino.foxnews.com. January 17, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013 .
^ Orlov, Rick (June 21, 2013). "Antonio Villaraigosa reflects on eight years" . Los Angeles Daily News . Retrieved February 28, 2014 .
^ a b c d e "Certified list of candidates for the June 3, 2014 statewide direct primary election" (PDF) . California Secretary of State . Retrieved January 15, 2023 .
^ Mehta, Seema (March 21, 2014). "GOP candidate for governor is a registered sex offender" . Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2014 .
^ Siders, David (November 5, 2013). "Republican Tim Donnelly announces bid for California governor" . Sacramento Bee . Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014 .
^ Mehta, Seema (January 21, 2014). "Neel Kashkari, ex-Treasury official, running for California Governor" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 21, 2014 .
^ Seema Mehta (February 26, 2014). "Laguna Hills mayor enters governor's race" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 28, 2014 .
^ Seema Mehta (April 29, 2014). "John and Ken to host debate for GOP governor candidates" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved March 5, 2014 .
^ "Former Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado confirms he'll run for governor" . Retrieved August 22, 2013 .
^ Mehta, Seema (January 16, 2014). "Abel Maldonado ends California gubernatorial bid: 'Now is not my time' " . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 16, 2014 .
^ Galvin, Andrew (June 10, 2013). "Supervisor Moorlach won't run for governor" . The Orange County Register . Retrieved June 14, 2013 .
^ "Steve Poizner: "I would have been a much, much stronger candidate than Meg Whitman against Jerry Brown" " . Blog.sfgate.com. Retrieved September 27, 2013 .
^ "George Radanovich to announce he won't run for governor" . ABC30 . March 6, 2014. Archived from the original on March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014 .
^ "HP Hires Former eBay Head Meg Whitman As CEO" . NPR. September 23, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2013 .
^ Worthen, Ben (September 23, 2011). "H-P Names Whitman CEO, Lane Executive Chair - WSJ.com" . Online.wsj.com. Retrieved September 27, 2013 .
^ "Green Party Announce California Governor Candidate | DC" . Democracychronicles.com. August 17, 2013. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013 .
^ "Voter Information Guide and Sample Ballot - Statewide Primary Election Tuesday, June 3, 2014" (PDF) . San Bernardino County Elections Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 27, 2015.
^ Siders, David. "Capitol Alert: Activist Cindy Sheehan plans run for California governor in 2014" . Blogs.sacbee.com. Archived from the original on August 22, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013 .
^ Ratajczak, Jim (March 3, 2011). "Candidate Ambrozewicz born to run" . Mountain Democrat . Retrieved February 28, 2014 .
^ Norwood, Juliana (August 1, 2013). "Christian conglomerate strives to employ a struggling community" . Our Weekly . Retrieved March 10, 2014 .
^ a b c GQR
^ SurveyUSA
^ PPIC
^ PPIC
^ Field Poll
^ PPIC
^ Field Poll Archived December 10, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
^ PPIC
^ "Statement of Vote June 3, 2014, Statewide Direct Primary Election" (PDF) . California Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 4, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2014 .
^ "2014 Governor Race Ratings for November 3, 2014" . The Cook Political Report . Retrieved September 20, 2018 .
^ "The Crystal Ball's Final 2014 Picks" . Sabato's Crystal Ball . Retrieved September 20, 2018 .
^ "2014 Gubernatorial Ratings" . Senate Ratings . The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2018 .
^ "2014 Elections Map - 2014 Governors Races" . Real Clear Politics. Retrieved September 20, 2018 .
^ Zogby Analytics
^ GQR/American Viewpoint
^ Field Poll
^ a b CBS News/NYT/YouGov
^ PPIC
^ PPIC
^ LA Times/USC [permanent dead link ]
^ GQR/AV
^ CBS News/NYT/YouGov
^ Field Poll
^ Gravis Marketing
^ CBS News/NYT/YouGov
^ PPIC
^ Field Poll
^ Rasmussen Reports
^ MFour/Tulchin Research [permanent dead link ]
^ PPIC
^ a b MFour/Tulchin Research [permanent dead link ]
^ "Statement of Vote November 4, 2014, General Election" (PDF) . California Secretary of State. Retrieved December 30, 2014 .
^ "Complete Statement of vote" (PDF) . California Secretary of State. Retrieved October 10, 2018 .
^ "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts" . Daily Kos . Retrieved August 11, 2020 .
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