The Latest: Britain's Starmer says Europe must take responsibility for defending itself

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Europe must take responsibility for defending itself as world leaders met in London to discuss working together to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Britain hosted the summit Sunday to shore up support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after an astonishing Oval Office meltdown with President Donald Trump that left many uncertain where the once staunch allies stood.

Starmer said Britain, France and Ukraine have agreed to work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States.

Starmer pledged to supply more arms to defend Ukraine, announcing that the U.K. will use 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) in export financing to supply 5,000 air defense missiles.

Here’s the latest:

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called a summit of European leaders that he convened in London on Sunday a “once in a generation moment for the security of Europe.”

Here are his key takeaways:

— Starmer said he does not accept that the U.S. is an unreliable ally.

— The British prime minister said he spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday before announcing Sunday that the U.K., France and Ukraine will work together to develop a plan to present to the U.S. to stop the fighting. Starmer insisted any peace plan for Ukraine must have American security guarantees and said the plan is currently being developed on the basis that “it will have U.S. backing.”

— Starmer announced around $2 billion in funding for Ukraine to buy more than 5,000 air defense missiles.

He also set out four key points to ensure Ukraine gets a just and lasting peace:

1. Military aid to Ukraine will continue as will economic pressure on Russia.

2. Ukraine must be at the table for talks and any deal must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.

3. If there is a peace deal, the U.K. and other like-minded countries will keep boosting Ukraine’s defensive capability to deter any future invasion.

4. A “coalition of the willing” will be assembled to defend Ukraine and guarantee peace. The U.K. is prepared to back this with “boots on the ground and planes in the air,” Starmer said although he did not name other countries which have also committed resources.

France and Britain have proposed a one-month ceasefire in Ukraine “in the air, on the seas and on energy infrastructure,” French President Emmanuel Macron told Le Figaro newspaper.

Macron did not speak to reporters as he left a meeting on Ukraine defense in London but spoke to Le Figaro on his way to the summit.

Macron said he and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have devised a truce that would last a month. Soldiers would only be deployed on the ground at a later stage.

“There won’t be any European troops on Ukrainian soil in the coming weeks,” he said. “The question is how we use this time to try and get an accessible truce, with negotiations that will take several weeks and then, once peace is signed, a deployment.”

Asked at a press conference whether he was aware of the plan put on the table by Macron and Starmer, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said without elaborating, according to a BBC translation: “I’m aware of everything.”

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof says a safe and secure Ukraine is in the interest of all of Europe, including the Netherlands, and that’s why a united Europe is now “more important than ever. ”

Schoof, who attended the security summit in London Sunday said Europe “has to play a bigger role in safeguarding the security of our continent.” He said that depends on a number of factors:

— Our unwavering support for Ukraine, to ensure that the country can negotiate from the strongest possible position and bring about a lasting peace;

— A European plan for robust security guarantees to protect our continent – including Ukraine – and deter further Russian aggression;

— Europe must take more responsibility for its own security, including by bolstering European defense capabilities.

— Close transatlantic relations are also essential in this respect.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala welcomed the cooperation of Britain and France as they took a leading role in Europe to work on a ceasefire plan.

“They are the (U.N.) Security Council members, they are nuclear superpowers,” Fiala told Czech public television after the London meeting.

“It’s important that they work together and with our support. I think that’s good news.”

European Council President Antonio Costa says strong security guarantees are required to ensure a lasting peace in Ukraine and ensure the war-torn country is not invaded again.

Costa, who heads the EU body representing its 27 member states, told reporters at the end of the security and defense meeting in London that allies should learn from the past and avoid repeating “the Minsk experience.”

That was a reference to the so-called Minsk Agreements, a series of ceasefire deals between Russia and Ukraine that failed to hold before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

“And for that, we need strong security guarantees,” Costasaid. “Peacemaking goes hand in hand with peacekeeping.”

Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz says that “the Russian perspectives cannot be accepted” in seeking an end to war in Ukraine.

“Russia has always aimed to establish a government in Ukraine that follows its orders. This cannot be accepted,” Scholz said.

“Ukraine is a European country that has chosen to seek membership in the European Union -- a democratic and sovereign nation. And it must remain so,” Scholz said after the meeting in London.

He also said that a Russian demand that Ukraine be demilitarized is not acceptable and that “Ukraine must be strong enough … to ensure that it is never attacked again.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met with Britain's King Charles III at his estate on the North Sea coast. Zelenskyy went to Sandringham after a meeting with other European leaders to discuss the war in Ukraine, shoring up the country’s defenses and working toward a peace deal.

The meetings follow an extraordinary breakdown in talks between Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.

Zelenskyy arrived in London on Saturday and met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Zelenskyy said he had requested the meeting with the king.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said European leaders had “all once again clearly affirmed our commitment” to supporting Ukraine.

“It is the country under attack, the victim of great aggression. This is the undeniable truth for everyone. And, of course, it also means that we must and will act accordingly,” he said.

“For us, it is also clear that this means we must support Ukraine both financially and militarily. International and transatlantic support for Ukraine remains crucial for the security of the country and of Europe.”

He added: “The Russian perspectives cannot be accepted. Russia has always aimed to establish a government in Ukraine that follows its orders. This cannot be accepted.

"The second issue is demilitarization. Russia repeatedly demands this, but it cannot be accepted. On the contrary, Ukraine must be strong enough - based on the experiences of the country, its citizens, and all of us - to ensure that it is never attacked again. This will also be of central importance for the future.”

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that no one in the West has any intention of capitulating to Putin’s “blackmail and aggression.”

“The best way to discourage Putin and other aggressors is to build our own strength, and the best way to convince President Trump to want to strengthen cooperation with Europe, and not weaken it, is our European strength. Everyone will want to work with a strong partner,” Tusk told Polish reporters.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the U.K. will use 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) in export financing to supply 5,000 air defense missiles for Ukraine.

Starmer wrapped up a security summit in London with other European leaders by saying Europe had to do the heavy lifting in defending itself.

The meeting comes two days after U.S. support for Ukraine appeared in greater jeopardy after President Donald Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said he wasn’t grateful enough for U.S. support.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says she will present next week a plan to “rearm Europe” to bolster the bloc’s security.

Speaking at the end of the summit on Ukraine defense and security in London, the head of the EU’s executive branch said she will unveil the plan to heads of state and government during an EU summit in Brussels.

“We all have understood that after a long time of under investment it is now of utmost importance to step up the defense investment for a prolonged period of time. It’s for the security of the European Union,” she said.

Von der Leyen added that the plan could for instance help develop advanced air shields.

As for the future of war-torn Ukraine, von der Leyen said “security guarantees are of utmost importance. We have to put Ukraine in a position of strength, so that it has the means to fortify itself and to protect itself,” she said. “It’s basically turning Ukraine into a steel porcupine that is indigestible for potential invaders.”

A European security summit focused on finding an end to the war in Ukraine has wrapped up.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, emerged from the meeting and told some reporters that Europe needs a surge in defense spending and must restock its arms, Sky News reported.

Von der Leyen says they want the U.S. to see they are prepared to defend democracy.

The meeting hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer included more than 19 leaders, mostly from across Europe, but also included Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte.

A crowd of thousands rallied in support of Ukraine outside the British prime minister’s residence.

A woman wrapped in the Ukrainian flag said they were grateful for the unwavering support of the U.K. and other countries.

The demonstration occurred as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was meeting nearby in London with other European leaders focused on ending the war.

A day earlier, Zelenskyy had arrived to meet Downing at 10 Downing Street and was greeted with loud cheers.

The speaker who was not named called for a deal that punishes Russian aggression and secures Ukraine’s freedom and democracy.

Ahead of the a summit of European leaders in London on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy said he had a “productive meeting” with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to “develop a joint action plan for ending the war with a just and lasting peace.”

Writing on X, Zelenskyy said it was “important to maintain unity around Ukraine” and to strengthen Ukraine’s position “in cooperation with our allies — the countries of Europe and the United States.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says peace can only come to Ukraine if Putin is involved in the negotiations, and that right now, Trump “is the only person on earth who has any chance whatsoever of bringing him to a table to see what it is he would be willing to end the war on.”

Rubio, speaking of the Russians, tells ABC’s “This Week" that “maybe their claims are what they want. Their demands will be unreasonable. We don’t know. But we have to bring them to the table.”

He added: “Maybe they don’t want a deal, either. We don’t know. But we haven’t talked to them in three years. But maybe they do.”

America’s top diplomat says the goal is to figure out is there a way to get the Kremlin off it war-footing.

“What are the Russians’ demands? Under what conditions would the Russians be willing to stop this war?”

Having security guarantees “is all contingent upon there being a peace. Everybody is saying security guarantees to secure the peace. You first have to have a peace. We don’t even know if the peace is possible.”

Ukrainian soldiers spoke to The Associated Press about their thoughts on the row in the Oval Office between Trump and Zelenskyy.

Speaking from a wooden barracks in an undisclosed location in Ukraine, a soldier identified only as “DSHB” said fighting back against Russia’s invasion without U.S. support will be “not just hard, but very hard.”

“From their (Americans’) point of view, maybe it’s right. But we definitely know that the United States has been a guarantor of security and now that they are backing down, it’s not entirely clear to people how that can happen,” he said.

A cat sitting on his lap, another soldier identified as “Student" said he thought Europe would regret not stepping up to help Ukraine.

“I believe they need to make compromises on both sides, because this is just as important for them as it is for us. So, if this aggression in Ukraine isn’t stopped, the aggressor will already move towards the borders of Europe,” he said. "And there, I think, Europe will regret not helping us.”

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said after talks with his British counterpart in London that the U.K. is ready to increase military assistance to Ukraine and more actively involve European partners.

The two officials also discussed funding weapons purchases through proceeds from Russia’s confiscated assets and the UK.’s role in the Ramstein group, which includes Ukraine's NATO and EU allies, Umerov wrote on Facebook.

White House national security adviser Mike Waltz says ending the war will require “Russian concessions on security guarantees” as well as territorial concessions by Ukraine.

Waltz says “this will be clearly some type of territorial concession for security guarantees going forward,” but he’s not providing any more details about what the Russians would have to do.

During an interview with CNN’s “State of the Union,” Waltz said: “This needs to be European-led security guarantees going forward. Part of that is Europe’s contribution to its own defense so it has the capability to do so.’’

As for the United States, he said, “What type of support we provide or not is to be negotiated.”

Waltz says the U.S. is looking for a Ukrainian leader who can deal with Washington, “eventually deal with the Russians” and end the war.

“And if it becomes apparent that President Zelenskyy’s either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in his country, then I think we have a real issue on our hands.”

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer told European leaders on Sunday that they need to step up to a “once in a generation moment” for the security of Europe.

Starmer told the London summit that getting a good outcome for Ukraine was “vital to the security of every nation here and many others too.”

He was flanked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the London meeting on Sunday, reaffirming Italy’s support for Ukraine.

Her office said she expressed support, together with European and Western partners and the United States, "to build a just and lasting peace, which ensures a future of sovereignty, security and freedom for Ukraine.” It was in line with Italy’s position through the war while keeping the U.S. in the picture.

Meloni spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump by phone on the eve on the meeting, but her office did not reveal the contents of the call.

Meloni, who as head of a far-right party is a natural ally of the Trump administration, has found herself in difficult waters as he yanks support for Ukraine.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is raising the prospect that Zelenskyy may need to leave office if a peace deal is to be reached.

“Something has to change. Either he needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country to do that,” the Louisiana Republican tells NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Johnson says “it’s up to the Ukrainians to figure that out.” He adds that under President Donald Trump, the United States is “reexerting peace through strength.’’

The idea of Zelenskyy stepping aside had come up Friday after the Oval Office meeting. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters outside the White House that Zelenskyy “either needs to resign or send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.”

A Russian drone attack Sunday on the Ukrainian city of Kherson killed one person and wounded six, according to the city’s military administration chief, Roman Mrochko.

Also in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, which was mostly occupied by Russia early in the war but later partially retaken by Ukrainian forces, a man was killed in another drone attack some 57 kilometers (35 miles) away in a village on the right bank of the Dnieper River, regional head Oleksandr Prokudin said Sunday.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Dnieper River, Moscow-appointed officials in the Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region said Sunday that two people died in Ukrainian shelling.

Moscow sent 79 drones into Ukraine overnight into Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, 63 drones were destroyed during the overnight attacks. A further 16 simulator drones were “lost,” likely having been electronically jammed.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Sunday morning that 62 Ukrainian drones had been shot down over Russia over the previous 24 hours.

Britain's Keir Starmer speaks at a press conference as he hosts a European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House in London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Julian Simmonds/Pool via AP)

Britain's King Charles III and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, pose for a picture during their meeting at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (Joe Giddens/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, welcomes Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

Front row left to right, French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk stand with other leaders during a group photo at a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

From left, French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pose during a group photo at a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

France's President Emmanuel Macron at the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, hosted by Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Justin Tallis/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, center, France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Justin Tallis/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Justin Tallis/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, welcomes Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrives for the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, hosted by Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, greets Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk as he arrives for a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte waves as he arrives for a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, greets Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen as she arrives for a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, welcomes Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, welcomes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrives for the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, hosted by Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrives for the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, hosted by Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, greets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he arrives for a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

Ukrainian supporters waving flags and banners walk down the Mall as Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer chairs a Ukraine Summit at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, welcomes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron arrives for the European leaders' summit to discuss Ukraine hosted by Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, at Lancaster House, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, greets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he arrives for a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives for a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer waits in a doorway for arrivals during a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

Police patrol along the Mall towards Buckingham Palace and near to Lancaster House where Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer will chair a Ukraine Summit with leaders from Europe and Canada in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Members of the Household Cavalry band march past Buckingham Palace and close to Lancaster House where Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer will chair a Ukraine Summit with leaders from Europe and Canada in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer gestures as he poses for the media with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street in London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Britain's Prime Minster Keir Starmer welcomes the Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, inside 10 Downing Street, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Ben Whitley/Pool via AP)

Britain's Prime Minster Keir Starmer with the Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, inside 10 Downing Street, London, Sunday March 2, 2025. (Ben Whitley/Pool via AP)

Larry the cat, and Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office takes a walk from 10 Downing Street as the media wait for the arrival of Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who will meet Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer for talks in Downing Street, London, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer greets Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as she arrives for a meeting at 10 Downing Street in London Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

A person holds a sign as members of the New York Ukrainian community and supporters gather in Times Square, Saturday, March 1, 2025 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, greets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, for a meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, England, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Peter Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, escorts Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to his waiting car as he leaves 10 Downing Street in London Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Rescue workers put out a fire from a house hit by a Russian drone strike on a residential neighborhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, embraces and greets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Downing Street, London, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, as President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, shake hands during a meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, England, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Peter Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The packed race for California governor has left many Democrats in the state wrestling with who to vote for in the race's closing days.

Though voting began in early May ahead of the June 2 primary, Democrats have been returning their ballots at a slower pace than normal after a chaotic campaign full of surprises. Unlike recent races for governor, there's been no clear front-runner or political superstar (think Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger or Democrat Jerry Brown).

“I’m kind of pinching my nose and voting this go-around rather than being excited,” said Colin Culver, a 21-year-old San Diego resident who ultimately voted for Tom Steyer, a billionaire former hedge fund manager turned climate activist.

Democrats have been particularly perplexed given the state's top-two primary system, which places all candidates on a single ballot regardless of party. There are roughly 60 candidates vying to succeed termed-out Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. They include six major Democrats and just two prominent Republicans.

With the large number of Democrats running, party leaders feared months ago that the two leading Republicans, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton, could advance, locking out Democrats. That scenario has grown less likely after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race after being accused of sexual assault, but the scandal further rattled anxious Democrats. President Donald Trump endorsed Hilton in April, which may have coalesced GOP support behind him and decreased the odds of a Republican upset in a state that hasn’t had a Republican governor since 2011.

But the fear among voters remains. Some Democrats are waiting to cast their ballots to see if one candidate breaks away from the pack in the final days, relying on polling to help make their decision. Others have struggled to make up their minds, reluctantly choosing a candidate after being unimpressed with the field.

Even Democrats who typically have a high turnout in primary elections — often older, white voters — have been slow to drop off their ballots, said Paul Mitchell, a Democratic strategist tracking ballot returns.

“My joke is: Call your Democratic parents and tell them to turn in their ballot,” he said. “They are holding onto the ballot because they have seen this kind of topsy-turvy governor’s race. They’re waiting to make sure they’re making the right choice.”

About 10% of the state's roughly 23 million voters had voted as of Wednesday, according to Mitchell's tracker. That includes about 15% of Republicans, 10% of Democrats and 7% of voters registered with no or another party. That breakdown is unusual because Democrats in recent years have tended to vote early while many Republicans wait until Election Day.

Former state attorney general and federal Health Secretary Xavier Becerra and Steyer are among the top Democrats voters are weighing.

A poll conducted in mid-May by the Public Policy Institute of California found that Becerra and Hilton each have the support of about 2 in 10 likely California primary voters. Steyer, Bianco and former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter each drew the support of between 10% and 15% of likely voters in the survey. No other candidates were polling in double digits.

Support for Becerra has increased from only 5% in a PPIC poll conducted in late March and early April, when Swalwell was still in the race.

Some voters aren't relying on the polls to make their choice. That includes San Francisco native Mary O’Neal, who voted for former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa because she liked his record leading the city from 2005 to 2013. Although he's been on the debate stages, he's failed to generate significant support.

Fresno native Alexa Duran, 22, a recent graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, said she’s leaning toward Becerra, despite her concerns about his refusal as attorney general to investigate the killing of a Latino man by an officer in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2020.

“I know he has tons of political experience, but I’m just not sure if he’s the right candidate,” Duran said.

Amber Larson, 41, a judicial analyst for the state living in Chico, likes Ramsey Robinson, a socialist candidate. But casting her ballot for him would be a “waste” because of his slim odds, she said.

She doesn't want to support a longtime politician — Becerra — and she's skeptical of billionaires — Steyer.

“Are we at a point where only a billionaire can beat an establishment, career politician?” Larson said, referencing Steyer spending millions to largely self-fund his campaign.

She planned to go with Steyer anyway because she likes his energy affordability plans and since he's one of the leading candidates.

“I don’t want to throw my vote away,” she said.

Associated Press journalists Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles and Terry Chea in San Francisco contributed to this report.

Katie Porter raises her hand during a California gubernatorial debate hosted by CBS Bay Area and the San Francisco Examiner in San Francisco, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, Pool)

Tom Steyer speaks during a California gubernatorial debate hosted by CBS Bay Area and the San Francisco Examiner in San Francisco, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, Pool)