California's gubernatorial primary remained too close to call, with Republican Steve Hilton and Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer emerging as leading contenders in a fragmented race.
Millions of ballots still need to be counted, and final results may not be known for several days due to California's heavy reliance on mail-in voting and lengthy ballot verification process.
The race to replace term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom attracted an unusually large field of 61 candidates, with only the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election.
Early concessions were made by San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, while Steyer told supporters to be patient as results are still being counted.
Becerra gained momentum in the closing weeks of the campaign after initially struggling in public polls, while Hilton campaigned aggressively against what he described as California's "one-party rule."
