Betty Yee opens up hours before ending California governor's race campaign

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Just hours earlier suspending her run successful the California governor's race, Betty Yee sat down with CBS News California Investigates for a candid and affectional interview. The erstwhile authorities controller reflected connected a contention she described arsenic "unpredictable and turbulent," and the hard realization that she nary longer saw a viable way forward.

Yee pointed to a operation of hard governmental realities: polling that showed voters weren't prioritizing acquisition and competence, a ample bloc of undecided voters that ne'er broke her way, and a run concern situation wherever donor enactment dried up.

She besides spoke openly astir a deeper disappointment: that enactment from wrong the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, which she had hoped would rally down her historical candidacy, ne'er afloat materialized.

At the aforesaid time, Yee pulled backmost the curtain connected the idiosyncratic toll of the race, describing the affectional strain connected her household and the quiescent spot of her husband, whom she calls her "superpower." As she steps aside, Yee says the run whitethorn beryllium ending — but her committedness to nationalist service, and to the communities she fought to represent, is not.

Watch Yee's affectional interview

An Emotional Exit: Betty Yee opens up hours earlier dropping retired of Governor’s race by CBS LA on YouTube

(Click the section titles beneath to perceive Yee's responses)

An affectional exit

Julie Watts: As we beryllium present today, voters inactive don't cognize that you are astir to shingle up the California governor's contention erstwhile again. In conscionable astir an hr from now, you're going to denote that you're stepping down retired of the race. What are you feeling close now? Relief? Sadness? Exhaustion?

Betty Yee: Well, Julie, I person to say, sadness for sure. This has been a two-year journey, and truly reasoning that what I brought to the array was going to resonate. But I'm not done. That enactment volition continue.

But sadness, for sure. It's been a large journey. It's just, unfortunately, been 1 of the astir antithetic and unpredictable and turbulent races, I think, that we've seen successful modern California history. And I'm definite a batch volition beryllium written astir it successful the years to come. I volition beryllium sharing much observations and experiences successful the weeks and months to come.

Why now? Inside Yee's determination to extremity her campaign

Julie Watts: You person been nether unit for months to driblet out. We inactive person astir a 4th of voters undecided. Why now, Betty?

Betty Yee: You know, I don't spot a way to truly making it to the primary, for a mates of reasons.

Given the polling that's been done, peculiarly from the California Democratic Party astir narrowing the field, that successful and of itself has been self-fulfilling. It's truly enactment a chill on, frankly, my donors.

So I'm conscionable not going to beryllium capable to person the resources that I request to beryllium viable by the June 2 primary.

Polling reality: "experience and competence" don't rank

Julie Watts: Was determination a infinitesimal oregon a canvass oregon a speech — thing down the scenes from the enactment — that made it evident to you that present was the time?

Betty Yee: No, thing from the party. They're doing their occupation and, for immoderate reason, decided to enactment wealth into a canvass that would constrictive the field.

This was truly a determination that I made aft moving with a stellar polling probe steadfast I bash concern with. They've been polling gubernatorial races for the past 50 cycles, and they've ne'er seen thing similar this.

And what they were seeing, which was concerning, was this: acquisition and competence were not polling arsenic precocious arsenic we thought erstwhile I archetypal started this race.

The issues I raised with respect to what we've been experiencing successful this contention — astir intersexual battle allegations and things that I deliberation are truthful violative successful presumption of what is inactive acceptable behaviour successful galore of our governmental circles — that was not getting resonance, and I felt that adjacent erstwhile I was speaking astir it publicly.

The fig of undecideds, and adjacent the radical who were responding with the candidates of their choice, were inactive shopping. There wasn't a profoundly rooted consciousness that radical were truly profoundly into this race.

And the clip is short. So I had to bash my ain appraisal of what I could realistically do.

Yee's biggest disappointment

Betty Yee: And I volition accidental the donors weren't there. What was a large disappointment was that donors from my ain assemblage were not there, adjacent past donors. And I americium not definite wherefore that is, but that is gonna beryllium thing that I volition instrumentality a person look at.

Being the lone Asian, Pacific Islander pistillate successful the race, I truly instrumentality that to heart. There's thing successful our assemblage that is going connected that I privation to amended recognize that.

We're the fastest-growing demographic and present we had an accidental to elite a person who's been conscionable truly mindful of the needs of our assemblage and yet they weren't stepping up.

A deeper concern: Voter trauma

Julie Watts: What does this infinitesimal accidental astir however campaigns are funded? You conscionable said acquisition and competency weren't polling well.

What does that accidental astir polling, voters, and however campaigns are funded — due to the fact that wealth moves voters?

Betty Yee: Let maine speech astir the voters first, due to the fact that a batch of polling is evidently astir the sentiments of voters.

We person a batch of Californians who are carrying unaddressed trauma with them, to the constituent wherever I deliberation they truly are looking for security. They're looking for a definite thing, and a definite happening mightiness adjacent beryllium a billionaire who they judge tin really instrumentality attraction of the state

"Conflict Sells": Yee connected reality-TV governmental era

Julie Watts: I perceive this each the clip — from radical successful the Democratic Party, from different campaigns, adjacent from candidates themselves — that Betty whitethorn not beryllium capable to win, but she is 1 of the astir qualified, if not the astir qualified, to tally the state.

Why is it that the radical seen arsenic astir capable, they're not the ones that the Democratic instrumentality is backing? Do you deliberation you were fixed a just shot?

Betty Yee: You know, I deliberation — and I said this astatine the outset of this campaign, due to the fact that we had aboriginal forums successful this run — and I thought, my goodness, we're, one, not talking astir the issues, and two, who's garnering the attention?

The candidates that are having conflicts connected the stage.

And so, you know, we are successful this caller epoch wherever it's benignant of astir a world TV amusement mentality that radical want, and frankly, struggle sells. And truthful that's what gets people's attention.

I'm not a flashy person. I don't travel with gimmicks. I adjacent said and joked with my squad 1 time, possibly I conscionable request to bring a folding stool and propulsion it disconnected the signifier conscionable to get immoderate attention. I mean, what's it going to take, right?

This is the epoch we're in. I bash deliberation that erstwhile we get person to the primary, surely arsenic we get into the general, that we'll spot much of those fireworks.

And I anticipation that's not the case, due to the fact that we person truthful galore issues that we person to code successful California

Delegates vs. Voters: A Democratic disconnect

Julie Watts: Let's speech astir delegates. At the Democratic Convention, Eric Swalwell had the astir delegates. You were second, conscionable down him. Behind you were Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer.

But it seems the enactment is putting enactment down Becerra and Steyer. Do you deliberation there's a disconnect betwixt delegates, enactment insiders, and voters?

Betty Yee: I do, I do. I mean, archetypal of all, delegates — radical person to retrieve — delegates are each volunteers, either appointed oregon elected successful their ain right. And they person a work to recognize who the elected enactment of this enactment volition be.

And 1 of the azygous astir important decisions that they get to marque is to endorse a candidate. And truthful they really bash person to get down the backgrounds of each of the candidates, recognize who they are.

I've been a delegate for a agelong time, and truthful they cognize maine and cognize my work, certainly. But erstwhile you person what's happening wrong the enactment translated into voters successful general, determination is simply a disconnect.

It's really a large thread that runs betwixt them, wherever those who supported maine — I mean, yes, they inactive proceed to beryllium my ft soldiers retired successful the tract — but since cipher got the endorsement, it's benignant of a full scattershot of antithetic things that voters are proceeding astir who would beryllium the champion governor.

So however bash we adjacent that chasm? If we had had an endorsed campaigner coming retired of that convention, that chasm would person been closed overmuch easier.

Should others driblet out?

Julie Watts: So we conscionable announced the candidates that we've invited to our CBS California stations debate, and we person truly prided ourselves connected being the astir inclusive. Because, frankly, arsenic idiosyncratic who has interviewed each of you, I argued that we should beryllium including you and Tony (Thumond), who were polling astir 1% successful the astir caller polls, due to the fact that you had immoderate truly large ideas.

And I deliberation it's important for viewers and voters astatine location to perceive those ideas, juxtaposed with what the top-polling candidates are saying. I deliberation that discourse is important for voters to have.

Now, obviously, you person withdrawn from the race.

What does this accidental astir Tony and Antonio's (Villaraigosa) campaigns moving forward? Do you deliberation that, due to the fact that of wherever they are polling, they should besides measurement down, oregon that possibly determination is simply a way for them?

Betty Yee: I'm going to accidental this, Julie — I cognize each of the candidates. I cognize what goes into the determination to run. And I'm not successful a spot to inquire anybody oregon their squad and surmise whether they should measurement down oregon not. These are precise idiosyncratic decisions.

And I americium not definite what their interior teams are saying astir their way to viability. But what I volition accidental is this — convey you for being the exemplary of being inclusive with the candidates, peculiarly present that voters are focused connected this race.

They should person each accidental to perceive from each of america astir what we program to do, astir our backgrounds, and our outlook connected the aboriginal of California. And erstwhile those avenues are closed, I deliberation it really does a disservice to voters.

I still, astatine the extremity of the day, spot voters to marque a bully choice. It's incumbent upon america to marque our case. And truthful the venues that let america to bash that, we welcome.

And if we're not palmy successful making our case, past I deliberation we each person to marque a determination astir whether determination truly is simply a way to victory. And for me, what I volition beryllium announcing contiguous is that I've concluded that determination is not.

Ballot math: Could Yee's sanction inactive interaction the race?

Julie Watts: You're a numbers person. And Betty, I deliberation you tin enactment this into position for america amended than most. Your sanction volition inactive beryllium connected the ballot. So volition Eric Swalwell's.

We've seen before, adjacent aft candidates driblet retired — Leland Yee dropped retired of the Senate contention amid national charges and inactive got 10% of the vote.

How overmuch could your sanction — and Swalwell's sanction being connected the ballot — and frankly different low-polling Democrats, however overmuch could that splinter the race?

Betty Yee: You know, I deliberation fixed that I person been debased polling, I don't deliberation it volition beryllium a factor. I deliberation voters volition cognize aft contiguous that I've suspended my campaign, and they'll marque their prime based connected that information.

So I americium not going to speculate what benignant of interaction that's going to have, but I'm going to beryllium precise wide that I'm suspending my race, and truthful that connection volition get retired and the tract volition beryllium narrower for voters to take from.

Julie Watts: But from a information perspective, what bash you deliberation astir Swalwell's sanction inactive being connected the ballot?

Betty Yee: Well, I deliberation the speedy handling of that concern — from the position of his withdrawing from the contention and past resigning from Congress — I deliberation will, I mean, from my perspective, I deliberation volition person the interaction that radical are not going to see him a viable campaigner to formed a ballot for.

Who benefits from Yee's exit?

Julie Watts: Who bash you deliberation benefits astir from your exit?

Betty Yee: That's a bully question. I'm not sure. I mean, I deliberation I've been aligned with each of the different candidates successful 1 mode oregon another. And due to the fact that I don't cognize what the voters are looking for, that is simply a truly bully question, Julie, due to the fact that if I knew, I wouldn't beryllium successful this…

To the grade that acquisition and competence hasn't polled good — and that's not astatine the apical of the database — I'm not sure. I truly can't reply that question.

Endorsement watch: When volition Yee marque her pick?

Julie Watts: OK, the large question — drumroll, delight — who are you going to endorse?

Betty Yee: Julie, I'm going to inquire you to springiness maine this adjacent time oregon so. I'm with my team. I americium with my family. It's been, arsenic you tin imagine, emotional.

I conscionable privation to convey them for getting maine to this point. And I'm going to marque a superior appraisal of who I'm going to enactment my sanction behind, and determination volition beryllium an announcement soon. I'd alternatively bash it sooner alternatively than later. My supporters merit to know.

The idiosyncratic toll: Yee connected sacrifice and her husband

Julie Watts: Speaking of family, anyone who has spent immoderate magnitude of clip with you — anyone who has interviewed you — has met your beauteous husband, Steven.

I've got to ideate this has been truly hard for him. He comes to each interrogation with you, each nationalist appearance. He's your biggest supporter. How hard has this been for Steven?

Betty Yee: It's been difficult, it's been difficult. You know, he's a rabbi by assemblage — retired now, though erstwhile a rabbi, ever a rabbi.

But I volition accidental that arsenic a rabbi, you truly spot a batch and recognize quality quality a lot. And I deliberation he's seen the champion sides of people, and besides immoderate of the not-so-pretty sides of people.

And it's sad. For us, the sadness is that it doesn't person to get to this constituent — wherever it has to beryllium ugly, wherever radical consciousness similar powerfulness has to travel astatine the disbursal of idiosyncratic else.

And wherever you're truthful committed to a origin — similar truly elevating the authorities of California successful ways that bring radical into it, wherever they're a portion of this. And truthful that's the imaginativeness we were selling.

And erstwhile radical aren't responding, we are conscionable sharing a batch of sadness today. And I anticipation this imaginativeness tin beryllium thing that we tin resurrect. The assemblage enactment that we'll proceed to bash — I deliberation that is wherever a batch of that enactment volition hap people anyway.

But convey you for asking. He is my superpower. He's my beingness spouse successful much ways than one. And helium says this each the clip — I don't accidental this, but I'm going to accidental it — I could not person gotten this acold without him and truthful galore others.

Her message: "I don't spot a path, but the enactment continues."

Julie Watts: OK, successful closing, I privation to springiness you a accidental to assistance voters recognize — what bash you privation voters to recognize astir this determination that they won't spot successful the headlines?

So I privation you to decorativeness this sentence: "I americium stepping speech contiguous because…"

Betty Yee: I americium stepping speech from this contention for politician due to the fact that this is simply a clip wherever I bash not spot a way to beryllium successful.

But occurrence comes successful galore forms, and I bash consciousness we've tally a palmy campaign. But the enactment doesn't halt here.

My committedness to nationalist work is some successful my nationalist beingness and successful my idiosyncratic life. I volition beryllium backmost successful the communities.

And conscionable know, for anyone viewing, arsenic challenged arsenic we are present successful California, this is the top state. Anything is imaginable here.

Any situation we person tin beryllium solved close present successful California if we person the close enactment and if we pat into the immense endowment successful each of our communities.

So that's the enactment I volition proceed to do. And I americium conscionable truthful grateful to person had this opportunity.

And Julie, convey you for allowing maine to stock immoderate idiosyncratic thoughts. It is simply a bittersweet day, but besides a time I'm looking guardant to — continuing my work successful a antithetic way.

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