Candidates Gear Up To Campaign In Delegate-Rich California

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – While New York is the big prize on the presidential primary calendar Tuesday, the candidates are already pivoting their operations to California. The fierce campaign for delegates in the Golden State is about to get very real, and very visible.

Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders is the first to hit the California airwaves, and he will open his first California campaign storefront Wednesday night, in Hollywood.

Republican frontrunner Donald Trump is about to do the same. "We'll announce those in the coming days. We're busy getting our locations ready, and getting our phone banks in place," said Tim Clark of the Trump campaign.

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A week ago, Clark was a Sacramento political consultant KCBS has used as an occasional Republican analyst. Now, he has been hired as director for the businessman's campaign in California. Clark denies that he has to play catch-up with the better-organized operation of Republican rival Ted Cruz.

"With the excitement surrounding Trump, and all the volunteers that have been self-energized because of that…we're in fact ahead. And it's Ted Cruz that has some catching up to do," Clark told KCBS.

Clark said he's already recruited enough delegates, solid Trump supporters to send to the Republican National Convention, and he's building a statewide organization.

Trump, Cruz and John Kasich are all coming to the Bay Area next week for the state's Republican convention.

Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton is expected to be back in California soon, after the Mid-Atlantic primaries wrap up.