That article is so confused that I’d be careful taking any of it at face value. For one thing there certainly is not anyone named Adam Putnam running as the Republican candidate for Governor of California.
It’s not just a goof, it’s the entire hook of the article and it’s repeated twice. And although not pedantically wrong, the description of Putnam as the GOP candidate for governor is highly misleading. He’s running in the primary for the nomination and he’s not the favorite.