Seven candidates vying to be the next California governor participated in a primary debate on Tuesday night that featured a lot more fiery exchanges and aggressive verbal attacks than previous debates.
The debate was hosted by CNN and moderated by Kaitlan Collins and Elix Michaelson. Two Republicans, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and businessman and political commentator Steve Hilton, and five Democrats, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), billionaire businessman Tom Steyer, and former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, were the participants.
The candidates sparred on a variety of issues, including affordability, gas prices, illegal immigration, ICE, and healthcare. President Donald Trump was mentioned frequently by Democrats who blamed him for much of the economic struggles Californians are facing. California’s primary is June 2 and early voting has already begun in the state. The top two vote getters, regardless of political party, will advance to the general election in November to replace outgoing Governor Gavin Newsom, who is term limited.
To open the debate, Collins mentioned the economic struggles of California, citing the state having the highest unemployment rate in the country and that it was one of five states that lost population between 2024 and 2025.
“Why do Democrats deserve another four years in charge?” Collins asked. The Republican candidates blamed Democratic one-party rule for the state’s current plights while Democratic candidates struggled to provide an articulate response beyond blaming President Donald Trump.
Collins asked Becerra to respond first.
“Because Democrats are the ones who aspire to include everyone and not leave anyone behind, like my parents who came to California with $12 in their pockets and they lived the California Dream,” Becerra said. “My three sisters and I, we got to live the California Dream.”
“But it doesn’t come easy, you have to work hard,” Becerra added. “My mother today still shops with coupons and you learn that when you watch that growing up. I know that my job as attorney general, as secretary of health and human services, is always to help people like my parents.”
Becerra then blamed the high cost of living, including California’s high gas prices, on Trump. He cited the war in Iran for the high gas prices and Trump’s tariffs for the state’s recurring affordability issues.
“The biggest problem in California is that Californians can’t afford to live here anymore,” replied billionaire businessman Tom Steyer. “It starts with housing but it definitely includes healthcare, it includes electric costs … and it includes soaring gasoline prices.
Steyer then touted his track record and announced he had a plan to address the state’s affordability issues, highlighting a list of “progressive values” that he would implement.
“I’m the change agent, and I’m the progressive,” Steyer said.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan offered a more moderate approach, implying that Democrats needed to do more than just blame the president. He highlighted his efforts to try to bring improvement within his political party.
“I’m the only Democrat in this race who has challenged the establishment within my own party to demand better results,” said Mahan.
The discussion became heated later in the debate as Democrats were attacking Becerra and others started criticizing Steyer. Becerra was the Democrat that candidates mostly went after, including Hilton and Bianco. Later, as the other candidates began to bicker and argue, Porter, who has been criticized in the past for her temperament, sought to portray herself as not argumentative.
“Boys, boys, enough with the bickering,” she said.
She added on later about temperament issues and called out the other candidate for arguing during the debate.
BECERRA AND HILTON TIED AS CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR RACE TIGHTENS: POLL
“I can’t believe that on a stage with 30 minutes of interrupting and bickering and name calling and shouting and disrespect for everyone up here who’s stepping into public service, that anyone wants to talk about my temperament,” she said.
Republican candidates Hilton and Bianco delivered messages throughout the debate that blamed Democrats for the state’s issues. They addressed other debate topics individually but their main message was that the years of Democrats’ one-party dominance in California was the cause of so many issues for Californians.
Bianco recognized this early on when speaking about whether Californians deserve another four years.
“Why do Democrats deserve it? You just listened to probably 10-15 minutes of why they don’t,” he said. “We are going to get nothing but the same from them. They brought us here.”
