Six candidates vying to become the next governor of California sparred in their first debate since the collapse of Eric Swalwell's campaign following sexual assault allegations. With no clear frontrunner, nearly a quarter of voters remain undecided ahead of the 2 June primary in the heavily Democratic state.
The debate, hosted in San Francisco, featured two Republicans – Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and ex-strategist to David Cameron, and Chad Bianco, the Riverside county sheriff – alongside four Democrats: billionaire Tom Steyer, former health secretary Xavier Becerra, former congresswoman Katie Porter, and San Jose mayor Matt Mahan. Sharp contrasts emerged over the high cost of living, homelessness, and the threat of artificial intelligence.
The Democrats largely agreed on policy, jostling over how best to lower prices and challenge Donald Trump. Republicans blamed 16 years of “failed” Democratic governance. Hilton, who leads in polling and earned Trump's endorsement, gave Governor Gavin Newsom an “F” on homelessness, while Porter gave a “B”.
Candidates sought to distinguish themselves. Becerra touted his experience battling Trump as state attorney general. Mahan attacked Steyer over past investments in private prisons and ICE detention centres. Steyer, leaning on his personal fortune, cast himself as “the billionaire who wants to tax other billionaires”. Porter, a protege of Senator Elizabeth Warren, argued she understood the financial strain on Californians, saying, “I’m like you – a mom fighting for a better future.”
With no standout moment to crown a frontrunner, the debate offered an introduction to voters beginning to tune in. Porter also addressed a video of a contentious exchange with a staffer, acknowledging it was “not the right way to treat someone”. The primary ballots begin arriving in mailboxes in less than two weeks.
