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A televised debate among six leading candidates for California governor on Wednesday underscored sharp partisan divides on issues from homelessness to taxes, while Democrats tried to distinguish themselves from one another in a chaotic contest with no clear leader. The debate also projected the stakes of California’s wide-open race for the heavily Democratic state’s top office, with more than 50 names on the ballot and uncertainty over which candidates will advance.
California is holding its primary on June 2, and mail ballots are scheduled to be sent to voters early next month. The state’s voting rules put all candidates on the same ballot regardless of party, with the two top vote-getters advancing to the November general election.
Wednesday’s lineup included the two leading Republicans, conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, and four Democrats: former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, billionaire Tom Steyer, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Biden administration Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. The contest ran more than 90 minutes, and the exchange was largely described as mannerly, with relatively few instances of candidates interrupting or talking over each other as they sought to make a positive first impression.
Over the course of the debate, candidates fielded questions on homelessness, housing and wildfire insurance, social media and gas taxes, and they argued about who had the most relevant professional experience for governing. Democrats framed their approach around fighting President Donald Trump in a state where they said voters reject Trump-era politics, while Republicans focused on blaming ruling Democrats for California’s woes.
Homelessness emerged as one of the sharpest partisan topics. The debate reflected the broader divide over what has been accomplished under outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, with Democrats generally crediting his efforts to address the long-running crisis, while Republicans argued the state has spent billions of taxpayer dollars without clear progress. Hilton said, “Everything has taken us in the wrong direction,” and Bianco called the state’s homelessness record a “dismal failure.”
Candidates also sparred over whether California should limit social media use for children under 16. Steyer and Becerra said they support a ban, Hilton said there should be a social norm to keep smartphones away from children under 16, and Porter said she does not support a ban at that age but may support a different age limit, pointing to her own teenage children’s different patterns of use. Bianco and Mahan argued for leaving decisions to parents, with Mahan saying he supports parental consent for kids under 16 and that cellphones should be banned in schools.
The debate featured additional exchanges as candidates sought to differentiate themselves, including scrutiny of Steyer’s background and finances. Mahan said, “The only housing Tom Steyer’s built has been private prisons and ICE detention centers,” arguing in part that Steyer—an investor and liberal activist—had put money into private prisons that today house people picked up in federal immigration raids. Steyer responded that he and his wife have financed thousands of low-income housing units.
Steyer was also asked about being the only billionaire in the race, and he said major corporations, including utility companies, are spending millions against him. “I’m the billionaire who wants to tax other billionaires,” Steyer said, adding, “I’m the billionaire who’s taking on the electric monopoly and trying to break up their power. I’m the billionaire who wants to tax the oil companies and make polluters pay.”
The race has also been shaped by recent churn in the Democratic field. The campaign recently went through an unstable period that included U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell—described as one of the leading Democrats—leaving the race after sexual assault allegations that he denies. Becerra and Mahan were added to the debate lineup after Swalwell exited, and Becerra was described as declining to speak to reporters after the debate.
Republicans and Democrats also took aim at each other’s broader governing track records. Bianco said Democratic policies were driving up the cost of living, and Hilton faulted Sacramento’s one-sided politics by saying, “All the Democrats here are part of this system that obviously isn’t working.” The debate was hosted by Nexstar Media Group and aired on its local channels, as well as NewsNation, and streamed online via The Hill.