The considered six main candidates for governor of California They debated this Wednesday night to present and defend their proposals on health, housing and the economy, just over a month before the primaries.
In the race for governor, There are eight candidates left, but only six participated in the forum: Democrats Tom Steyer, Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan and Katie Porter, along with Republicans Steve Hilton, who was endorsed by President Trump, and Chad Bianco.
It was the first debate between the candidates for the position currently held by Gavin Newsom following the departure, two weeks ago, of former representative Eric Swalwellaccused of sexual assault.
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“We deserve better answers than those we have received from the other candidates on this stage,” said Mahan.
“We don’t need a billionaire who made his fortune with private prisons, oil and gaswhom he now supposedly opposes, nor Trump’s hand-picked candidate, nor a Washington politician whom Sacramento’s elite now supports,” he added.
In his speech, Becerra assured that, as governor, will address these crises because he already lived them and had to manage them.
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“We need someone with experiencesomeone who does not need training on the job from the moment they arrive at the governor’s office,” Becerra declared.
This Wednesday’s debate lasted 90 minutesa time in which the six candidates faced questions related to housing problems to the fuel tax.
“I’m the billionaire who wants to tax other billionaires. “I’m the billionaire taking on the electric monopolies and trying to dismantle their power,” Steyer said.
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The two Republican candidates, Hilton and Bianco, They blamed Democrats and their spending for California’s problems.
Democrats, in general, They highlighted the work of Governor Newsom in managing the homeless crisis in the Golden State.
“I would love to be in your class, Katie, if you would give a ‘B’ to what Gavin Newsom has done regarding homelessness, jeez! Of course it’s an ‘F.’ Homelessness embarrasses our state“, considered Hilton.
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Some of the most vehement reactions occurred when racial issues were addressed.
“Enough of racism, racial discrimination and other nonsense.. We have to get over it. You either broke the law or you didn’t. Supreme point,” said Bianco, who serves as Riverside County sheriff.
“I am amazed that Mr. Bianco tells black and Latino Californians, as well as immigrants who are being feared and discriminated against on racial groundsthat they have to overcome racism,” Porter declared.
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The candidates’ forum occurred when the electoral ballots are less than two weeks away from reaching the state’s voters.
Following Swalwell’s resignation and the suspension of Betty Yee’s campaign, the candidates who participated in this Wednesday’s forum, along with Antonio Villaraigosa and Tony Thurmond, participate in another debate this Tuesday, April 28 at Pomona College. Katie Porter had not confirmed her attendance.
The primaries are scheduled for June 2, 2026and the two candidates with the highest number of votes advance to the November general election, from which the next governor of California will emerge.
Keep reading:
· USC cancels debate between candidates for California governor
USC denies bias in political debate for California gubernatorial candidates
· Xavier Becerra criticizes USC for lack of equity in government debate
