California Gubernatorial Candidates Debate Ahead of Primaries

In the first debate since a leading Democrat exited the race due to a scandal, six candidates vying for the position of Governor of California faced off, with the primary election approaching in June. The debate took place on Wednesday and was hosted by NewsNation.

Active participants included Republican candidates: commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The Democratic contenders were former Representative Katie Porter, businessman and activist Tom Steyer, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.

All candidates are competing to succeed the term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.), though the four Democrats refrained from openly criticizing him during the debate.

When asked to provide a letter grade for Newsom’s handling of California’s homelessness crisis—an issue that has left approximately a quarter of the nation’s unhoused population in the state—both Republican candidates rated him poorly.

Mahan began to dodge the question but eventually assigned Newsom a “B” for policy execution, while giving Democrats a “D” for their overall performance. Porter praised Newsom with a “B” for his attention to the issue, emphasizing that homelessness primarily stems from housing affordability challenges, contrasting with the GOP’s views which focus on mental health and substance abuse. Steyer rated Newsom a “B-.”

Becerra, on the other hand, granted Newsom an “A” for his efforts.

Interestingly, Newsom has not yet endorsed any potential replacements but has expressed general support for Democratic candidates.

“I’m supporting a Democrat in the runoff and look forward to the voters making that decision very shortly. There are a lot of outstanding candidates with extraordinary records,” Newsom remarked to reporters recently.

Porter faced scrutiny regarding a video that resurfaced, showing her cursing at a staff member during a video call amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This tension escalated when she abruptly ended an interview last October due to frustration with follow-up questions.

“I apologized that day to that staffer four years ago, and I took responsibility then,” Porter stated. She noted that her respectful handling of the situation stands in stark contrast to how some fellow candidates have responded to similar allegations.

Hilton also had the opportunity to discuss receiving an endorsement from President Donald Trump this month.

“One of the proudest days of my life was the day I became an American citizen. So it is a deep honor for me to be endorsed by the president of the United States,” he expressed.

In response to the 62% disapproval rating of the president among Californians, Hilton suggested that positive changes would come from establishing a cooperative relationship with the federal government when he becomes governor.

“Under my governorship, California could work with the president and his administration to manage our forests better, to harvest the timber so we can build much-needed homes for families, and to address energy production to lower gas prices,” he elaborated. “In all these areas and more, it is crucial to have a governor who collaborates with the president.”