California Gubernatorial Debate Heats Up
In a fiery exchange during California’s only gubernatorial debate on Wednesday, Steve Hilton didn’t hold back when addressing his Democratic opponent, Xavier Becerra. He even tossed around some colorful insults, including a harsh nickname that has reportedly been used by some of Becerra’s past colleagues.
During the CNN-hosted debate, Hilton mentioned how Becerra had been labeled an “idiot” and a “bitch-ass.” This particular jab, he claimed, was coined by Susan Rice, a fellow Biden appointee who worked with Becerra when he was the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Just before the debate kicked off, Hilton launched bitchassbecerra.com, which criticized Becerra’s record on various issues, including fraud and human trafficking.
As the debate unfolded, contentious topics such as competency, immigration, and the Trump administration were hotly debated. Hilton squarely accused Becerra of failing to create jobs and spending taxpayers’ money carelessly.
“You’ve never had to make any money on your own. All you’ve done is spend other people’s money in every government position you’ve held,” Hilton stated. He further claimed that, according to his Democratic colleagues, Becerra was seen negatively.
In response, Becerra took aim at Hilton, accusing him of racism regarding immigration policy.
“It seems you welcome immigrants who look like you but deport those who look like me,” Becerra remarked, noting that a substantial portion of Californians are Latino.
Polls indicate that Hilton faces a tough uphill battle in this predominantly blue state, trailing Becerra by significant margins among likely voters. Despite a Public Policy Institute of California survey showing that a majority believe the state is heading in the wrong direction, Hilton insisted on the need for change after years of Democratic leadership.
“You, Xavier Becerra, are the candidate upheld by the Sacramento machine—the unions and big businesses that have kept California’s cost of living soaring and unemployment high,” Hilton added.
Despite the debate’s intensity, Becerra often pivoted to criticize Hilton’s ties to former President Trump, asserting that Hilton would enforce Trump’s policies on the national level while ignoring California’s laws.
“You’ve welcomed federal enforcement into our state while neglecting your responsibilities here,” Becerra contended.
Hilton, on the other hand, accused Becerra of scapegoating Trump to dodge addressing genuine issues Californians face.
As the debate wrapped up, voters were left pondering whether they would see a change in state governance or continue with the status quo. The state will take up to 30 days to tally votes following the upcoming election, a process that has raised concerns over delayed results in recent contests.
