The seven top candidates in California’s race for governor sparred at a tense debate Wednesday, throwing criticisms at one another over a litany of issues, like affordability, sanctuary policies and experience, along with as a healthy dose of personal insults.
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The crowded race still lacks a clear front-runner. And with less than a month before the June 2 all-party primary (and with ballots for early voting already sent), Wednesday’s debate, the second in as many nights, featured no shortage of punches thrown among candidates onstage vying for attention and support.
Participants included Democrats Xavier Becerra, Tom Steyer and Katie Porter and as Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco. Recent polling has shown a tight race with all the top candidates lumped together within the surveys’ margins of error.
Despite a warning from the moderators at the top to avoid a “food fight” following another tense debate Tuesday, the seven candidates Wednesday night didn’t waste any time in going after one another.
Right out of the gates, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a Democrat, slammed the two Republicans onstage, saying, “We do not need the leadership that MAGA candidates on this stage are offering — that’s divisive.” He also took aim at Steyer, a billionaire activist, saying, “We don’t need the leadership of a billionaire who’s now against everything he made his money in.”
The climax of Wednesday’s fireworks, however, came during a bitter back-and-forth later on between Porter, a former member of Congress, and Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff.
After Bianco interrupted Porter during her response to a question about sanctuary policy, she quipped, “Sir, I don’t need any lectures from you about being a mother.”
“You might,” Bianco replied.
Porter hit back again, saying, “All you have done this evening is shout past me and not given me a chance to respond.”
“I’m not going to be lectured,” she added a moment later.
The strained exchange was particularly notable because Porter has faced questions about her temperament. Her campaign got off to a rocky start after videos showing her yelling at a staffer and engaging in a tense interview with a local TV reporter made waves nationally. Porter apologized after each clip surfaced last year.
During yet another back-and-forth, Becerra, who was health and human services secretary in the Biden administration, and Antonio Villaraigosa, a former Los Angeles mayor, got into it when Villaraigosa interrupted Becerra’s answer about homelessness.
“I don’t know what that had to do with homelessness, but cálmate,” or “calm down,” Becerra told Villaraigosa.
Hilton and Becerra traded barbs, too. With recent polling having shown both candidates trending upward in recent weeks, the pair have sparred frequently as both try to appear as their party’s front-runners.
“Some of these Democrats on the stage, they talk as if we’re in some parallel universe where Democrats haven’t been running the state for the last 16 years of one-party rule. I mean, you look at Xavier — 36 years he’s been a career politician for Democrats,” Hilton said.
Becerra hit back a moment later, retorting: “What does a Fox News talking head know about running government? You’ve never balanced a budget the size of California’s.”
But Becerra also took licks from his fellow Democrats.
Villaraigosa and Mahan teamed up against him at one point, with both accusing him of “failing” on immigration during his time as health and human services secretary.
“There is a direct line between his failed leadership and Donald Trump being in the White House,” Mahan said.
Becerra responded by calling their points “Trump lies.”
Candidates from all parties will appear on the primary ballot, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the November general election.