Becerra Presses Hilton as California Governor Race Polls Center Debate
Xavier Becerra and seven other major candidates for governor faced off Tuesday night in the california governor race polls, with affordability at the center of a 90-minute debate at Pomona College’s Bridges Auditorium. The candidates argued over gas, housing and homeowner’s insurance costs before hundreds of people in the auditorium and viewers watching a broadcast and livestream from CBS stations around the state.
Pomona College Debate
The debate brought together Xavier Becerra, Steve Hilton, Chad Bianco, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, Tony Thurmond and Antonio Villaraigosa. CBS moderators billed it as the largest and most inclusive debate of the election, and they set the first half-hour theme as affordability.
Most of the candidates said they would accelerate home construction in California. Tony Thurmond said he would provide down payment assistance grants to first-time homebuyers, while Steve Hilton promised to cap the price of gas at $3 per gallon. Matt Mahan said he would suspend the state gas tax.
Hilton and Becerra
Hilton, a Republican and former host who leads in the most recent opinion polls, drew sustained attacks during the debate. Becerra, who served as California attorney general before joining the Biden administration, answered with a focus on prescription drug prices.
Hilton said, "We can’t have a governor who doesn’t understand how the government works," and Becerra replied, "We don’t need a talking head from to tell us how the government works." Becerra also referred to "Hilton’s daddy" during the exchange, meaning President Trump.
June 2 Primary
Chad Bianco said Democrats have long overregulated and overtaxed Californians, sharpening the split between the candidates on how to handle the state’s costs. Before the debate, former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations, and Becerra’s campaign gained after that departure.
The race now turns toward the June 2 primary election, with candidates trying to turn debate-stage promises into practical plans that can survive California’s legislative process. Voters who are weighing housing, gas and insurance costs heard clear differences on price caps, tax policy and homebuilding, but those proposals still have to move through a state system that can slow them down.
