The primary for California’s governor’s office is just over a month away and the race remains unsettled. At a crowded debate this week, half a dozen Democrats laid out competing visions for the state while two Republicans fought for space on the November ballot.
CBS News hosted Tuesday’s debate — the largest participant field so far — with progressives Tom Steyer and Katie Porter facing moderates Xavier Becerra and Matt Mahan, alongside Antonio Villaraigosa and Tony Thurmond. On the GOP side, former Fox host Steve Hilton, who has a Trump endorsement, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco also took the stage.
Recent CBS News polling shows Hilton leading the field, with Steyer close behind; Bianco trails by a few points. But the margin between Hilton and second-place Steyer is about one percentage point and roughly one-quarter of voters remain undecided, leaving the outcome very much in flux.
Debaters answered questions grounded in new CBS News polling about issues that matter to Californians — health care, insurance, education, homelessness and immigration — with affordability a theme across topics. The clearest split on stage was partisan: Republicans blamed years of Democratic rule for California’s high costs, while many Democrats presented themselves as agents of change.
Becerra, who served as health and human services secretary in the Biden administration, has gained ground after former Rep. Eric Swalwell left the race. He positioned himself as a moderate with federal experience and became a frequent target on stage.
Mahan, the San Jose mayor running to the right of some Democrats’ progressivism, challenged Becerra’s specifics — notably criticizing Becerra’s home insurance rate-freeze proposal. Porter, the former congresswoman, dismissed Becerra’s plans as “lovely” but lacking numbers.
When asked about expiring health-care subsidies, Becerra aimed a memorable jab at the GOP front-runner: “The first thing we have to do is stop Steve Hilton’s daddy,” a reference to President Trump’s endorsement. Becerra argued the state needs a governor who will fight Trump, not align with him.
Porter sought to carve out space as the only woman among the top-tier contenders, emphasizing her perspective as a single mother and highlighting concerns about child care, housing and the rising cost of living. She said she worries her teenagers may never be able to buy a home. Porter, who once polled well in Emerson College surveys, has seen her numbers soften and faced backlash over a resurfaced video showing her in a heated exchange with a staffer and a tense interview with a debate moderator. She backs single-payer health care.
Steyer portrayed himself as the campaign’s principal “change agent,” pledging to take on corporate special interests that he said drive up costs. That message came with friction: critics repeatedly questioned Steyer’s billionaire background — Forbes estimates his net worth around $2.4 billion — and past hedge fund investments in fossil fuels. Steyer has acknowledged those investments as mistakes and now emphasizes his environmental activism. He has picked up endorsements from progressive groups including Our Revolution.
A major flashpoint beyond the debate is a proposed one-time 5% tax on billionaires’ assets that will appear on the November ballot. CBS News polling finds a majority of Californians want the next governor to support such a tax, but opinions split along partisan lines. Republicans uniformly oppose it, and not all Democrats back it either. Becerra, Porter and Villaraigosa have expressed opposition; Mahan warns a billionaire tax could harm innovation; Steyer supports higher billionaire taxes in general but has concerns about the initiative’s design; Thurmond supports it. Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he opposes the measure, warning it could hurt the state economy and budget if wealthy residents leave.
Republican candidates framed California’s problems as the result of long-standing Democratic leadership. “California is broken because of what has been happening in Sacramento, because of an absolute failed Democrat, progressive agenda that is destroying California,” Bianco said. Both he and Hilton pledged tax cuts, including eliminating the state’s gas tax — currently among the nation’s highest — a move Democrats on stage rejected.
California’s nonpartisan “jungle” primary means the top two vote-getters on June 2, regardless of party, will advance to November. With the Democratic field fragmented, some Democrats fear their party could be shut out of the general election if the field doesn’t narrow. Latest CBS News numbers show Hilton and Steyer in the mid-teens, with other contenders close behind and undecided voters outnumbering supporters of any single candidate.