In the final televised California governor’s debate before the June primary, seven of the leading candidates got their last shot in primetime Thursday night as they make their case to voters.
The debate comes as recent polls have shown that Democrats have begun consolidating behind former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, who has seen a surge of support in the last month, and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer. Meanwhile, former Fox News host Steve Hilton, a Republican, seems to be pulling away from his rival Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The top two vote-getters, regardless of political party, will move onto the November runoff.
This week’s debate, which was hosted by CBS Bay Area and the San Francisco Examiner, featured Becerra, Steyer, Hilton, Bianco, former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the latter three whom are all Democrats.
Here are the biggest takeaways:
The Becerra pile-on continues
Becerra topped the most recent independent poll from Emerson College this week, making him a target once again from both Republicans and Democrats.
The debate came just hours after his former aide, Dana Williamson, pled guilty to her part in a scheme to funnel $225,000 in funds from Becerra’s dormant campaign account to the former health secretary’s longtime chief of staff, Sean McCluskie. Williamson could go to prison for up to 38 years.
While Becerra has not been accused of any wrongdoing, the corruption scandal has roiled the governor’s race as his rivals have used it as political fodder. Williamson’s attorney, McGregor Scott, told reporters on Thursday that McCluskie informed his client he had Becerra’s approval for the payments — a comment that Hilton seized on during the debate.
“It pains me to say it because I like you personally Xavier, but you shouldn’t be on this stage,” Hilton said. “You shouldn’t be in this race, you should be preparing your criminal defense.”
From left, Katie Porter speaks as Chad Bianco, Antonio Villaraigosa, Xavier Becerra and Matt Mahan listen during a California gubernatorial debate hosted by CBS Bay Area and the San Francisco Examiner in San Francisco, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, Pool)
Porter, who told CNN’s Dana Bash this week she worried about a situation where Becerra could be charged after the June primary, also criticized the former health secretary.
“Because you are a trained attorney, you know that does not preclude an indictment from being issued against you,” she said to Becerra about not being in the current charging documents. “We do not know what Dana Williamson said about your involvement and the government will have the ability to reveal that later.”
Becerra defended himself by saying that attorneys “looked at all the facts and decided that there was no involvement on my part,” and brushed off the jabs as the price of being the frontrunner.
“This is what happens when you take the lead in the polls and you’re ahead of everyone else,” he said. “They all come after you.”
Xavier Becerra, second from right, speaks as Chad Bianco, left, Antonio Villaraigosa and Matt Mahan listen during a California gubernatorial debate hosted by CBS Bay Area and the San Francisco Examiner in San Francisco, Thursday, May 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, Pool)
Education
While housing, homelessness and the cost of living have been hot-button topics in recent debates, the candidates have had little time to address their plans for education — until tonight.
Porter, who said she saw the affect of the pandemic on education through her own three children, said they should focus on “benchmarks where if you do not get there by a certain point, you fall behind permanently.”
“The research is really clear,” she said. “If you don’t get there, you have very limited educational opportunities and mobility.”
Hilton also said they need to make sure that students can read by a certain age, but added that they should “hold teachers accountable” when they don’t.
Bianco said the state’s “education system has to be completely revamped from the top down” and criticized the “ridiculous policies…that do not allow our teachers to teach.”
Mahan, who was previously a teacher in East San Jose, said the state needs the “governor to be accountable for educational outcomes” and suggested moving the Department of Education under control of the governor. The San Jose mayor also said the state should “reward teachers whose students show more learning.”
Who would they vote for in November?
At the end of the debate, moderators asked each candidate who they would for if they don’t make it to the November runoff.
Bianco and Hilton both said each other’s names, citing Democrats’ “failed policies” and the “one party rule” that has controlled the state — a key talking point in both their campaigns.
Villaraigosa, Becerra, Steyer and Porter all said they’d vote for any of the Democrats on the stage. Mahan said he’d vote for Villaraigosa “because mayors get things done.”