Two Republican and five Democratic candidates were in town making their pitch to Valley votera at two separate gubernatorial forums held at Fresno colleges this week \u2013 one week after a separate forum in Los Angeles was canceled following criticisms that no candidates of color were included.<\/a><\/p>\n With a quarter of the state\u2019s voters still undecided about who they want as governor<\/a>, according to recent polling, the Valley presents an opportunity for candidates on both sides of the aisle.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we may not have the same population density as other more politically influential parts of the state, many of the issues that Valley residents are currently facing are a good reflection of the entire state,\u201d said Blake Zante, executive director of The Maddy Institute.<\/p>\n The Valley-based nonpartisan public policy institute co-hosted Wednesday\u2019s candidate forum at Fresno State with a coalition of 30 agricultural business advocacy groups. The conversation focused on water, deregulation and affordability was attended by 600 people. Zante said in an interview the region is an important \u201cbarometer\u201d for California voters.<\/p>\n People see the Valley as a growth area with opportunities for economic development and investment, including because of the High Speed Rail, he said. It\u2019s also one of the more affordable regions compared to the rest of the state, where the population is projected to grow, he said.<\/p>\n Despite lower voter turnout compared to other parts of the state<\/a> and the region\u2019s reputation for being overlooked and ignored in favor of other politically influential parts of the state, Zante thinks \u201cthis time around, the Valley is getting a little bit more attention.\u201d Especially after the cancellation of the candidate forum at USC, he said.<\/p>\n An estimated 300 people attended a separate forum at Fresno City College on Wednesday afternoon hosted by the UC Merced Community and Labor Center and a coalition of labor organizations. Candidates discussed their plans to fight President Donald Trump\u2019s immigration agenda, improve healthcare access and address the region\u2019s environmental and affordability challenges.<\/p>\n Jorge Monterey-Luna, a program director with the Tulare County-based nonprofit Valley Voices, said in his opening remarks that while the Valley consistently lags behind the rest of the state in education, employment, earnings, and health \u2014 it has the highest rate of the population under the age of 18.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Central Valley is also the future of the state,\u201d Monterey-Luna said.<\/p>\n According to a recent survey published by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California<\/a>, five candidates are in a close competition for the June 2 primary: Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco (R), Former Fox News host Steve Hilton (R), Katie Porter (D) former U.S. Representative from Orange County, Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer<\/a> and U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell<\/a> of Dublin Swalwell.<\/p>\n The top two contenders will face off in the Nov. 3 general election.<\/p>\n Frontrunners Swalwell and Steyer were notably absent from Wednesday\u2019s forums, citing scheduling conflicts. On Wednesday, Steyer announced plans to host a town hall in Fresno on Tuesday, April 7.<\/a><\/p>\n Bryan Beltran, the Central Valley Young Democrats Regional Director and a city hall staffer, said he was excited to see how many young people including high schoolers attend Wednesday evening\u2019s forum.<\/p>\n Beltran said even though Trump made inroads with young Latino men in 2024, young Latinos and Latinas in the Valley are mobilizing in protest of Trump\u2019s immigration policies, citing the student walkouts in protest of ICE across Fresno as well as the \u201cNo Kings\u201d protests.<\/p>\n Democrats could have an uphill battle when it comes to the Central Valley, based on Newsom\u2019s track record.<\/p>\n During the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election, Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced and Tulare counties all voted to recall Newsom, according to data from the Secretary of State. By comparison, only 38% of voters statewide were in favor of the recall.<\/p>\n In statewide races, Fresno County tends to vote to the right of itself compared to presidential elections, said Isaac Gudino, regional director for the California Democratic Party Region Five.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t see that changing in 2026 unless something massive happens,\u201d Gudino said.<\/p>\n Dave Puglia, CEO of Western Growers said that candidates need to pay attention to the region because California swing voters tend to be concentrated in the Central Valley. The Valley is key to the \u201cfishhook strategy,\u201d he said, which refers to a historical GOP strategy to secure wins by winning majorities in Republican-leaning counties throughout the Central Valley, Inland Empire and near San Diego that GOP strategists relied on for wins in Sacramento<\/a>.<\/p>\n Valley voters have proven in recent years that they\u2019re more loyal to an individual candidate than to a political party, he said.<\/p>\n Puglia\u2019s message to candidates was clear: \u201cyou\u2019d have to be crazy not to come to the Central Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n Fresno Bee Reporters Bob Rodriguez and Erik Galicia contributed to this report.<\/p>\n ![\"California](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/FRS_GovForum_02.JPG\" "\\"FRS_GovForum_02.JPG\\"")
California gubernatorial candidates, from left, Xavier Becerra, Chad Bianco, Steve Hilton, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, and Antonio Villaraigosa sit on stage during a forum hosted by the Western Growers Association at Fresno State on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n![\"California](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775294664_74_FRS_GovForum_01.JPG\" "\\"FRS_GovForum_01.JPG\\"")
California gubernatorial candidates, from left, Chad Bianco, Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Steve Hilton, Katie Porter, and Antonio Villaraigosa stand on stage at the conclusion of a forum hosted by the Western Growers Association at Fresno State on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n
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