{"id":401619,"date":"2026-07-17T01:44:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T01:44:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/401619\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T01:44:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T01:44:15","slug":"california-voters-deserve-a-real-contest-for-governor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/401619\/","title":{"rendered":"California voters deserve a real contest for governor"},"content":{"rendered":"

California voters deserve a real contest as we decide who our next governor will be<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The most recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California shows that Democrat Xavier Becerra has a 25-point lead over Republican Steve Hilton<\/a> \u2014 as to be expected at the start of a race in deep-blue California.<\/p>\n

But look more closely at the issues \u2014 especially environmental issues<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Two-thirds of likely voters oppose outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order banning sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Moreover, 68% of likely voters say that energy costs are a problem. A similar proportion says that gasoline prices are a major problem.<\/p>\n

And six in 10 Californians are not willing to pay for “renewable” energy if it costs more.<\/p>\n

These are issues on which Becerra has taken “status quo” positions. He backs Newsom’s “green” policies and has even defended California’s gas tax<\/a> \u2014 though it’s the highest in the nation.<\/p>\n

Shouldn’t we have a real debate about these issues?<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A recent poll shows that Democrat Xavier Becerra has a 25-point lead over Republican Steve Hilton.<\/p>\n

Becerra may think he can do what Jerry Brown did in 2014, when he faced a challenge from Neel Kashkari, one of the most brilliant candidates ever to seek the governor’s office. (Kashkari is now the head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.)<\/p>\n

Brown ignored Kashkari for months, and finally agreed to only one debate, without a live audience. The former lost the debate, and refused to give his opponent \u2014 or the voters \u2014 any more time than that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But Brown got away with it because he was an incumbent seeking a record fourth term. He was already a California institution.<\/p>\n

Becerra is competing for an open seat. He should not be able to dictate the shape of the race.<\/p>\n

The reality of partisan loyalty in California means that Becerra may hope to coast to victory, simply because he has a “D” after his name.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But if he never has to defend his policies, voters will never be able to hold him accountable.<\/p>\n

We need debates \u2014 several of them \u2014 so that voters can make an informed choice.<\/p>\n

Early this year, Becerra himself was excluded from the debate stage. He should not try to do the same to his opponent in the general election.<\/p>\n

Nor should he be able to make the race about President Donald Trump, who remains unpopular in California.<\/p>\n

Trump only has two more years in office. Becerra and Hilton are seeking to serve for the next four.<\/p>\n

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