![\"Ashley](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/21271fb1-6e06-4bcf-8b56-97b158a0e14b_1759272616.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe candidates running for California governor, Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, faced off in their first and only scheduled debate ahead of the November election on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
It was hosted by CNN in Southern California without a live audience or spin room. <\/p>\n
The race will determine who replaces Governor Gavin Newsom, who is terming out in January. Both candidates largely stuck to their established talking points during the debate.<\/p>\n
Becerra criticized Hilton for his alignment with former President Donald Trump, while Hilton accused Becerra of representing more of the same policies under two decades of Democratic leadership, during which the cost of living in California has risen. <\/p>\n
On homelessness, Becerra said, “I can make sure that we’re providing the investments it takes to make sure any Californian, who maybe by, some medical emergency or unexpected loss of a job is now on the verge of losing their home. I want to help them because it’s easier to help you stay in your home than pulling you off the streets and trying to get you up right again. It’s way more to let them get on the streets.” <\/p>\n
Hilton responded, “When we were asked to give Gavin Newsom a grade on homelessness. He gave him an A, and he’s standing there after 16 years where this absolute scandal shames our state, saying that suddenly he’s going to go in the new direction. This is what’s so insulting, actually, about this, attitude we get from the Democrats that just you’re going to keep voting for the same thing and you’re going to just suck it up, because that’s what happens in California. We need a plan to change.” <\/p>\n
Becerra countered, “And I guess, Steve, you give Donald Trump an A for having denied our local governments the funding they need to tackle the homelessness crisis, that Donald Trump has this habit of withholding dollars from the state of California. Californians pay more in taxes to the federal Treasury than any other state. Yet Donald Trump keeps holding our money back. He’s holding money back for homelessness. He’s holding $30 billion hostage for the victims and survivors of the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires. Because he wants his way.” <\/p>\n
The candidates also debated immigration and California’s laws limiting police cooperation with immigration authorities. <\/p>\n
Becerra said, “Steve, you’re running for governor of California, and you’ll enforce Trump’s laws at the federal level, but you won’t enforce state laws at our level. California welcomed you into California, and you welcomed ICE mercenaries into our state in return. How does that how do you square that? You know, you’re an immigrant. I have fought all my life to make life better for immigrants, to represent them well, to defend them, to let them grow and build like my parents. But here’s the problem I have with your policies. You seem to welcome immigrants who look like you, but deport immigrants who look like me. We need to have a governor who will protect everyone who works hard. I don’t need to stand here and listen to you say that you’ll enforce Trump’s laws, but you won’t enforce California state laws.” <\/p>\n
Hilton replied, “You’re not enforcing, and your party isn’t enforcing California law as it is now. And what a disgraceful remark that was. I don’t think people want to hear that kind of remark in a debate like this.” <\/p>\n
Becerra pressed further, “Why would you deport every farm worker in California? Why only farm workers? That’s what you said.” <\/p>\n
Hilton responded, “People want to hear it’s solutions to their problems, not these unpleasant political attacks that don’t help anyone, immigrant or not, with the problems that they’re facing, the cost of living, all of the problems that you have no solutions to whatsoever. So all you’ve got the book about your federal politics, your all you ever say is Trump, Trump, Trump. And that’s nothing but an insult to every Californian who is desperate for something to change in this state. And all you’re offering is more of the same. Your words Trump, Trump, Trump because he is your supporter. You chased his endorsement. That’s all you have to say on every question because you. Just said it too. And your policy. Says because you’ve got nothing to offer. But California’s more of the same.” <\/p>\n
While Becerra did not announce any new proposals during the debate, Hilton unveiled plans to cap government fees at $50,000 for the construction of new homes, which he said can often total $200,000. He also set a goal of creating 10 new cities in California. <\/p>\n
The hour-long debate also touched on other topics, including data centers, schools, artificial intelligence, measles, keeping Hollywood in California, and gas prices.<\/p>\n
As of now, this remains the only scheduled debate between the two candidates.<\/p>\n
KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala <\/a>reports in-depth coverage of top California politics and policy issues. She is also the host of “California Politics 360<\/a>.” Get informed each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Becerra and Hilton argue about Trump, the Democratic Party and issues facing Californians in only scheduled debate The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":481343,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[188720,2080,7,188719,2926,9,8,400,208,19628,536,42168,147,457,1493,98264,2871,14,58351,534,1009,17382,3707],"class_list":["post-481342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-altadena-fires","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-california","tag-california-debate","tag-california-governor","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news","tag-california-politics","tag-cost-of-living","tag-data-centers","tag-donald-trump","tag-farm-workers","tag-gas-prices","tag-gavin-newsom","tag-homelessness","tag-housing-fees","tag-ice","tag-immigration","tag-new-homes","tag-pacific-palisades","tag-southern-california","tag-steve-hilton","tag-xavier-becerra"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=481342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481342\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/481343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=481342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=481342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=481342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}