California Governor Candidates Debate Becerra on CNN

Seven candidates for California governor squared off Tuesday in the first nationally televised debate of the 2026 race, trading sharp attacks on affordability, health care, immigration and housing as mail-in ballots began arriving in voters' mailboxes.

Democrat Xavier Becerra drew the most pointed criticism from rivals on both sides of the aisle after his recent rise in polls following the departure of former Rep. Eric Swalwell. Becerra, a former Health and Human Services secretary and state attorney general, faced questions about his support for single-payer health care and oversight of his former chief of staff Sean McCluskie, who pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy, bank and wire fraud charges involving hundreds of thousands of dollars taken from Becerra's dormant campaign committee.

"I think everyone's invoking my name," Becerra said late in the debate. Porter challenged him to give a direct yes-or-no answer, saying covering all Californians with some insurance differs from single-payer. Becerra responded that reports he had walked back his position were inaccurate and that he continues to support Medicare for All while emphasizing outcomes over labels.

"Hey Katie, the answer there is that Californians don't care what you call it so long as they have affordable health care that they can use to take their child to the doctor or the hospital," Becerra said. Mahan accused Becerra of failing to reduce health care costs or curb wasteful spending during his time as HHS secretary.

Becerra dismissed the criticism as a MAGA talking point. Hilton claimed Becerra helped orchestrate an illegal scheme to augment his chief of staff's salary by siphoning money from the campaign committee. Becerra countered that he was not named in the indictment, was not involved and was not implicated.

and Newsom's Record

The debate highlighted deep divides on immigration. Steyer called ICE a criminal operation. Hilton said the state must stop spending on free health care for illegal immigrants. Bianco invoked the case of a 14-year-old killed by an undocumented immigrant who had been deported three times for DUIs, attacking sanctuary state policies.

Hilton, pressed on whether he would support deporting undocumented farm workers who make up roughly half of California's agricultural labor force, deferred to federal authority. "I've made it very clear, although it is the federal government's responsibility to determine and implement immigration policy, I think it's important that all the laws are peacefully enforced," he said.

Toward the debate's end, moderators asked each candidate for one word to describe Gov. Gavin Newsom's performance. Responses exposed divisions even among Democrats. And so those reports were inaccurate. Recent polling shows a fragmented field. A CBS News/YouGov survey had Hilton at 16 percent, Steyer at 15 percent, with Becerra and Bianco also in double digits.

A California Democratic Party poll showed Becerra and Hilton tied at 18 percent. Democrats argued the state's problems with high costs, homelessness and crime trace back to Washington and President Trump, particularly regarding ICE actions targeting immigrants in California.

Republicans blamed one-party Democratic rule for the struggles. Additional clashes included Hilton warning that a Steyer governorship would bring higher taxes and gas prices. " The same seven candidates are scheduled to debate again Wednesday, hosted by NBC.

Nothing from Tuesday's exchange appeared to fundamentally alter the dynamics of a race that remains highly volatile with voting underway.