The California gubernatorial race intensified Tuesday evening as seven leading candidates faced off in a nationally televised debate hosted by CNN at East Los Angeles College. As ballots arrive in voters’ mailboxes, the debate served as a key moment for candidates to address pressing issues including healthcare, immigration, housing, and the state’s political future.

Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services, was a frequent target during the two-hour event, primarily from his own party rivals. Becerra faced criticism for his previous tenure in the Biden administration and for accepting campaign contributions from Chevron, which drew sharp rebukes from fellow Democratic candidate Tom Steyer, who accused Becerra of aligning with oil interests. Becerra defended himself by highlighting Steyer’s past investments in fossil fuels and emphasized the disparities in the race’s campaign spending.

Healthcare emerged as a significant point of contention, particularly the prospects of implementing a single-payer system in California. Becerra was pressed repeatedly by former Congresswoman Katie Porter to clarify his position, as reports surfaced that he had expressed reservations about a state-specific single-payer plan while maintaining support for federal Medicare for All. Becerra maintained that he continues to support Medicare for All but declined to endorse a California-specific single-payer system outright. This nuanced stance contrasted with the views of candidates like Steyer, who now vocalizes support for “CalCare,” a statewide single-payer proposal. However, the high projected cost—estimated by University of California researchers at $731 billion to implement in 2027—prompted skepticism from some Democrats, including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who called the plan impractical given its estimated scale and the improbability of federal approval.

Immigration policies also featured prominently, with Republican candidate Chad Bianco criticizing California’s sanctuary state laws and linking them to public safety concerns. Bianco, the Riverside County Sheriff, recounted a personal story involving an undocumented immigrant convicted of multiple DUI offenses to illustrate his point. Villaraigosa, in response, defended sanctuary policies as economically essential and noted the state’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities in certain cases. Steyer and other Democrats accused the Trump administration of targeting Latino communities unfairly through immigration enforcement.

Housing and affordability, perennial issues for California voters, were addressed but received comparatively limited focus. Candidates broadly agreed on the need for increased housing supply, with San José Mayor Matt Mahan pointing to efforts to ease construction of accessory dwelling units, while Villaraigosa cited his record of building diverse housing types while mayor of Los Angeles. Hilton advocated for building more single-family homes in less populated areas as a solution. Steyer highlighted the resistance from local governments due to cost burdens and proposed closing corporate tax loopholes to ease this challenge.

The debate also spotlighted divisions over taxation proposals, particularly a contentious measure to impose a one-time 5% tax on billionaires' wealth to fund healthcare expansions. While Steyer supported the tax as part of a broader effort to increase state revenue, Porter rejected it as a temporary fix unlikely to address long-term budget problems. Villaraigosa cautioned against overreliance on taxing wealthy individuals, pointing to the state’s cyclical budget challenges and business departures.

On the Republican side, Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton, who has also entered the race, largely directed their criticism toward Democrats rather than each other. Bianco expressed reservations about Hilton’s Republican loyalty but refrained from harsh public condemnation. Hilton emphasized the need for political change in California, arguing that continuing Democratic leadership would not resolve the state's issues.

Overall, the debate underscored the volatility and complexity of the 2026 California gubernatorial race, with no clear front-runner and sharp disagreements on key policy areas shaping the contest as the state prepares for its next governor.