What you need to know about the California gubernatorial debate
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s California gubernatorial debate, which will air on CBS on April 28, 2026.
In a more than hour-long debate held at Pomona College’s Bridges Auditorium, eight candidates running for California governor sparred and threw jabs over health care, days before Californians can begin early voting in the state’s primary election.
This election campaign is a hot topic for a variety of reasons. There are concerns that the crowded field of Democratic candidates could split the vote, leading to a showdown between the two Republicans in November. Republican Steve Hilton has announced his support for President Donald Trump. And most recently, former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned following allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. But a new CBS News poll found that 26% of likely primary voters are still undecided, about a month after the June 2 election.
Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and billionaire investor and climate change advocate Tom Steyer have faced scrutiny from their fellow candidates, but it hasn’t been entirely one-sided — as evidenced by Becerra’s comments about “Steve Hilton’s dad,” apparently referring to Trump (and the former Fox News host). Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco also seemed irritated at one point, saying he wasn’t sure if he was still on the debate stage.
Here are some key takeaways from the sometimes lively discussions.
California’s home insurance crisis: How to solve it
One host said Becerra had promised to freeze insurance premiums, but the way insurance works in California raised questions about the move.
Becerra said he would declare a state of emergency as governor because of rising insurance prices and people losing insurance without explanation. In his rebuttal, he cited his experience as California’s former attorney general and said he was prepared to go to court to defend the freeze. Hilton questioned whether Becerra read the statue, which provides the governor’s emergency powers, during the broader discussion about insurance.
“You can’t have a governor who doesn’t understand how government works,” Hilton said.
However, Mahan gave a different answer. It brought back insurance companies and forced them to compete and “rightly price risk.” Then, Mahan said, governments should take responsibility for maintaining wildlands to prevent large-scale wildfires.
This is a feeling that echoes Steyer’s words.
“We have to accept the fact that insurance companies are selling insurance to make a profit,” Steyer said. “The risk to homes, the risk of large-scale fires, is increasing dramatically because of climate change. The governor of California’s job is to protect Californians from that, both in terms of home burnouts and insurance premiums.”
Healthcare and “Steve Hilton’s Dad”
The topic of health care quickly devolved into sparring between the candidates.
Becerra noted that Californians would be affected by federal health care cuts under the massive spending and tax bill that President Trump signed last year, arguing that without the president, many Californians would not be at risk of losing their health insurance.
“The first thing we have to do is stop Steve Hilton’s father,” Becerra said, adding that California needs someone who will fight against Trump, not agree with him.
High medical costs “can be solved here,” Hilton said.
“We don’t have enough competition in our health insurance system because the rules that have been created here in California prevent insurance companies from actually competing,” Hilton said. “We all know that more competition means better quality at lower prices, but the policies put in place in California are preventing that from happening.”
Gas tax: For or against?
Candidates were asked if they supported suspending California’s gas tax, which helps fund highways and roads. Last year, the sales tax rate increased to 61.2 cents per gallon. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Bianco, Mahan and Hilton support its eradication.
“I’m the only candidate on this stage who has promised to suspend the gas tax and then reform it,” Mahan said.
However, Becerra did not support suspending the gas tax.
“We want everyone sitting here to be able to drive on our roads, cross our bridges and make sure our transit system is working,” he said. “We’ve got to raise the money somehow. Anyone who says they’re going to lower the gas tax also has to say what they’re going to replace it with.”
When will you vote for California Governor?
The primary election will be held on June 2nd, and the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, will advance to the general election on November 3rd.
Will there be another California gubernatorial debate?
CNN will host a two-hour debate in the Los Angeles area on May 5th.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. please contact her pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
