Tension Arise For Governors' Race As Midterm Election Approaches

Photo from Unsplash | The California governors' race is getting complicated as the election date nears.

On April 21, six candidates running for California governorship faced off in a heated debate hosted in San Francisco by Nexstar Media Group and broadcasted nationwide. With the official election coming up on Nov. 3, the candidates seized the debate as an opportunity to sway voters and demonstrate their vision for California under their leadership.

Of the six aforementioned contenders, four were Democratic candidates: former Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, billionaire Tom Steyer, former Orange County Representative Katie Porter, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. Alongside the Democrats were the two Republicans: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former UK Politician and Fox News Host Steve Hilton.

The stakes for the debate were just recently made even higher, as one of the leading candidates, Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell, dropped out of the race and resigned from his role amidst sexual assault allegations. Such a twist left the other candidates scrambling to win over Swalwell’s supporters, making the debate all the more crucial.

As a state notorious for one of the highest costs of living, one of the main centers of discussion was each candidate’s solution to the housing shortage faced in California. Mahan cited his work to expedite creation of housing in San Jose, saying he would lower fees and speed up permitting. Becerra similarly emphasized streamlined regulations, as well as prioritizing shovel ready projects. Bianco criticized the current state government for excessive regulations and bureaucratic red tape, which he claimed he would cut through if put into office. Hilton proposed removing hidden taxes, eliminating “extreme” environmental rules, and limiting "exploitative" union lawsuits. Steyer supported lessening permitting, but also wanted to put an end to a tax loophole used by corporations to secure more funding for housing. Porter highlighted her background in housing policy and legislation, saying she would accelerate building.

Homelessness was another prevalent issue addressed during the debate, with each candidate asked to give current Gov. Gavin Newsom a letter grade on his work to reduce the crisis. With a striking 86 percent of voters saying homelessness in California is remaining stagnant or even worsening, each candidate’s answer would be pivotal to gaining support. Democrats Porter, Mahan, Becerra, Steyer, all gave Newsom relatively high grades on his fight to resolve homelessness, giving the governor a B-, B, A, and B-, respectively. In stark contrast, however, Republicans Bianco and Hilton both saw Newsom’s initiatives as failures, with Hilton marking them as moves in the wrong direction.

In the broader picture, the debate comes before the primary election that will be held on June 2, where the top two candidates will be chosen to run for the coveted position. In accordance with California’s “jungle primary”, all candidates will be listed on the same ballot regardless of party. This means that any top two can face off, whether it is Republican vs. Republican, Democrat vs. Democrat, or Democrat vs. Republican.

Although there are many more weeks of campaigning to go, the debate offered insight on candidates’ political stances and plans for California, along with how each candidate will try to distinguish themselves in this closely watched election.