Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra faced off Wednesday night in California’s only scheduled gubernatorial debate. The 60-minute debate was filmed on a soundstage in Burbank and televised by CNN, with Dana Bash and Jake Tapper moderating.
The candidates went head-to-head on immigration, taxes, gas prices, artificial intelligence, and housing.
Hilton opened by thanking CNN for bringing Becerra “out of hiding,” a jab at what he characterized as Becerra’s cautious campaign. He kept up the pressure, blaming Democrats for homelessness, rising gas prices and high housing costs. Hilton also claimed Becerra had “never created a job” in his 36 years as a politician.
One of Hilton’s sharpest arguments was that Californians shouldn’t expect different results by electing more Democrats. His closing pitch: “We’ve got to try something different.”
On affordability, Hilton proposed tax cuts on the first $150,000 of income and repealing the gas tax. He argued that the fastest way to put money in people’s pockets is for the government to take less. He also criticized Becerra for accepting money from tech companies and attacked his record as President Joe Biden’s health secretary.
Becerra, meanwhile, offered little that felt new or inspiring. He repeatedly tied Hilton to President Donald Trump, prompting Hilton to fire back: “All you ever say is Trump, Trump, Trump.” Becerra also called Hilton a political newcomer.
Immigration sparked a personal exchange. Becerra accused Hilton of welcoming immigrants who “look like you” while deporting those who “look like me.”
So, who won? Some analysts gave the edge to Becerra. But many viewers may have come away thinking Hilton outperformed him by a landslide.
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