Here are the candidates who have qualified for CNN’s California governor’s debate
By Kaanita Iyer, Jack Clifton, CNN
(CNN) — Seven candidates have qualified to participate in CNN’s California gubernatorial primary debate on May 5.
Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton, along with Democrats Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Antonio Villaraigosa, are eligible to take part in the debate, which will take place at 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET) in the Los Angeles area. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Elex Michaelson will moderate.
The state’s nonpartisan primary is set for June 2. The top two candidates, regardless of party, will advance to the general election.
CNN will unveil the May 5 stage, including podium placements, on Wednesday evening.
California Democrats are worried that the long list of Democratic candidates could split the vote on the left, making room for one or both major Republicans to make the November ballot. The race was scrambled after Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race and resigned from Congress following sexual misconduct allegations that Swalwell has denied and described as “flat false.”
To qualify for the debate, candidates had to receive at least 3% support among likely primary voters in two California gubernatorial polls or an average of 3% support in two California gubernatorial polls conducted by polling organizations whose methodology meets CNN’s standards for reporting.
In addition, candidates must have raised, contributed, or loaned at least $1 million for this specific gubernatorial campaign.
The debate will air live on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español. It will also be available to stream for subscribers.
Here’s what to know about the candidates.
Xavier Becerra
The former health and human services secretary under Joe Biden, Becerra is positioning himself as vying to be “California’s health care governor.”
His policy proposals include working toward a single-payer healthcare system and immediately implementing “cost-containment strategies” to make healthcare more affordable.
Becerra is trying to differentiate himself from Steyer, a billionaire investor who just launched an ad attacking his HHS record, by pointing to his middle-class background . He previously told CNN’s Dana Bash, “This race will come down to those who’ve earned it versus those who are trying to buy it.”
Chad Bianco
Bianco, the sheriff of Riverside County, has made public safety the centerpiece of his campaign, promising to provide more resources to law enforcement agencies and calling for harsher penalties for “repeat violent offenders.” Bianco has also focused on affordability, attacking California Democrats for raising taxes.
He is currently facing lawsuits after he seized more than 650,000 ballots from the special election in November that enacted new, Democratic-friendly US House maps. Bianco has said his probe was legal and approved by a Riverside County judge.
Steve Hilton
A former Fox News host who once worked in British politics, Hilton has received the endorsement of President Donald Trump. He has blamed Democrats for high housing costs and gas prices in California and said he believes voters in the state want change.
His campaign’s priority has been reducing taxes. He has vowed to impose no taxes on incomes under $100,000 and a 7.5% flat tax rate on anything above that.
Hilton, a British immigrant who moved to California in 2012, worked for the UK’s Conservative Party during Margaret Thatcher’s tenure and served as a senior adviser to former Prime Minister David Cameron.
Matt Mahan
As the mayor of San Jose, California’s third most populous city, Mahan is hoping his executive experience will set him apart.
Mahan, a moderate Democrat, is focused on making housing more affordable by vowing to not impose taxes on new housing for two years and has also called for a temporary suspension of the state’s gas tax.
Mahan is a relative newcomer to the race, having joined in January.
Katie Porter
Porter was considered an early leader in the race until a video of her berating a staffer surfaced. She has expressed regret over the incident.
The former congresswoman has centered her campaign around affordability, with her website outlining one of her priorities as lowering housing costs by speeding up construction. She has been endorsed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
She represented Southern California in Congress from 2019 to 2025. She unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2024.
Tom Steyer
Steyer, a billionaire Democratic activist and 2020 presidential candidate, has positioned himself as a progressive outsider focused on affordability issues.
His campaign priorities include implementing single-payer healthcare. He has pledged to criminally prosecute federal immigration agents for actions deemed as crimes under state law and backs a one-time 5% wealth tax. He has been endorsed by Our Revolution, a political action organization founded by progressive Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Steyer has spent more than $130 million, vastly more than all the other candidates in the race combined, according to AdImpact data tracked by CNN.
Antonio Villaraigosa
This is Villaraigosa’s second bid for governor after the former Democratic Los Angeles mayor finished in third place in 2018. His campaign is focused on building affordable housing and energy infrastructure.
Villaraigosa has been endorsed by current Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
