California gubernatorial candidates clash over costs, ICE raids, Trump in East LA College debate

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Candidates in California's gubernatorial primary clashed sharply Tuesday evening over the state's high cost of living, immigration and their approach to President Donald Trump during a televised CNN debate at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park.

The two-hour debate Tuesday, moderated by anchors Elex Michaelson and Kaitlan Collins, offered voters a high-profile forum to hear directly from candidates in one of the nation's most closely watched races.

The Republicans in the debate were podcaster and former television host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

Democratic candidates were former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and California attorney general Xavier Becerra, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former congresswoman Katie Porter, billionaire financier Tom Steyer and former Los Angeles mayor and Assembly speaker Antonio Villaraigosa.

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond was not part of Tuesday's debate.

CNN said invitations to participate in the debate were based on several criteria, including meeting requirements set by the California secretary of state, raising or contributing at least $1 million to their campaign and demonstrating at least 3% support in qualifying polls.

During the debate, Becerra defended Democratic leadership, arguing the party is working to ensure economic opportunity for all residents.

"...Democrats are the ones that aspire to include everyone and not leave anyone behind. Like my parents, who came with $12 in their pocket to California, and they lived the California dream," Becerra said, adding that policies are aimed at making the economy work for a broader range of Californians.

Steyer said rising costs are affecting Californians across the board, pointing to housing as a central issue.

"The biggest problem in California is that Californians can't afford to live here anymore," Steyer said. "And it starts with housing, but it definitely includes healthcare, it includes electric costs, which are twice as high as in the rest of the country, and it includes soaring gasoline prices."

Steyer said he would pursue aggressive policy changes to address those costs, including confronting major corporate interests and utility providers, and expanding government involvement in healthcare.

Mahan said the state needs a more results-oriented approach, positioning himself as a candidate willing to challenge his own party.

"We don't need MAGA values, but we also don't need more of the same. I'm the only Democrat in this race who has challenged the establishment within my own party to demand better results," Mahan said.

He pointed to his record in San Jose, citing progress on public safety, housing development and efforts to reduce homelessness.

Hilton blamed Democratic leadership for the state's economic challenges, arguing long-standing one-party control has led to current conditions.

"The Democrats who are here ... have been responsible for 16 years of one-party rule for everything that we see in California, and they won't take responsibility," Hilton said.

Hilton said his campaign has focused on hearing directly from residents across the state, describing conversations with voters about economic struggles and declining affordability.

Villaraigosa challenged Hilton directly, criticizing him for refusing to acknowledge the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

"You can't admit that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election," Villaraigosa said.

Villaraigosa said he has long criticized policies within his own party, particularly on affordability, while also drawing a contrast with Republican leadership. He argued that California's challenges require leaders willing to hold both parties accountable.

Porter said California must adapt to economic and technological changes while preparing for challenges from outside the state.

"We do need to make change in California. The world is changing around us, from artificial intelligence affecting jobs to the pace of climate change, and we have an unreliable federal partner that has made clear it will target California," Porter said.

Porter also pushed back on claims from other candidates, arguing she has a track record of taking on corporate interests. She said the state must focus on future challenges while protecting workers and consumers.

Bianco argued Democrats should not remain in power, blaming current conditions on long-term leadership in the state.

"We are going to get nothing but the same from them. They brought us here," Bianco said. "They do not deserve another chance."

Bianco said excessive regulations have driven up costs and hurt businesses, contributing to higher gas prices and affordability challenges.

The discussion grew more heated when candidates turned to immigration enforcement and California's sanctuary policies.

Bianco argued state laws limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities and said local officials have made enforcement more difficult by restricting where federal agents can operate.

Villaraigosa pushed back, saying Bianco misunderstood the law and that California still allows the transfer of violent offenders to federal authorities. He also attacked Bianco personally, calling him a "bully" and referencing his past affiliation with the far-right Oath Keepers group.

Bianco said he was proud of that past association but later clarified he is no longer a member.

Porter delivered one of the sharpest criticisms of Trump during the exchange.

"Donald Trump sucks. And I don't think that anyone who doesn't see that he is targeting and hurting Californians and won't stand up for everybody who is counting on them to be their leader and keep them safe, has no business being governor," she said.

Becerra pointed to his legal battles with the Trump administration, saying he has experience opposing federal immigration policies.

"We stopped him from trying to force local law enforcement to do the bidding of ICE," Becerra said.

Steyer called for stronger opposition to federal immigration enforcement, describing Immigration and Customs Enforcement in stark terms.

"It is absolutely critical that California's governor does stand up for everything in California, that, in fact, ICE, to me, is a criminal operation," Steyer said.

Asked about mask use by immigration agents, Bianco said the state has no authority over federal operations.

"I believe that the state of California doesn't get to dictate what they do," he said.

Candidates were also pressed on how they would deal with President Trump during the remainder of his term, exposing sharp divisions on whether to cooperate or confront.

Hilton, who was endorsed by Trump, said the next governor would need to engage with the White House to secure outcomes for California, framing cooperation as a practical necessity.

Democratic candidates largely rejected that approach, arguing Trump's actions have repeatedly targeted the state.

Collins pressed Porter on how she would deal with Trump, referencing a recent fundraising email in which she used an expletive directed at the president.

Porter said her approach would be driven by how federal policies affect California, arguing Trump has repeatedly taken actions she believes harm the state, including on disaster aid and economic policy.

"If he's gonna attack California, yeah, 'F' him," Porter said, repeating a censored version of the language she used in the campaign message.

Bianco said he would avoid focusing on national political figures, arguing the state's problems are rooted in decisions made by leaders in Sacramento.

Becerra pointed to his tenure as attorney general, again emphasizing his legal challenges against the Trump administration.

"Every time he tried to attack our state, when he tried to force us to do things that were against the law, when he tried to deny us our resources, we took him on. That's why I had to go toe to toe with him in court over 120 times. And most of those cases, we were able to win," Becerra said.

Mahan said his strategy would combine defending California's values with demonstrating effective governance.

"We've prohibited ICE from using city property as a staging area. But I will also never forget that the best resistance is delivering results, showing that California's progressive values work in practice," he said.

Steyer took a more confrontational tone, criticizing Trump's conduct and leadership style.

"He's a bully, and the only thing you can do is stand up to him," Steyer said.

Healthcare policy also emerged as a point of division, particularly over whether the state should pursue a single-payer system.

Porter pressed Becerra to take a clear position on the issue, while he responded that California should move incrementally toward broader coverage and disputed reports suggesting he opposed a single-payer model.

Villaraigosa and Mahan questioned the feasibility of such a system, warning it would be too costly and difficult to implement without federal support. Mahan instead pointed to potential savings through reducing administrative expenses and modernizing the system.

Steyer argued more sweeping changes are necessary, saying the current system is unsustainable and requires a fundamental overhaul.

Hilton criticized Democratic candidates for advocating policies he said would expand government spending, linking rising costs to broader access to publicly funded care.

Becerra and Porter expressed support for extending healthcare coverage to undocumented immigrants, a policy California expanded last year, though officials have since scaled back parts of the program due to rising costs.

Steyer said the state must pursue a different approach, arguing access to healthcare should be universal despite the financial challenges.

Housing policy also drew differing views, with candidates offering competing explanations for the state's affordability crisis.

Mahan pointed to efforts in San Jose to streamline construction and expand housing options, while Villaraigosa highlighted his record increasing development during his tenure as Los Angeles mayor.

Hilton called for more single-family home construction in less dense areas, while Bianco argued homelessness is primarily driven by mental health and substance abuse issues rather than housing supply.

Steyer said the state needs to build more housing more quickly, while also addressing local resistance to development, and proposed shifting costs away from local governments.

The candidates entered Tuesday's debate with varying levels of momentum, funding and recent scrutiny.

Bianco has faced legal challenges tied to his seizure of ballots during a recent special election, a move he has defended as lawful and approved by a judge.

Hilton entered the race with national backing, including an endorsement from Trump, and has framed his campaign as a push for political change in California.

Mahan joined the race earlier this year, positioning himself as a newer entrant with executive experience leading one of the state's largest cities.

Porter was initially seen as a leading contender before facing scrutiny over a video involving a staff member, which she later said she regretted.

Steyer has significantly outspent other candidates in the race, pouring tens of millions of dollars into his campaign.

Villaraigosa is making his second bid for governor after finishing third in the 2018 race and has received backing from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

The debate follows a forum held last week at Pomona College in Claremont, where eight candidates spent about 90 minutes outlining their approaches to affordability, housing and the rising cost of living.

During that debate, Hilton and Bianco sharply criticized Democratic policies, blaming them for high housing costs and homelessness, while Democrats argued federal policies under President Trump had worsened affordability issues.

Candidates also clashed over gas prices and taxes, with Mahan calling for a temporary suspension of the state's gas tax and Becerra defending it as necessary to fund infrastructure.

Housing proposals were a central focus, with several candidates -- including Porter, Steyer and Villaraigosa -- supporting efforts to increase housing supply and streamline development, while Thurmond proposed using school district land for new housing.

Healthcare and wildfire preparedness also emerged as key topics, with candidates debating insurance reforms, prevention strategies and the role of state government in responding to disasters.