Republican and Democratic candidates to meet again in race shaped by Eric Swalwell’s exit and Xavier Becerra’s rise
Seven of the leading contenders in California’s unexpectedly dramatic race for governor will meet on a debate stage Tuesday night, a high-stakes showdown arriving just as voters begin casting ballots in the state’s nonpartisan primary.
The debate, hosted by CNN and kicking off at 6pm PT, comes as the volatile contest to succeed the outgoing Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, begins to take clearer shape weeks after one of the leading candidates, former Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell, suddenly withdrew amid sexual assault and harassment allegations, which he strongly denies. Millions of voters across the state have already received their mail-in ballots before the 2 June primary, leaving precious little time for lower-polling Democrats to break through.
After Swalwell’s exit, Xavier Becerra, the former secretary of health and human services under Joe Biden, has surged to the top of the crowded Democratic field, a remarkable turnaround after months languishing at the bottom of polls.
A recent survey conducted by the California Democratic party showed Becerra tied at 18% with Republican Steve Hilton, the former Fox News host and director of strategy to former UK prime minister David Cameron. They were trailed by Chad Bianco, the Republican sheriff of Riverside county; billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer; former California congresswoman Katie Porter; Matt Mahan, San Jose’s mayor; and former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
