Candidates Clash on Affordability at Pomona Gubernatorial Debate

POMONA, Calif. — Eight leading candidates vying to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom took the stage Tuesday, April 28, in historic Bridges Auditorium at Pomona College for the most inclusive California gubernatorial debate to date. Broadcast live by CBS stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Fresno and Santa Barbara, the nonpartisan event drew from transparent criteria set by Asian Pacific American Public Affairs (APAPA), inviting active campaigns with at least 1% support in Emerson College and LA Times/UC Berkeley polls.[1][3] Participants included Democrats Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, Tony Thurmond and Antonio Villaraigosa, alongside Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton; former candidate Betty Yee dropped out after initially accepting.[1][3][5] Affordability dominated the first 30 minutes, reflecting a CBS poll showing 64% of Californians rank it as their top concern amid soaring home prices and insurance rates in wildfire-prone regions like Riverside and San Bernardino counties, near Pomona.[4] Porter pushed progressive fixes like expanding rent controls, while Bianco called for deregulation to spur housing construction; Steyer touted his billionaire-backed green initiatives, and Villaraigosa highlighted his Los Angeles mayor tenure tackling homelessness.[2][4][5] Becerra, former U.S. Health Secretary, defended state investments in Medi-Cal expansion serving 15 million low-income residents.[1] The 90-minute clash also tackled education funding for California's 6 million K-12 students, environmental policies amid ongoing droughts, healthcare access and insurance freezes — with one candidate proposing to cap home insurance hikes plaguing Inland Empire homeowners.[1][4] Republicans Hilton and Bianco criticized Democratic dominance on crime and taxes, pointing to Proposition 47's legacy in high-theft cities like Oakland and Bakersfield, while Democrats countered with records on equity.[2][6] Hosted ahead of California's open primary — where the top two advance regardless of party — the debate gave Claremont voters and 39 million statewide residents a front-row view of the stakes in the nation's most populous state.[3]