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Becerra Holds Advantage After Sole CNN Debate With Hilton

The hourlong CNN face-off left the race largely unchanged with late advertising and turnout now the decisive factors.

California gubernatorial candidates Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton, during CNN’s California Gubernatorial Debate on Wednesday, in CNN’s studio in Burbank, California.
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Gubernatorial candidates Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton participate in the CNN California Governor Debate, Image 2 shows A crowded room of people listening and watching, including a man in a Steve Hilton for Governor hat with his hand near his chin, Image 3 shows An audience watches a televised debate between two politicians on a large screen in a room decorated with American and California flags and "Enough is Enough" banners
Voters cast their ballots at a polling location inside City Hall in San Francisco, during California's primary election on June 2.
California gubernatorial candidates Steve Hilton, left, and Xavier Becerra speak at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference in Los Angeles on July 15, 2026.

Overview

  • The only scheduled televised debate between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton took place Wednesday night on CNN in Burbank just days before mail ballots begin to arrive.
  • Post-debate coverage judged neither candidate landed a game-changing blow and Becerra emerged as the clearer winner on the night while maintaining a substantial polling lead in recent PPIC and UC Berkeley IGS surveys.
  • The hour featured sharp policy contrasts: Hilton offered sweeping tax and cost-cutting promises such as $3 gas, halving utility bills and eliminating state tax on the first $150,000 of income, while Becerra emphasized record-based proposals including a “Power Hour” of free electricity for low-income households, emergency freezes on rates and an 11-point plan to deploy AI across state government.
  • The contest was nationalized by Hilton’s endorsement from President Trump and Becerra’s repeated efforts to tie Hilton to Trump’s policies, while Hilton repeatedly tried to distance himself and blame long-term Democratic control in Sacramento for California’s problems.
  • With no additional debates scheduled and the state’s Democratic structural advantage intact, the outcome will hinge on vote-by-mail returns, regional turnout swings and how campaigns spend in the final weeks given practical limits from the California legislature.