Becerra's Dominant Performance
Xavier Becerra, the former Health and Human Services secretary, entered the debate with significant momentum in polls and fundraising. He emerged as the evening's winner by landing memorable attacks on his opponents. Becerra criticized Republican Steve Hilton for Trump alignment, saying 'The first thing we have to do is stop Steve Hilton's daddy,' and later quipped 'We don't need a talking head for Fox News to tell us how the government works.' When challenged by San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan on healthcare, Becerra touted his record: 'The only person who's actually run a healthcare system, the largest system in the world, is me. I expanded healthcare beyond what we had ever seen in the country's history.' His sharp, quotable exchanges were characterized as likely to circulate on social media for weeks.
Other Notable Performances
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond drew praise from columnists for his polished demeanor and compelling personal narrative about growing up with a Panamanian immigrant parent and experiencing poverty. He consistently stayed within time limits and effectively challenged Chad Bianco on his handling of ballots. Tom Steyer, the other Democratic frontrunner, struggled with dense policy discussions about oil refineries and failed to deliver memorable lines until his closing statement. Matt Mahan presented himself as a common-sense moderate, pushing back on California's gas tax and attacking Becerra's pandemic response, but did not break out. Katie Porter similarly did nothing wrong but failed to distinguish herself.
Debate Chaos and Format Issues
The 90-minute debate descended into chaos multiple times, with candidates talking over one another in rapid-fire exchanges. Moderators were widely criticized for failing to enforce time limits, leading to an unwieldy and difficult-to-follow event. The chaotic atmosphere overshadowed substantive policy discussions and prevented several candidates from gaining traction.
Key Policy Disagreements
Candidates sparred over healthcare funding, with Becerra and Hilton clashing over federal healthcare spending and Trump administration cuts to Medicaid. Mahan criticized both the single-payer proposals from Steyer and Porter as unaffordable, while also attacking Republican candidates' support for Trump's Medicaid cuts. Becerra proposed freezing home insurance rates, which Mahan dismissed as unworkable. Energy policy and affordability remained central themes throughout the debate.
Race Context
The debate came after former Rep. Eric Swalwell's exit from the race and amid an unsettled gubernatorial field. Becerra's recent surge in polls and fundraising made him a prime target for attacks from both Democratic and Republican opponents. Tom Steyer released attack ads against Becerra before the debate. The event preceded CNN's May 5 gubernatorial debate and came one week before mail ballots were set to go out to voters. 
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