Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra largely avoided significant missteps and effectively defended against Republican challenger Steve Hilton's attacks during a 60-minute debate, according to analysis from Los Angeles Times columnists. While Becerra is still considered the overwhelming favorite to win, the debate offered little in the way of a compelling vision for California's future from either candidate.
Columnist Gustavo Arellano suggested that Hilton, rather than engaging substantively, appeared to be positioning himself for post-campaign ventures, criticizing his opponent and offering simplistic solutions like building ten new cities to address the housing crisis. Arellano noted that Hilton's aggressive, at times undignified, approach, including quoting an insult directed at Becerra, was counterproductive in a state like California. He posited that Hilton missed an opportunity to connect with voters by sharing personal stories and instead relied on blaming Democrats for the state's problems, a strategy Arellano warned could prove ineffective.
Anita Chabria observed that Becerra adopted a more combative stance than previously seen, effectively parrying Hilton's skilled attacks. However, Chabria also found Becerra lacking in articulating a clear vision for California's future, focusing primarily on defense rather than presenting a forward-looking agenda. She concluded that while Hilton likely did not gain any new supporters, Becerra also failed to win over undecided voters, leaving a sense of voter disenchantment with the limited options presented. Chabria expressed concern that Becerra might "ghost-coast" into the governorship without voters fully understanding his platform or why they should support him.
Mark Z. Barabak echoed that Becerra, entering the debate as the clear frontrunner, maintained his advantage by meeting a low bar: avoiding major errors. Barabak noted Becerra's authoritative presence and offensive strategy, questioning why his campaign had kept him more sheltered previously. He found Hilton's failure to distance himself effectively from former President Donald Trump surprising, as Hilton often reinforced the association. While Hilton posed a reasonable question about why voters should expect different outcomes by continuing to elect Democrats, Barabak concluded that his "Trump Lite" approach was unlikely to be the remedy Californians sought.
The consensus among the columnists is that the debate yielded few significant shifts in the gubernatorial race. Becerra is expected to secure victory in November, but the encounter highlighted a lack of substantive policy proposals and a clear vision for the state's future from both candidates, leaving voters with limited clarity on what a Becerra administration might entail.
