One Question | Meet the top candidates for California governor

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California gvernor's contention 2026 | Beyond the viral interview by CBS News Sacramento on YouTube

What has the California Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom done well, and what could beryllium done differently?

CBS News California Investigates analogous Julie Watts asked each of the candidates moving for California governor.

For this series, Watts interviewed much than a twelve gubernatorial candidates, pressing them connected much than a respective issues that substance to voters.

Read connected to spot what each campaigner thinks Newsom has done close and to larn what they'd bash differently.

Xavier Becerra

2-beccerra-still.png Watch Becerra's effect here.

Xavier Becerra, a erstwhile California lawyer wide who served arsenic Health and Human Services caput successful the Biden administration, is different Democrat looking to regenerate Gov. Newsom successful 2026. Becerra said Newsom deserves much recognition for strengthening the state's system and explained wherefore California's redistricting effort is necessary. On what he'd bash differently, Becerra said helium would person acted much rapidly than Newsom connected addressing issues similar with California's high-speed obstruction task and the statewide lodging crisis. Watch Becerra's effect here.

Chad Bianco

3-bianco-still.png Watch Bianco's effect here.  

Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County is 1 of the Republicans moving for California politician successful 2026. Bianco said the lone happening helium believes Newsom has done good is "acting similar a Republican" successful what helium says is the governor's bid for the White House. Bianco added that helium couldn't deliberation of a azygous happening the authorities Legislature has done close during his 7 years arsenic sheriff. Watch Bianco's effect here.

Ian Calderon

3-5-calderon-still.png  Watch Calderon's effect here.  

Ian Calderon, a concern proprietor and erstwhile authorities Assembly bulk leader, is moving arsenic a Democrat successful California's 2026 gubernatorial race. Calderon praised Newsom for his efforts to code California's lodging situation and the legislature for focusing connected addressing online information for children. Calderon said helium does judge the State of California has "lost the plot," meaning that authorities leaders should absorption much connected California issues alternatively than what's going connected successful Washington, D.C. Watch Calderon's effect here.

Steve Hilton

5-hilton-still.png Watch Hilton's effect here.  

Public argumentation adept Steve Hilton is 1 of the Republicans moving for California governor. Hilton said the happening helium astir agrees with Newsom connected is limiting smartphone usage successful schools. If elected, Hilton said helium would enactment to amended California's rising lodging costs, which helium said helium believes is the apical crushed wherefore residents are leaving the state. Watch Hilton's effect here.

Katie Porter

6-porter-still.png Watch Porter's effect here.  

Consumer extortion lawyer and instrumentality prof Katie Porter is among the agelong database of Democrats moving to regenerate Gov. Newsom adjacent year. Porter praised Newsom for making schoolhouse lunches escaped done the governor's cosmopolitan meals program. Porter said, if she were governor, she would enactment to bring down lodging costs statewide. Watch Porter's effect here.

Tom Steyer

steyer-one-q.png  Watch Steyer's effect here.

Democrat Tom Steyer, a clime activistic and philanthropist, was 1 of the aboriginal additions to the campaigner excavation successful California's 2026 gubernatorial race. Steyer praised Gov. Newsom for what helium describes arsenic "masterfully" mocking the president successful their nationalist exchanges to "show the insanity of Donald Trump." Steyer besides offered immoderate disapproval directed astatine however the politician handled a caller fund surplus. Watch Steyer's effect here.

Eric Swalwell

swalwell-one-q.png Watch Swalwell's effect here.

Democratic campaigner Eric Swalwell's leap into the governor's contention followed the bowing retired of chap Democratic campaigner Stephen Cloobeck. The U.S. congressman and erstwhile authoritative called Gov. Gavin Newsom "a protector" that Californians are fortunate to have, peculiarly against the national government. On the Legislature, Swalwell said a extremity of his would beryllium to diversify wherever California gets its revenue. Watch Swalwell's effect here.

Tony Thurmond

7-thurmond-still.png Watch Thurmond's effect here.  

California's Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said helium is moving for politician due to the fact that "California is astatine a captious inflection point" that could pb to prosperity oregon further decline. Thurmond, a Democrat, lauded Gov. Newsom for being a originative thinker and for his investments successful nationalist education. Thurmond said, if elected, helium would enactment to amended California's security situation and make much affordable housing. Watch Thurmond's effect here.

Antonio Villaraigosa

8-villaragiosa-still.png Watch Villaraigosa's effect here.  

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, said helium is moving for California politician to springiness the authorities a person who is "a proven occupation solver." Villaraigosa criticized Newsom's determination to support kids retired of schools for arsenic agelong arsenic helium did during the COVID-19 pandemic. Villaraigosa said 2 things Newsom and the authorities Legislature got close were wellness attraction and kid care. Watch Villaraigosa's effect here.

Butch Ware

9-ware-still.png Watch Ware's effect here.  

The lone Green Party campaigner moving for politician is University of California prof Butch Ware. Ware said 2 of his biggest critiques of the Newsom medication are the governor's effect to migration raids crossed the authorities and his nonaccomplishment to code the stateless crisis. Ware said helium doesn't hold with Newsom's usage of societal media to situation the Trump administration, but appreciated the governor's effort to combat back. Watch Ware's effect here.

Betty Yee

10-yee-still.png Watch Yee's effect here.

Former State Controller Betty Yee is different Democrat moving for California governor. Yee commended Gov. Newsom's quality to beryllium contiguous during cardinal issues similar the COVID-19 pandemic. On however she would amended upon Newsom's clip arsenic governor, Yee said she would amended California's fiscal accountability. Watch Yee's effect here.

Leo Zacky

11-zacky-still.png Watch Zacky's effect here.  

Business proprietor Leo Zacky is 1 of the fewer Republicans successful California's gubernatorial race. Zacky said he's moving for politician to "bring communal consciousness solutions to prevention my location state." Zacy said determination hasn't been a azygous happening Gov. Newsom oregon the authorities Legislature has done good implicit the past 7 years. Zacky specifically criticized California for raising the minimum wage for accelerated nutrient workers. Watch Zacky's effect here.

Toni Atkins

1-atkins-still.png Watch Atkins' effect here.  

Former California State Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins was 1 of the high-profile Democrats moving to regenerate Gov. Newsom erstwhile helium presumption retired successful 2026. On September 29, Atkins announced she was dropping retired of the race, saying that "there is nary viable way forward" contempt the enactment she has received.

In her sit-down with Watts, the San Diego nonmigratory praised Newsom's effort to spell "toe-to-toe" with the Trump medication and Texas by redrawing California's legislature districts. Atkins besides said that, if elected, 1 of her biggest priorities would beryllium addressing wellness care. Watch Atkins' effect here.

Stephen J. Cloobeck

4-cloobeck-still.png Watch Cloobeck's afloat effect here.  

Another Democrat who had looked to regenerate Gov. Newsom successful 2026 was concern enforcement Stephen J. Cloobeck. Cloobeck has since dropped retired of the race, endorsing caller Democratic campaigner Eric Swalwell successful his exit.

Cloobeck, who said what helium believes Newsom has done good arsenic politician is being progressive successful the nationalist and communities. On wherefore he's successful the gubernatorial race, Cloobeck said he's "sick and tired" of the Trump medication "making america look silly." Watch Cloobeck's effect here.

cci-all-candidates-fs.png  Watch the forum here.  

CBS News California Investigates analogous Julie Watts moderated a caller gubernatorial acquisition forum, hosted by Asian Pacific American Public Affairs and Sacramento State University. You tin ticker the forum here.

2026 California politician candidates | Accountability Interview Series

beyond-talking-points-governor-candidate-forum.png CLICK TO WATCH: 2026 California Governor Candidates | Accountability Interview Series

This ongoing governmental accountability bid lets viewers comparison the top-polling candidates for California governor side by side through a assortment of issue-specific segments. CBS News California Investigates sat down with the 12 top-polling candidates to sermon much than a twelve issues that substance to voters.

The topic-specific segments let viewers to prime the issues that substance astir to them individually. The accountability-focused format pushes beyond run talking points to uncover however candidates respond to nuanced follow-up questions and opposing viewpoints.

The archetypal issue-specific segment, wherever candidates discussed California's arguable Prop 50 redistricting measure, led to a viral Katie Porter interview clip and impacted the trajectory of the governor's race. Porter's effect stood retired not conscionable due to the fact that of what she said, but besides due to the fact that the unsocial interrogation format revealed how it dramatically differed from those of the different candidates.

The "One Question" segments introduce voters to each campaigner and supply unsocial penetration into however they mightiness govern, arsenic they explicate what they deliberation the existent politician and legislature did right, and what they would person done differently. 

The "side-by-side" issue-specific segments allow viewers to comparison the candidates' differing viewpoints and plans, focusing specifically connected the issues that substance astir to them. The archetypal topics include redistricting, reaching voters across the aisleprinciple vs. politicssanctuary state polices, health care for undocumented immigrants, and transgender athletes successful schoolhouse sports. 

Upcoming segments volition diagnostic issues related to transgression & transgression justness reform, the interaction of biology laws connected California state prices, homelessness, lodging affordability, high-speed rail, and more.  

Watch the afloat bid connected this CBS News California Investigates YouTube playlist

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