
Eight contenders for California governor clashed in a fast‑paced, frequently unruly debate at Pomona College in Claremont on Tuesday night, with Xavier Becerra taking centre stage as rivals from both parties tried to halt his late surge ahead of the June 2026 primary.
The race was dramatically reshaped earlier this month when Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell quit after being accused of sexual assault, opening up a lane that Becerra has been quick to occupy.