On Wednesday Sept. 30, the Central News Network (CNN) hosted the first debate of the gubernatorial general election at their Los Angeles studio between Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra and Republican candidate Steve Hilton.
From 1993 to 2017, Becerra represented Los Angeles in the United States House of Representatives before serving as Attorney General of California from 2017 to 2021 and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from 2021 to 2025. Hilton worked as a Fox News host from 2017 to 2023 and served as a senior adviser for former conservative United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2012.
Becerra’s key endorsements include California Faculty Association, Equality California and Planned Parenthood California, whereas Hilton’s consist of President Donald Trump, the Nisei Farmers League and the Israeli-American Civic Action Network.
Throughout the debate, candidates put forth stances on issues including education, tax policy, immigration enforcement, climate policy, artificial intelligence regulation, healthcare, housing and homelessness. While Hilton argued long standing issues result from mishandling under Democratic leadership, Becerra pointed to harm caused by the Trump administration’s policies.
When asked if they would direct California law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, both candidates answered that they would follow California law, which prohibits state and local law enforcement from doing so.
Hilton emphasized that the California government should protect communities of legal immigrants while prioritizing the deportation of undocumented immigrants who have committed violent crimes.
In response, Becerra condemned Trump’s immigration policies, positing that they separate families and endanger citizens. Becerra also criticized Hilton’s stance on immigration, stating “you seem to welcome immigrants who look like you but deport immigrants who look like me.”
Hilton later alleged that while Becerra was secretary of the HHS, he was responsible for 479,000 migrant children who went unaccounted for. A report published by the Department of Homeland Security in August of 2024 indicated that 291,000 unaccompanied migrant children had lost government documentation.However these incidents occurred when said children were in the custody of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, not HHS.
Turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI), moderators asked both candidates if AI companies can be trusted to self-regulate, considering public concerns associated with the technology.
Hilton responded that AI regulation is necessary and that his chief priorities consist of ensuring the technology is safe to use, keeping it out of the classroom due to proven detriments on children’s education and keeping jobs created by AI in California. He emphasized that leading AI companies had made promises to self-regulate and whether he sets further regulation would depend on “how quickly they act on the promises they’ve made.”
Becerra equated the claims made by AI companies to a “pinky promise” and advocated for immediate regulation of AI in order to protect children in the education system, workers from losing employment to AI and citizens privacy from AI surveillance. He reaffirmed the need for government regulation of AI in order to ensure that guardrails are put in place.
Hilton countered by questioning Becerra’s ability to ethically regulate AI companies, stating “How can we possibly trust you on this when you are funded by big tech and AI?” referring to Becerra’s former acceptance of campaign funding from tech companies such as Meta. Becerra responded that he can be trusted based on his track record of suing major tech companies as Attorney General of California.
Towards the end of the debate, both candidates were questioned on their ability to ensure Americans did not lose access to health insurance under the Trump administration’s budget cuts. On July 4, President Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” into law, a spending plan which reduced funding for the Medicaid program by nearly $800 billion.
Hilton claimed he would put forward a plan for a “working class healthcare guarantee” with low premiums and deductibles by “cutting out the waste and the fraud in the system.” Hilton also alleged Becerra facilitated fraud by dismantling the fraud unit at the HHS during his time as secretary.
Becerra denied Hilton’s claims and emphasized that rural hospitals and community health centers in California face closing as a result of “Donald Trump’s cuts to pay for tax breaks for billionaires and large corporations.” Becerra further promised that workers and families will not be kicked off of medicaid and that his administration would not revoke tax healthcare.
With the election being a month away, Riverside residents can vote either by mail or in person from Oct. 24 to Nov. 3.
