Here’s who gained the Hilton-Becerra debate for California governor

Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton debated for 60 minutes Wednesday evening on a soundstage in Burbank. Times columnists Gustavo Arellano, Anita Chabria and Mark Z. Barabak watched the gubernatorial match-up and weigh in.

Arellano: Steve Hilton got here in with subsequent to no probability of changing into the following California governor, however perhaps if he targeted on touting the feel-good messages he’s been spouting since launching his marketing campaign in entrance of the Huntington Beach Pier earlier this 12 months — Make California Gold Again! Califordable! I’m a Legal Immigrant with a British Accent! — he may’ve satisfied at the least just a few voters to go along with him.

Instead, Hilton debated like somebody already making ready to launch a podcast or beg for his previous Fox News job again after he will get walloped. When your answer for fixing California’s housing disaster is constructing 10 new cities, you’re not working for California governor — you’re angling for an influencer job with the Irvine Co.

He whined and grumbled and grinned and quoted somebody calling Becerra a “bitch ass,” which might’ve been a humorous dig if he wasn’t working to run the best state on Earth. Hilton is charming in individual, in the way in which all British folks inevitably, initially come off as to Americans, and he has traveled to each California county — and particularly to Latino-majority cities. He ought to’ve shared a number of the many tales of hardship that I’m assuming he’s heard over the past 12 months.

Nope! Instead, Hilton attacked Becerra many times — why? California is a super-blue state, Latino Trump supporters however, so Hilton ought to’ve tried to at the least provide a cause for voters to decide on him as a substitute of claiming — not utterly inaccurately — that the issues Californians take care of are the fault of Democrats.

But blaming the opposite facet solely will get you to date — simply ask Democrats the way it labored out with them in 2024.

“We’ve acquired to strive one thing totally different,” Hilton stated in his concluding remarks. Californians agree — and his identify is Xavier Becerra, who final I heard isn’t Gavin Newsom, irrespective of how a lot the California GOP is making an attempt to persuade folks in any other case.

Becerra, in the meantime, didn’t provide a lot by way of imaginative and prescient, largely as a result of he performed protection a lot of the night. But he didn’t have a significant flub, besides perhaps elevating a CNN espresso cup just a few too many occasions. Why, Becerra typically even smiled — proof that he’s not some Chicano automaton. He hasn’t agreed to any extra debates with Hilton — however after this blowout, Becerra ought to take the each of them on the street to make Hilton the following John Cox.

Chabria: Becerra got here out as extra of a fighter than we’ve seen earlier than, even within the earlier Democratic debates. He held his personal towards Hilton, who’s a talented orator and attacker with a pointed wit and slick accent. But please, for the love of God, Hilton, button that shirt. This will not be a on line casino.

Becerra was the clear winner, and to be sincere, Hilton — normally a nimble pugilist — got here throughout flat an excessive amount of of the time. Maybe he’s already signed his Fox contract, as Gustavo suggests.

But Becerra additionally failed to put out any form of imaginative and prescient for the way forward for California. He did a superb job of heading off Hilton’s assaults, however by no means advised us what a vote for him will carry to the common Californian. There was some speak about housing, about defending medical health insurance, however no massive image of what the California Dream of the longer term is and the way we ship it for the following technology.

I walked away from this debate sure that Hilton hadn’t gained a single voter, and equally sure Becerra hadn’t misplaced one. But additionally sure that Californians are rightfully disenchanted with this political second as a result of it presents little for the people who find themselves voting. Becerra goes to ghost-coast into main essentially the most highly effective state within the nation, and none of us will know what that can imply or why we should always care a technique or one other.

Yes, there’s a sturdy Legislature that can definitely maintain the following governor targeted on Democratic priorities. But what Becerra stands for stays a thriller that solely the following 4 years will reveal. Let’s hope it has to do with our collective well-being.

Barabak: Xavier Becerra walked onto Wednesday’s debate stage as the overwhelming favorite to change into California’s next governor.

Becerra exited the stage slightly over an hour later, nonetheless the overwhelming favourite to change into California’s subsequent governor.

As the Democratic nominee in a state the place Democrats take pleasure in massive numerical, structural and political benefits — and have for decades — Becerra wanted solely to indicate up at CNN’s Burbank studio, subject some questions alongside Hilton and avoid a Bidenesque disaster. (Even which may not have mattered.)

It was an exceedingly low bar, and one Becerra simply surmounted.

He was authoritative, crisp and saved on the offense a lot of the evening — disagree with you there, Gustavo — which raises the query of why his marketing campaign handlers have been sheltering him so far. Yes, it did get a bit repetitive when the Democrat’s response to so many questions amounted to: Trump, Trump, Trump! But that’s hardly shocking in a state the place the president is about as common as $6-a-gallon gasoline and $10-a-pound hamburger.

What was shocking was Hilton’s failure to do extra to unshackle himself from the ball-and-chain sitting within the White House.

He allowed a smidgen of daylight right here and there, however not sufficient to doff the MAGA mantle Becerra has draped round him. If something, Hilton yoked himself even nearer to Trump, sounding at occasions like his wacky Health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as he talked about vaccines — Hilton stated he was for them, but additionally favored extra parental discretion — and re-litigated masking and different pandemic insurance policies from the Biden administration.

Hilton’s simplest moments got here when he requested why sad California voters ought to count on something totally different in the event that they maintain electing Democrats. Not an unreasonable query. Trump Lite, nevertheless, doesn’t appear to be the treatment most are in search of.

Little to nothing appears prone to change because of Wednesday evening’s encounter. Still, it was important to give California voters an opportunity to take the measure of the 2 gubernatorial hopefuls facet by facet and listen to — in one thing greater than a 30-second industrial — how they might lead the state.

It’s way more possible than not Becerra would be the candidate voters select on Nov. 3. But for many who don’t like Becerra’s imaginative and prescient, his document, Democratic affiliation or, heck, his glasses or salt-and-pepper hair, Hilton provided another — albeit extra of a grouchy one than the comfortable warrior who’s appeared on the marketing campaign path.

Hilton gave it his finest shot. Becerra ably deflected him.