Top candidates for California governor spar over wealth, experience and race in fiery debate
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SAN FRANCISCO — With the California governor’s race quickly approaching, six candidates fiercely sparred over wealth, experience and race Wednesday evening in the first televised debate since former Rep.Eric Swalwell dropped out of the running amid sexual assault and misconduct allegations.Democrat Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund founder turned climate change activist, was frequently attacked over how he made his wealth, which he is using to fund his gubernatorial bid.
Republican Steve Hilton, a former conservative commentator, was painted as a dilettante backed by President Trump.Former U.S.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, was labeled a D.C.insider whose actions don’t match his words.“We don’t need a billionaire who made his money in private prisons and oil and gas that he’s now supposedly against, or Trump’s handpicked candidate, or a D.C.
insider who the Sacramento establishment is now [embracing],” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan.Steyer, who has contributed $133 million to his own campaign, later said that although he may be the only billionaire on the stage, he was not the sole wealthy person or corporation trying to tilt the race, a clear reference to the backers of an independent expenditure committee supporting Mahan that is largely funded by Silicon Valley tech leaders.“The billionaires and corporations are spending big in this race to oppose me and to support the other people on this stage,” Steyer said, noting that oil companies dropped $5 million against him on Wednesday, which is Earth Day.“I’m the billionaire who wants to tax other billionaires.
I’m the billionaire who’s taking on the electric monopolies and trying to break up their power.I’m the billionaire who wants to tax the oil companies and make polluters pay.” Becerra, in his first major appearance since surging in the race, misspoke w...