Commentary: Who won the California governor debate on CNN? Here's what our columnists say

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For the third time in as many weeks, the leading candidates for California governor met on the debate stage Tuesday night.The latest installment was a two-hour session, hosted and carried live from Monterey Park by CNN.The debate marked the first time the candidates appeared before a national audience and came as mail ballots have begun arriving in homes throughout the state.Columnists Gustavo Arellano, Mark Z.

Barabak and Anita Chabria took in all 120 minutes, absorbed every zinger — scripted and otherwise — and dutifully observed each parry and thrust.Here’s what they took away:Arellano: Antonio Villaraigosa finally rises above his gubernatorial rivals.

Is it too late?I wrote my thoughts about this debate while writing my next columna on ...something, stopping to pay attention only when issues in my bailiwick like immigration and the failure of the Democratic Party were the subject of discussion.

The rest of the time, what the candidates said came off as one giant shout-fest straight out of the studios of the late, great Wally George, with everyone playing true to form.Chad Bianco raged, Steve Hilton tried to mask his MAGA-ness with his British accent.Katie Porter scolded, Tom Steyer channeled Bernie.

Xavier Becerra did his best impression of the old Bunsen character from “The Muppet Show.” Matt Mahan was just ...there.You know who sounded the best? Antonio Villaraigosa.Anyone who really knows the former L.A.

mayor has always seen him as Chicano Prince Hal, someone who doesn’t take himself as seriously as he should.His infidelities effectively killed his political career after his mayoral years; his consulting for the nutritional supplement company Herbalife made Villaraigosa a walking joke among too many Latinos I know.He has spent the last decade effectively embodying Marlon Brando’s famous quote in “On the Waterfront”: He coulda been a contender.

Even ...