Candidates Debate for California Governor's Seat at Bayview Opera House

Seven candidates vying for California's top job faced off in a debate hosted by the Black Action Alliance in San Francisco's historic Bayview neighborhood.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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On Tuesday, February 3, seven candidates for California governor took the stage at the Ruth Williams-Bayview Opera House in San Francisco for a debate hosted by the Black Action Alliance (BAA) in partnership with local media outlets. The debate featured a range of candidates, including former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, San Jose mayor Matt Mahan, former California state controller Betty Yee, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, political commentator Steve Hilton, entrepreneur Tom Steyer, and California's superintendent of public instruction Tony Thurmond. Key issues discussed included housing, crime, immigration, climate change, health care, and homelessness.

Why it matters

The gubernatorial debate provided a crucial opportunity for voters to hear directly from the candidates vying to lead the nation's most populous state. With California facing significant challenges around housing affordability, public safety, and social services, the debate allowed the candidates to outline their visions and policy proposals for addressing these critical issues, particularly within the context of the Bay Area's diverse communities.

The details

The debate was moderated by a team of local TV news reporters and covered a range of pressing topics. Candidates discussed plans to increase housing production, tackle crime and homelessness, address climate change, and reform health care and other social services. For example, Tony Thurmond proposed building 2.3 million new housing units by placing 12 units on each parcel of available land in California's 58 counties, while Tom Steyer advocated for having billionaires pay their fair share of taxes.

  • The debate took place on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
  • California's primary election will be held on June 2, 2026.
  • The general election will take place on November 3, 2026.

The players

Antonio Villaraigosa

Former mayor of Los Angeles.

Matt Mahan

Mayor of San Jose.

Betty Yee

Former California state controller.

Xavier Becerra

Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former attorney general of California.

Steve Hilton

Political commentator and political adviser.

Tom Steyer

Entrepreneur.

Tony Thurmond

California's superintendent of public instruction.

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What they’re saying

“This debate was a great way to see who has great ideas and who has substance.”

— Gonzalez (postnewsgroup.com)

“It's important to have the debate within a community that requires the most.”

— Linda Fadekye, Business leader (postnewsgroup.com)

“The Black Action Alliance (BAA) stands for practical, community-driven solutions that strengthen public safety, address homelessness, support small businesses, expand affordable housing, and ensure access to quality education—issues at the heart of the Black experience in the Bay Area.”

— Loren Taylor, CEO of BAA (postnewsgroup.com)

What’s next

California's primary election will take place on June 2, 2026, and the general election will be held on November 3, 2026.

The takeaway

The gubernatorial debate in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood provided a valuable platform for candidates to engage directly with the diverse communities that will be impacted by the next governor's policies. The discussion of key issues like housing, public safety, and social services underscored the importance of ensuring that all Californians have a voice in the political process.