California Governor’s Debate Canceled After Criticism Over Lack of Diversity

Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Supported by SKIP ADVERTISEMENT California Governor’s Debate Canceled After Criticism Over Lack of Diversity The debate would have featured six candidates, all white. The inclusion of a low-polling mayor drew scrutiny in particular. Listen · 4:14 min Share full article 0 By Laurel Rosenhall and Ali Watkins Laurel Rosenhall reported from Sacramento. March 24, 2026, 12:32 p.m. ET The University of Southern California canceled a gubernatorial debate less than 24 hours before it was supposed to take place Tuesday after facing outrage over including only white candidates. Concerns about the selection criteria “have created a significant distraction from the issues that matter to voters,” the university said in a brief statement provided Tuesday. U.S.C. and KABC, the Los Angeles television station that was broadcasting the debate, could not reach an agreement on how to allow more candidates, the university said. The debate had become a flashpoint in the sprawling race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is barred by term limits from running again. Eight Democrats and two Republicans have been the most prominent contenders in a large field running in the June 2 primary. Tuesday’s debate was scheduled to include six candidates — two Republicans and three Democrats who were polling at the top, as well as another Democrat, Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose. Mr. Mahan’s polling has been weak, but he has raised millions of dollars from Silicon Valley executives since he entered the race in late January. It was the inclusion of Mr. Mahan — who, like the other five debate participants, is white — that led to blowback from the prominent candidates of color who were left out. “We are a minority-majority state, and the idea that the four candidates of color are not going to be on the stage to bring those perspectives, to really speak to those communities, is really not doing right by the voters,” Betty Yee, a former state controller and one of the cand...