California Gubernatorial Primary: 8 Candidates Compete, Focus on Livelihood Economy
A television debate for the California gubernatorial primary was held on the 28th, with eight candidates fiercely debating issues such as commodity prices and housing prices. Billionaire Tom Steyer, who advocates for taxing the wealthy and corporations, is one of the main contenders. Polls show no clear frontrunner, indicating a tight race.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 09:11
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 09:31 (20 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 2, 2026 at 00:24 (38h 53m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency Reporter Lin Hung-han, Los Angeles 29th Exclusive Report) The U.S. California gubernatorial primary television debate on the 28th saw eight candidates fiercely clashing, focusing on commodity prices and housing prices, with no clear frontrunner in terms of support; billionaire Tom Steyer, who advocates for taxing the wealthy and corporations, is one of the main contenders.
The television debate was held at Pomona College in Claremont, Southern California, and broadcast by CBS Los Angeles, serving as an important platform for debate before the June gubernatorial primary.
This year is a U.S. midterm election year. In addition to congressional elections, 36 states will also hold gubernatorial elections at the end of the year, with voting in November. California's incumbent Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has been re-elected once and cannot run for a third term.
The gubernatorial primary adopts a 'non-partisan, top-two advance to general election' system, meaning all candidates are listed on one primary ballot, and the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election. It is also possible for candidates from the same party or a minority party to advance to the general election.
The television debate lasted 90 minutes, with the host asking questions, candidates responding within a time limit, and open cross-debates. With the election scattered and no clear frontrunner, the atmosphere was chaotic, with multiple fierce clashes occurring during the process, as candidates frequently interrupted and spoke over each other to gain exposure.
The debate focused on livelihood and economic pressures, including oil prices, housing prices, insurance, and homelessness. Most candidates promised to lower the cost of living, proposing measures such as limiting oil prices, suspending fuel taxes, or accelerating the construction of social housing, but most lacked specific implementation details.
In terms of political atmosphere, Republican candidates advocated for tax cuts and deregulation, criticizing that the long-term rule of the Democratic Party has led to continuously rising living expenses. Democratic candidates proposed policies to increase social housing and reduce medical expenses, emphasizing government intervention to improve livelihood issues.
Polls show that the gubernatorial primary is highly competitive, with candidates' support levels close and no clear frontrunner at present. Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer, with a net worth of 2.4 billion U.S. dollars (approximately 76 billion New Taiwan dollars), is one of the hot topics in the primary.
Steyer is running as an environmentalist, advocating for taxing the wealthy and corporations, repeatedly emphasizing that he is 'a rich person willing to tax the rich.' However, he has been questioned by opponents, who argue that he accumulated wealth through investments in fossil fuels, but is now using these funds for his election campaign, which is inconsistent with his stated environmental stance. (Edited by Tien Jui-hua) 1150430
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(Central News Agency Reporter Lin Hung-han, Los Angeles 29th Exclusive Report) The U.S. California gubernatorial primary television debate on the 28th saw eight candidates fiercely clashing, focusing on commodity prices and housing prices, with no clear frontrunner in terms of support; billionaire Tom Steyer, who advocates for taxing the wealthy and corporations, is one of the main contenders.
The television debate was held at Pomona College in Claremont, Southern California, and broadcast by CBS Los Angeles, serving as an important platform for debate before the June gubernatorial primary.
This year is a U.S. midterm election year. In addition to congressional elections, 36 states will also hold gubernatorial elections at the end of the year, with voting in November. California's incumbent Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has been re-elected once and cannot run for a third term.
The gubernatorial primary adopts a 'non-partisan, top-two advance to general election' system, meaning all candidates are listed on one primary ballot, and the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election. It is also possible for candidates from the same party or a minority party to advance to the general election.
The television debate lasted 90 minutes, with the host asking questions, candidates responding within a time limit, and open cross-debates. With the election scattered and no clear frontrunner, the atmosphere was chaotic, with multiple fierce clashes occurring during the process, as candidates frequently interrupted and spoke over each other to gain exposure.
The debate focused on livelihood and economic pressures, including oil prices, housing prices, insurance, and homelessness. Most candidates promised to lower the cost of living, proposing measures such as limiting oil prices, suspending fuel taxes, or accelerating the construction of social housing, but most lacked specific implementation details.
In terms of political atmosphere, Republican candidates advocated for tax cuts and deregulation, criticizing that the long-term rule of the Democratic Party has led to continuously rising living expenses. Democratic candidates proposed policies to increase social housing and reduce medical expenses, emphasizing government intervention to improve livelihood issues.
Polls show that the gubernatorial primary is highly competitive, with candidates' support levels close and no clear frontrunner at present. Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer, with a net worth of 2.4 billion U.S. dollars (approximately 76 billion New Taiwan dollars), is one of the hot topics in the primary.
Steyer is running as an environmentalist, advocating for taxing the wealthy and corporations, repeatedly emphasizing that he is 'a rich person willing to tax the rich.' However, he has been questioned by opponents, who argue that he accumulated wealth through investments in fossil fuels, but is now using these funds for his election campaign, which is inconsistent with his stated environmental stance. (Edited by Tien Jui-hua) 1150430
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.