California’s affordability crisis takes center stage in LA’s gubernatorial debate

California’s already volatile gubernatorial race reached a boiling point Wednesday night in Los Angeles as candidates traded sharp attacks and starkly different visions on housing, the state’s insurance meltdown, and the much-delayed high-speed rail project.

The evening showdown at the Skirball Cultural Center came just hours after a separate LA mayoral debate and followed a heated CNN debate the night before that already showcased intensified personal tensions across the field.

The event was moderated by NBC4’s Colleen Williams and Conan Nolan alongside Telemundo 52’s Enrique Chiabra.

On stage were Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton, and Democrats Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, and Antonio Villaraigosa. With California’s “jungle primary” system in play, only the top two candidates on June 2 will move on to November, raising the stakes for every exchange.

Housing costs dominated the most substantive clashes of the night.

Steve Hilton, the former Fox News host, argued California must return to building “starter homes” to revive first-time homeownership. Tom Steyer, the billionaire Democrat, focused on speeding up permitting and pledged to close what he described as a corporate real estate loophole. Chad Bianco countered that the real issue is that builders themselves can’t afford to construct housing under California’s current system.

Xavier Becerra, a former Biden administration official, pushed for expanded down payment assistance and said he would block Wall Street from outbidding everyday buyers. Katie Porter warned bluntly about the human cost, saying she fears her teenage son could end up living on her couch due to rising prices, and backed a 5% down payment plan.

Matt Mahan pointed to San Jose as proof the state can deliver results, while Antonio Villaraigosa highlighted his tenure as Los Angeles mayor, claiming he streamlined permitting and helped transform 20,000 downtown units into 60,000. Hilton later took a swipe at Mahan, accusing him of “trying to remember his lines.”

The debate also turned sharply to California’s insurance crisis following the 2025 fires and widespread complaints about State Farm’s handling of claims. Becerra said his mother lost coverage unexpectedly and floated a controversial “freeze” on rates — prompting criticism from rivals who said a governor lacks that authority.

Porter rejected the idea outright, saying “we can’t afford to freeze rates,” and instead called for bringing insurers back into the market.

Mahan went further, saying, “The state of California broke the insurance market.” Hilton argued the system once worked under Republican leadership, while Steyer said insurers must be enticed back through hardened homes and reduced wildfire risk. Bianco warned, “The insurance companies are not going to come back if another democrat is elected.”

The tone was frequently personal, reflecting a race increasingly defined by friction.

Republicans Bianco and Hilton largely avoided attacking each other and even appeared aligned at points, while Democrats remained split as Becerra and Steyer jockeyed for position after the collapse of Eric Swalwell’s campaign. Villaraigosa struggled to gain traction, and Mahan attempted to carve out a centrist identity in a crowded field.

The event followed a CNN-hosted debate Tuesday night that already set a combative tone, with anchors Kaitlan Collins and Elex Michaelson steering a volatile exchange.

The broader backdrop to the debate was sobering: only about one in three Californians, 33% as of late 2024, still believe in the American Dream, often referred to locally as the California Dream.

With just weeks before the June 2 primary, the race remains wide open, fractured, and increasingly combative as candidates fight for just two spots on the general election ballot.