San Francisco hosts televised California gubernatorial debate as candidates press cases ahead of June primary election
A major campaign milestone in the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom
San Francisco hosted a televised California gubernatorial debate on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, as candidates competing to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom sought to define their agendas ahead of the state’s June 2 primary election. The event was held at the Ruth Williams Bay View Opera House in the Bayview district and was scheduled as a live broadcast from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The debate aired in California’s two largest media markets—the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles—through local television partners and a companion streaming option. The program was moderated by three local television journalists.
Who took the stage
The debate lineup brought together a mix of Democratic and Republican contenders and included current officeholders, former statewide and federal officials, and candidates from outside elective office.
- Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles mayor
- Betty Yee, former California state controller
- Xavier Becerra, former U.S. secretary of health and human services and former California attorney general
- Steve Hilton, political commentator and former political adviser
- Tom Steyer, entrepreneur
- Tony Thurmond, California state superintendent of public instruction
- Matt Mahan, San Jose mayor
The participants reflected a field that has continued to take shape in early 2026, with additional candidates running separate campaign schedules and competing for attention, endorsements, and fundraising.
Format, location, and civic co-hosts
The Bay View Opera House setting placed the debate in one of San Francisco’s historically significant neighborhoods. Community organizations co-hosted the event, positioning it as a forum intended to elevate issues raised by residents and civic leaders, including topics that frequently dominate statewide campaigns such as housing affordability, homelessness, public safety, and economic costs.
The June 2, 2026 primary will send the top two vote-getters—regardless of party—to the November 3, 2026 general election.
What is at stake next
California’s primary and general-election calendar creates immediate pressure for candidates to consolidate support well before late spring, particularly in a large state where paid media and statewide travel are costly and where early debate moments can shape name recognition. With Newsom barred from seeking another term under California’s gubernatorial term limits, the debate served as an early, statewide stage for contenders seeking to demonstrate readiness for executive leadership and to differentiate themselves within a crowded field.
The next major benchmark is the June primary, when the state’s top-two system will narrow the race to two finalists for the November election.