California Governor Race Heats Up: Democratic Candidates Face Off in San Diego
Six Democratic candidates running for governor in California gathered in San Diego for a labor forum, where they discussed the most pressing issues facing the state, including housing affordability, the cost of living, and healthcare cuts. The event, attended by approximately 150 California leaders from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), provided a platform for the candidates to showcase their experiences, policies, and visions for the state’s future.
Candidates Highlight Their Experience and Policies
Former state Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon, who recently entered the race, emphasized his experience as the first millennial elected to the state Legislature. “I feel like my experience and my passion uniquely positioned me in this race to ride a lane that nobody else can ride, being a millennial and being young and having a different perspective,” Calderon said. He also expressed his concerns about the state’s reliance on Washington, D.C., and the need to “D.C.-proof” California.
Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who also served as the state’s attorney general, argued that experience is crucial in the governor’s office. “Would you let someone who’s never flown a plane tell you, ‘I can fly that plane back to land’ if they’ve never done it before?” Becerra asked. He highlighted his history of taking on President Trump and leading the federal health bureaucracy during the pandemic.
Contrasting Views and Approaches
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has had a complex relationship with labor unions in the past, acknowledged the tensions but pledged to work with labor if elected governor. “I want you to know something about me. I’m not going to say yes to every darn thing that everybody comes up to me with, including sometimes the unions,” Villaraigosa said.
Other candidates, including former Rep. Katie Porter, State Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and former state Controller Betty Yee, also addressed the audience and answered questions about their policies and positions on key issues, such as supporting a proposed state constitutional amendment to help UC workers with down-payment loans for houses and walking picket lines with Kaiser health employees expected to go on strike.
AFSCME local leaders listening to former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra speak at a gubernatorial forum Saturday in San Diego.
(Seema Mehta / Los Angeles Times)
Next Steps and Endorsements
The union will consider an endorsement at a future conference, according to Matthew Maldonado, executive director for District Council 36, which represents 25,000 workers in Southern California. The gubernatorial field is still evolving, with rumors surrounding potential candidates such as billionaire businessman Rick Caruso and Sen. Alex Padilla.
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