California gubernatorial candidates Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton are set to take the debate stage Wednesday evening for their first debate since advancing from the June primary.
Becerra, the former California Attorney General who most recently served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden Administration, and Hilton, a former Fox News host and U.K. political strategist, will face off in an hour-long CNN debate starting at 6 p.m. PDT.
Ahead of Wednesday night's debate, here's what recent polling shows about California's gubernatorial race.
Who has momentum? What polls show
Becerra has maintained a wide lead over Hilton in multiple polls since the June primary.
A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll released Sept. 24 found Becerra with 58% support
among likely voters, compared with 33% for Hilton. Another 9% remained undecided.
“These results suggest that Becerra is in a commanding position heading to November," IGS co-director Eric Schickler said in a statement. "With 2026 shaping up to be a strong Democratic year nationally, the headwinds facing Hilton in Democratic-leaning California are even stronger than usual."
A separate Public Policy Institute of California poll released about a week earlier found a similar advantage for Becerra, who received support from 60% of likely voters compared with 38% for Hilton. Becerra's lead in the September IGS poll also widened from August, when he led Hilton by 18 percentage points, 55% to 37%.
An August poll commissioned by Hilton's campaign painted a closer race, finding Becerra with 49.2% support among likely voters and Hilton with 41%, according to reporting from the California Post.
Recent polling has shown that California voters are sharply divided along party and ideological lines. The September IGS poll found Becerra led among Democrats, 90% to 3%, while Hilton led among Republicans, 90% to 4%.
Affordability: A key concern for voters
Recent polling suggests California's gubernatorial race may hinge on how candidates plan to address the state's affordability challenges.
According to the PPIC poll, 65% of voters said a candidate's position on affordability is very important in determining their gubernatorial pick.
In the most recent IGS poll, voters were presented with a list of issues and asked to identify their top two concerns. Reducing the cost of living ranked first at 44%, followed by fighting Trump administration policies at 37%. Those issues were followed by ensuring their party maintains or wins control of Congress (30%) and reducing taxes (24%).
Supporters of both candidates cite the cost of living and control of Congress as major concerns. However, Becerra's supporters are more focused on fighting Trump administration policies, while Hilton's supporters are more focused on reducing taxes. Among undecided voters, the cost of living remains the top concern.
How to tune into debate
The debate will stream live on CNN.com and through CNN's connected TV and mobile apps for CNN streaming and pay TV subscribers at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
After the debate has ended, it will be available on demand for CNN’s streaming and pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps, and other cable providers.
When is California’s general election?
California's general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
According to state officials, the last day to register to vote for California’s general election is Oct. 19. Counties will begin mailing ballots to registered voters no later than Oct. 5.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Where Becerra and Hilton stand in polls ahead of CNN governor debate
