The University of Southern California canceled a planned gubernatorial primary debate hours before it was due to start on March 24, following criticism over the lack of racial diversity in its invited candidates. Lawmakers had demanded an expansion of the participant list, threatening a voter boycott if changes were not made. The decision leaves voters without the high-profile forum amid a crowded race to replace Governor Gavin Newsom.
The University of Southern California’s Dornsife Center for the Political Future had scheduled the debate for March 24, inviting six candidates: Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, and Democrats Tom Steyer, Katie Porter, Eric Swalwell, and Matt Mahan. Several prominent Democratic candidates of color were excluded, including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former State Controller Betty Yee, and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. USC initially defended the selections as based on a data-driven formula developed by a university professor, which considered polling and fundraising data in a race lacking a clear frontrunner, with no candidate above 20% in recent polls and many clustered in single digits. Critics, including California legislative leaders, argued the method produced a skewed outcome. In a letter to USC President Beong-Soo Kim, the lawmakers stated, “Every excluded leading candidate—Xavier Becerra, Betty Yee, Tony Thurmond, and Antonio Villaraigosa—is a person of color.” They added, “When a methodology produces this outcome … the burden falls on USC to explain itself, not on everyone else to accept it,” and called for a boycott if the university did not revise its criteria: “If USC does not do the right thing, we call on California voters to boycott this debate.” Late on March 24—referred to as late Monday in the coverage—USC announced the cancellation after failing to agree on expanding the lineup. In a statement, the university said, “We recognize that concerns about the selection criteria … have created a significant distraction from the issues that matter to voters.” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, one of the invitees whose late entry and donor support drew scrutiny, opposed the move, posting on X, “The answer isn’t to cancel debates, it’s to hear all voices.” Excluded candidate Antonio Villaraigosa welcomed it, writing, “USC made the right call, even if it came late and under pressure.” The incident unfolds in California’s top-two primary system for the June 2, 2026, election, where all candidates appear on one ballot and the top two advance, raising Democratic fears of vote-splitting favoring Republicans.
