Elex Michaelson and Kaitlan Collins will co-host CNN's California Gubernatorial debate. Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Paul Archuleta/Getty Images In a year with enormously consequential midterm elections, the most interesting election of all may be the race to succeed Gavin Newsom.
The unusual primary system of California, in which all candidates are listed and the top two move on to the general election regardless of party has raised the very real possibility that this fall could see two Republicans on the ballot, and no Democrats, with a multitude of Democratic candidates crowding the field and giving an opening to the two Republicans in the race: Former Fox News host Steve Hilton, and Riverside county sheriff Chad Bianco.
On Monday, President Trump may have helped alleviate those concerns by endorsing Hilton, potentially pushing Bianco down the ladder and giving an opening to a Democrat … if some of the candidates drop out.
But the race carries national importance, given California’s outsize place in the global economy, and its general influence in progressive politics.
Given that significance, CNN is giving California primetime placement, with plans to host a primary debate that will run across the country.
The debate will be moderated by Kaitlan Collins and the channel’s California-based anchor Elex Michaelson, and take place on Tuesday, May 5 at 6 p.m. PT. The eligibility requirements will include having “raised, contributed or loaned at least $1 million” to the campaign, and polling at least three percent among likely voters in two polls.
The requirements matter, as USC and KABC were forced to cancel a primary debate after the requirements instituted meant that no candidates of color were eligible. Given the number of Democrats in the race (Eric Swalwell, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Matt Mahan, Betty Yee and Tony Thurmond all have supporters), it is a challenging one to model for.
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