California governor debate canceled after
criticism of criteria that excluded candidates
of color
NBC News,
by
Adam Edelman
Original Article
Posted By: NorthernDog,
3/25/2026 9:03:40 AM
A California gubernatorial debate was canceled just hours before it was set to occur on Tuesday after mounting criticism that only white candidates in the crowded field had qualified for the event. The criteria to participate in the debate, which was set to be co-sponsored by the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles TV station KABC, had emerged in recent days as a source of controversy in the wide-open race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom. The sprawling field includes eight prominent Democrats and two major Republicans, as well as several other lesser-known candidates. USC had faced condemnation for
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Reply 1 - Posted by:
barbcrose 3/25/2026 9:41:49 AM (No. 2084626)
Hoist with their own petard!
11 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
Mcscow sailor 3/25/2026 9:43:17 AM (No. 2084628)
Another preference coming…incapable of qualifying under rules? No matter.
15 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
bpl40 3/25/2026 9:48:52 AM (No. 2084631)
The biggest excluder of candidates, applicants of color is merit. They are too scared to admit the truth.
13 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Echohawk 3/25/2026 9:49:56 AM (No. 2084632)
Of course, the people running the debates chose to cancel it. The two Republicans in the race are ahead of the dems.
22 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Kate318 3/25/2026 9:50:43 AM (No. 2084633)
Liberals excluding their pet victims because they are unqualified? Wow.
14 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Calvinesq 3/25/2026 10:14:34 AM (No. 2084655)
Dems made the rules for the California debates. How silly they look! Why Californians vote for these idiots at all is a mystery. Well, perhaps the don’t, given the electoral fraud that is slowly being uncovered.
Anyway, Hahahahaha!
16 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
padiva 3/25/2026 10:21:06 AM (No. 2084665)
Can the 2 Rep candidates agree on enough issues that they can combine their efforts? One for gov and one for Lt gov?
11 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
marbles 3/25/2026 10:22:33 AM (No. 2084668)
There goes NBC screaming " racist " when the truth was that they didn't qualify.
13 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
stablemoney 3/25/2026 10:32:43 AM (No. 2084677)
Hey, what about gay, transgender, CAIR, Arab terrorists, and other unrepresented groups?
12 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
Luandir 3/25/2026 10:56:06 AM (No. 2084685)
OP and #4 nail it. The hijinks are just beginning.
9 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
PrayerWarrior 3/25/2026 11:51:57 AM (No. 2084712)
Steve Hilton was on Fox and said the debate was canceled because the Dems in Sacramento didn't want the exposure. And they were right. Taxes out of sight, regulations that kill rebuilding, homeless poop on the streets, gas prices the highest in the nation, and on and on. The demonrats in control of CA don't want their policies debated.
7 people like this.
The primary election date is June 2. It's too early to exclude candidates from a debate.
2 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
DVC 3/25/2026 11:56:13 AM (No. 2084719)
No, it didn't exclude "candidates of color"......it excluded candidates of IRRELEVANCE who have no significant support.
9 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
voxpopuli 3/25/2026 3:20:16 PM (No. 2084786)
could they get gEORGE fLOYD entered..
not only a black guy, but DEAD..
that ought to liven it up a bit..
2 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
Ida Lou Pino 3/25/2026 3:55:44 PM (No. 2084799)
It should be mandatory - - obligatory - - for every American to vote for a Person Of Color.
And that doesn't include voting for white people who have a suntan. That's not the kind of color we're talking about. No - - we're talking about real skin pigment - - the only necessary qualification to hold public office.
The time is now - - let's pass skintone voting reform!
0 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
earlybird 3/26/2026 4:19:38 PM (No. 2085250)
Beecerra and Villaraigosa did not make the cut due to their low polling numgers. Becerra appare3ntly contacted his pals in Sacramento and he and they screamed "racism". USC got fed up and called the whole thing off. Than (mistakenly) got the blame.
1 person likes this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
earlybird 3/26/2026 4:28:26 PM (No. 2085252)
FTA:
"For Tuesday’s debate, USC and KABC had invited the five candidates who have largely been atop public polls in the race — Democrats Porter, Steyer and Swalwell and Republicans Bianco and Hilton — as well as Mahan to participate. Mahan trails other candidates in most of those surveys, but as the mayor of Silicon Valley’s hub city, he has quickly amassed a formidable financial war chest after jumping into the race late in January."
0 people like this.
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Comments:
Dems were delighted to cancel a debate that spotlights their track record and gives any exposure to the 2 Republican candidates.