Are “Candidates of Color” Being Excluded From Upcoming USC/ABC7/Univision Governor’s Debate?
A controversy is erupting over an upcoming California gubernatorial debate hosted by USC and broadcast by ABC7 Los Angeles and Univision.
Debate organizers limited the stage to six candidates using a formula based on polling and fundraising. But the outcome immediately triggered accusations of bias after several candidates of color were excluded from the debate lineup.
In this episode, Jon Fleischman breaks down the numbers behind the decision — including the latest Public Policy Institute of California poll and the fundraising criteria used to determine who qualified.
Jon also examines the criticism from candidates like Xavier Becerra and Antonio Villaraigosa, who argue the process unfairly excluded them, and looks at whether those claims hold up when you examine the data.
Finally, Jon recalls a similar moment from the 2016 presidential primary, when a crowded Republican field forced debate organizers to split candidates into two separate debates.
Is this a real controversy — or just campaign politics in a crowded governor’s race?
All California politics. All the time.
