MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
The candidates to be California's next governor sparred in a nationally televised debate on CNN. From member station KQED, Guy Marzorati reports Wednesday's debate is likely to be the only meeting between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton.
GUY MARZORATI, BYLINE: Becerra came into the debate with a wide lead in public polling. The former Health and Human Services secretary in the Biden administration had a clear strategy, invoke President Trump, who has endorsed Hilton.
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XAVIER BECERRA: Who's never balanced a budget the size of California, who's never actually been there to defend people against a tyrant like Donald Trump.
MARZORATI: Hilton is a former Fox News commentator who's looking to become the first Republican to win California's governorship in 20 years. He says the solution to California's problems is breaking the Democratic stranglehold on state government.
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STEVE HILTON: All you ever say is Trump, Trump, Trump.
BECERRA: No, let me...
HILTON: And that's nothing but an insult to every Californian who is desperate for something to change in this state. And all you're offering is more of the same.
MARZORATI: The two sparred over Hilton's signature proposal to slash state income taxes. Hilton wants no taxes on the first $150,000 of income, with cuts for higher earners, too.
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HILTON: I've been in every one of our 58 counties. The struggle that people face, with the highest cost of living in the country and the highest taxes - you want to ask them to continue to pay taxes at the same rate?
MARZORATI: Becerra argues the tax cut will blow a hole in the state budget.
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BECERRA: Which means, of course, you'll take it out of our schools. They'll take it out of healthcare. They'll take it out of housing and make the conditions even worse.
MARZORATI: California's next governor will face immediate questions about how to regulate the state's booming artificial intelligence industry. Hilton said Becerra isn't up for the task.
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HILTON: How can we possibly trust you on this when you are funded by big tech and AI?
MARZORATI: Becerra responded by pointing to his tenure as California's attorney general.
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BECERRA: You want an answer? The answer is, the reason you can trust me is because I have sued Meta, I have sued Amazon, I have sued Google. I have sued these very companies.
MARZORATI: The candidates found agreement on one issue. Both said they'll be voting against Proposition 40, the proposed wealth tax on California billionaires.
For NPR News, I'm Guy Marzorati in San Jose.
(SOUNDBITE OF ELECTRELANE'S "YOU MAKE ME WEAK AT THE KNEES") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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