USC Cancels Gubernatorial Debate Amid Criticism for Excluding Candidates of Color
USC Cancels Gubernatorial Debate Amid Controversy Over Candidate Exclusion
The University of Southern California (USC) announced the cancellation of its planned gubernatorial debate on Monday night, less than 24 hours before the event, following widespread criticism regarding the exclusion of candidates of color.
In a statement released late Monday, USC emphasized its commitment to a "data-driven" formula for assessing candidate viability for the California gubernatorial race. However, the administration acknowledged that the criteria had become a "significant distraction from the issues that matter to voters."
USC stated, "We have made the difficult decision to cancel (Tuesday’s) debate and will look for other opportunities to educate voters on the candidates and issues."
The uproar surrounding USC’s selection criteria intensified last week when four excluded candidates—Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Betty Yee, and Tony Thurman—held a virtual news conference to denounce the university’s decision. They called for other candidates to boycott the debate in solidarity.
The group criticized USC’s new formula as "rigged," arguing it favored candidates who entered the race later, specifically pointing to San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who declared his candidacy in late January. Becerra remarked, “We ask each and every candidate who is in this race to recognize that if we can’t have a fair process for a debate, then we should all not participate.”
The four candidates also highlighted the disparity in representation, noting that Mahan, a white candidate with lower polling numbers than some excluded candidates, was invited to participate. Thurman expressed strong sentiments, stating, "California is the biggest and the most diverse state in the nation. To do something that has the effect of excluding the four candidates of color is really just criminal."
Prior to the cancellation, USC had determined through its “independent and objective” criteria that several candidates—Democratic candidate Tom Steyer, former Fox News host Steve Hilton, Rep. Eric Swalwell, former Congresswoman Katie Porter, Mayor Mahan, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco—had viable paths to participate. Meanwhile, Becerra, Villaraigosa, Yee, and Thurman did not meet the established threshold due to what USC described as “lower polling and fundraising scores.”
Despite a plea from the California Democratic Party chair for lower-performing candidates to withdraw to prevent vote-splitting, none of the four excluded candidates has indicated plans to suspend their campaigns. Thurman emphasized the openness of the race, remarking, “The reality is that no candidate is polling in a majority in this race. This race is wide open.”
