Biggest Moments of Tuesday Night’s California Governor’s Debate

California candidates faced off Tuesday night in the fourth major gubernatorial debate of the year. Here are the top 10 standout moments of the night.

On Gas Prices:  

Lightning Round: Each candidate said “yes” or “no” to a gas tax.

Katie Porter interrupted Tom Steyer, accusing him of hypocrisy, alleging that he benefited from fossil fuel investments as he argued that fossil fuels are part of why the Palisades fires are so bad.

Tom Steyer says the war in Iran has driven up gas prices, leading to extraordinary profits for oil companies and high costs for Californians at the pump.

On Fire Management: 

Steve Hilton accuses former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra of not knowing what a state of emergency is, saying, “We can’t have a governor who doesn’t understand how the government works.” Becerra hit back, calling Hilton a “talking head.”

Chad Bianco criticizes Democrats for their mismanagement of the Palisades fires.

On Housing Affordability:

Bianco says, “We have a group of 20-year-old kids here, and we’re lying to them,” in reference to his claim that college-aged Californians won’t be able to afford living in the state.

On Education:

A student asks candidates, “What steps would you take to tackle the rising cost of education and bring jobs back to the state of California?”

On Homelessness: 

When asked whether they would recommend mandatory treatment for homeless individuals refusing housing during a yes-or-no lightning round, candidates all responded “yes.”

Steve Hilton says his goal is to “enforce the law [and] get people into drug and alcohol treatment.” He called for increased funding for the homeless in order to “treat them in mental health facilities, not jail.”

On Governance:

Bianco says he’s “not scared of anything,” but then said, “But actually, I’m terrified that one of these people is going to be your next governor.”

This debate took place just five weeks before the June primary, where Californians will vote on their top two candidates.