Overview
- USC, which canceled the Tuesday debate late Monday, said criticism of its participation rules had become a distraction and said it could not reach agreement with co-host KABC on expanding the stage.
- The university used a formula by USC professor Christian Grose that weighed polling and fundraising, producing a six-person, all-white lineup and excluding four established candidates of color.
- The invited group was Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco and Democrats Katie Porter, Eric Swalwell, Tom Steyer and Matt Mahan, while Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Betty Yee and Tony Thurmond were left out.
- Excluded candidates urged a boycott and legislative leaders pressed USC to add them, while Becerra praised the cancellation and dozens of academics publicly defended Grose’s methodology.
- Fresh polling released by state Democrats shows Republicans still leading in a crowded field, renewing concern that California’s top-two system could yield a GOP-only November, as campaigns weigh alternate forums and a Nexstar debate slated for April 22 before mail ballots go out in early May.