WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KRON) — Hours after Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate, many candidates were back on the campaign trail.
California’s top candidates for governor square off in substantive debate
Former congresswoman Katie Porter was in Walnut Creek, speaking to voters at Rossmoor Adult Community. She spent about an hour answering questions about her proposed policies.
“I was undecided — not in other things, but in this I was,” said voter Carol Iantuono about the primary election.
Iantuono never misses an election. She said she was already confident she would vote for a Democrat, but wasn’t sure which one.
There are currently eight Democrats on the ballot. Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra have been leading in the polls, but after listening to Porter speak, Iantuono said she knows who she’s voting for.
“I would say there’s nobody better than her out there from what I can hear at this point,” Iantuono said after the event.
Porter talked about pushing back against the Trump administration’s policies, how AI can be used responsibly, as well as housing and child care concerns.
“I think she’s dealing with all of the issues — even some I hadn’t thought of,” Iantuono said.
Porter said her life’s work has focused on affordability, and as a single mom, she can sympathize with many Californians’ struggles.
“I’m really focused on what are the solutions,” Porter said. “So I rolled out concrete policies to lower housing costs, to reduce child care or eliminate child care costs, and to make UC and CSU tuition free.”
Porter said she is prioritizing talking directly with voters, something Iantuono said she appreciates.
She added she hopes events like this will encourage more people to go to the polls.
“I just think you’re setting the stage for what’s going to happen next, and there are a lot of things that are falling apart that need to be put back together if we can,” Iantuono said about the importance of the primary election.
The California gubernatorial primary will take place June 2.