Gubernatorial candidates address Black voters

Seven of California’s candidates for governor participated in a forum on Wednesday directly addressing the needs of Black voters.

The California Black Power Network invited all gubernatorial candidates to join in on Wednesday’s event. The forum, held on Zoom, offered participants timed responses to moderator questions — a contrast to Tuesday’s Pomona College debate, mired by cross-talk.

Among the Democrats in attendance were former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; current San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan; former hedge fund manager Tom Steyer; and acting chief for state schools Tony Thurmond. Green Party candidate Butch Ware, Peace and Freedom Party candidate Ramsey Robinson and Nancy Young, an independent, comprised the remaining participants.

Thurmond makes case to be state’s first Black governor
The state superintendent for public education highlighted his restorative justice work in education during the forum. He launched a task force in 2021 to study Black student achievement and sponsored a 2024 bill that banned willful defiance suspensions, which targets marginalized students. Thurmond has proposed amendments to Proposition 13 that would raise property taxes on large corporations as a means to funding education in the state.

The Los Angeles Times named Thurmond as the MVP of Tuesday’s debate in Southern California, but he continues to poll no higher than 2%. Tom Bradley remains the closest a Black candidate has been to becoming California governor. Voters in 1982 defied polling that showed Bradley, the first Black mayor of Los Angeles, in the lead.

The discrepancy between poll predictions and voter outcomes for candidates from marginalized communities has since been referred to as the Bradley effect.

“For any Black candidate to win,” Thurmond said on Wednesday, “is an uphill battle because of the way things are set up.”

Ware takes aim at Steyer
Ware, the Green Party’s vice presidential pick in 2024 and current history professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, made reference to Steyer’s billionaire status throughout Wednesday’s forum.

When asked if he would abolish prisons in California, Ware called himself an abolitionist and called for funding toward restorative justice programs. He described the lack of labor rights in prisons to chattel slavery.

“We have seen certain individuals — some even on this panel — profiteering from private prisons,” Ware said.

Steyer co-founded the hedge fund Farallon Capital in 1986. The company held almost $100 million in shares in 2005 for private prisons that are now aiding federal immigration crackdowns. He sold his stake in the company in 2012 and told the Los Angeles Times during his 2019 presidential run that he regrets the investments.

Speaking on Wednesday about rehabilitative policies as alternatives to harsh prison sentences, Steyer said, “I’ve done what I can to redeem myself, and that’s why I try and make sure that everyone else in California gets a chance too.”

Mahan skeptical of reparations
All candidates participating in the forum agreed that the state owes Black Californians compensation for centuries of systemic racism, in line with the findings of the state’s reparations task force. Candidates such as Ware and Robinson vouched for cash payments; others made the case for amends through policy work.

Mahan argued that Proposition 209, which bans government affirmative action programs, could restrict the state from taking bold action. He instead suggested the state apply a “racial equity lens” toward policymaking as a way of closing disparities between California residents.

“I’m not going to support legislation that’s just going to offer false hope,” Mahan said, “and then be mired in the courts for years and ultimately struck down.”

Chris Ramirez is an intern with Capitol Weekly’s Public Policy Journalism Internship program.