CNN will stage a two-hour California gubernatorial primary debate in Los Angeles on May 5, the network announced Tuesday, inserting a high-profile forum into the closing weeks of one of the nation’s most closely watched statewide contests. The event will begin at 6 p.m. Pacific, air live on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español, and be available to subscribers via the network’s streaming services. Anchors Elex Michaelson and Kaitlan Collins are set to moderate.
The network said it will use a mix of ballot-access and polling thresholds to decide which candidates may participate. To qualify, contenders must meet requirements set by the California secretary of state, have raised or contributed at least $1 million to their campaigns, and show at least 3% support in qualifying polls. The eligibility window closes at 6 p.m. on April 27; polls used for the 3% threshold must have been released between Feb. 1 and that deadline and must meet CNN’s methodological standards.
The debate replaces a previously scheduled event at the University of Southern California that was scrapped after organizers drew criticism for a selection formula that activists and some campaigns said unfairly excluded several major Democratic contenders. That earlier cancellation followed complaints the USC criteria left out top-tier candidates, including former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and California attorney general Xavier Becerra, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former state Controller Betty Yee. All four appear on CNN’s current list of declared or prominent Democratic contenders who could vie for the stage.
The Democratic field also includes San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former congresswoman Katie Porter, billionaire environmental investor Tom Steyer, Rep. Eric Swalwell of Dublin and others who have entered the crowded primary. On the Republican side, podcaster and former television host Steve Hilton — who received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump this week — and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are the principal statewide hopefuls named by the network’s release.
CNN’s selection criteria could shape which campaigns gain crucial early visibility and fundraising traction. The $1 million fundraising threshold will favor well-resourced or highly organized campaigns, while the 3% polling floor could leave out lower-profile entrants whose support is not yet captured in qualifying surveys. Campaigns have until April 27 to meet the standards and submit the polls that would be considered for participation.
The debate’s moderators, Michaelson and Collins, both have anchored major television news programs; their selection signals CNN’s intent to stage a nationally prominent event that can reach voters across California’s diverse media markets and beyond through international and Spanish-language feeds. With the primary approaching and party dynamics shifting — underscored by the recent Trump endorsement of Hilton among Republicans — the May 5 debate offers candidates a concentrated opportunity to introduce themselves to undecided voters and to clarify distinctions within both parties.
CNN’s announcement comes as campaigns scramble to meet newsroom and secretary-of-state requirements, and as the debate calendar for California’s vast and expensive contest continues to evolve. How many contenders ultimately meet the network’s thresholds will determine whether the stage mirrors the full breadth of the field or narrows the choices to those with established fundraising and polling heft.