CBS News California launches interactive governor's race candidate guide

CBS News California Investigates is launching an interactive tool to help voters navigate the crowded 2026 gubernatorial race, offering a deeper look at candidates' positions on a variety of topics ahead of an upcoming high-profile debate hosted by CBS-owned California stations. The California Governor's Race Candidate Guide compiles more than 20 hours of interviews with top-polling candidates and presents them in a side-by-side, issue-by-issue format. Developed by CBS News California Investigates, the guide provides the opportunity to compare full responses from the candidates to questions about a range of policy topics. The launch of the guide comes as the race for governor intensifies and ahead of an April 28 gubernatorial debate hosted by CBS-owned California stations in partnership with the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs (APAPA) and Pomona College. The debate is expected to feature one of the largest candidate fields in the election cycle, with Democrats Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, Tony Thurmond and Antonio Villaraigosa, as well as Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton. The interactive guide is intended to complement the debate. While debate formats often limit candidates to brief answers shaped by time constraints, the guide will give users the ability to select specific candidates and view their extended responses on each topic, which were drawn from in-depth interviews conducted over a six-month period. …