Becerra and Hilton to Face Off in Televised California Governor Debate NYT - Home Page By: Laurel Rosenhall 30 September 2026 at 14:10 Xavier Becerra, a Democrat who served in the Biden administration, will debate Steve Hilton, a Republican former talk show host, in whatβs likely to be their only face-off before the election. Β© Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York TimesXavier Becerra, left, and Steve Hilton will appear in their only scheduled debate on Wednesday night on CNN.