University cancels California governor debate after accusations of bias from candidates of color

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The University of Southern California canceled a gubernatorial debate planned for Tuesday after candidates of color, who would have been excluded, accused the school of discrimination.

Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, and Democrats Tom Steyer, Katie Porter, Eric Swalwell and Matt Mahan, who are all white, were slated to participate in the debate hosted by the University of Southern California and KABC-TV. But four established Democratic candidates of color, Antonio Villaraigosa, Xavier Becerra, Betty Yee and Tony Thurmond, didn't meet the criteria to participate.

No clear front-runner has emerged in the crowded race ahead of the June 2 primary.

The university has defended a formula used to select the participants and denied allegations of bias. A public policy professor independently developed the criteria based on candidates’ polling and fundraising, the university said in a statement Friday.

But the university reversed course Monday night, saying that the debate co-hosts couldn’t agree on a solution.

The "data-driven candidate viability formula is based on extensive research and enjoys broad academic support,” it said in a statement. “At the same time, we recognize that concerns about the selection criteria for tomorrow’s gubernatorial debate have created a significant distraction from the issues that matter to voters.”

The controversy escalated Monday when legislative leaders, including chairs of the Black and Latino caucuses, called on organizers to open the debate to the other established candidates.

“If USC does not do the right thing, we call on California voters to boycott this debate," they wrote. "If the university will not give voters a fair shot at evaluating everyone running for governor, voters should find other ways to learn about the candidates.”

Villaraigosa, a former Los Angeles mayor who is Latino, celebrated the university's decision to cancel the debate.

“USC made the right call, even if it came late and under pressure,” he said.