With voting underway, a jumbled field of California governor candidates returns to the debate stage

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The jumbled field of candidates who want to be California’s next governor is returning to the debate stage Tuesday, just as mail voting kicked off.

Seven leading candidates — five Democrats and two Republicans — will face off for two hours in a televised matchup in a race that has no clear leader to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. It is the first time in a generation that California has a wide-open contest for the heavily Democratic state’s highest office, with more than 50 names on the ballot.

Candidates who qualified for the debate include the two leading Republicans, conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, and five Democrats, former Biden administration Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter,billionaire Tom Steyer, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The contest in the nation’s most populous state is unfolding as California struggles with a long-running homeless crisis, wildfire insurance shortages, projected budget shortfalls and staggering housing costs. Voters, meanwhile, are saddled with growing everyday bills for groceries, utilities and gas.

Republicans have been faulting the state’s dominant Democrats for the raft of challenges, including heavy taxes and regulation that has been driving out jobs. Meanwhile Democrats have been promising to stand up to President Donald Trump, who endorsed Hilton for the job and has a longstanding rift with the state.

With time running out to make an impression with voters, candidates will be jostling in hopes of gaining a breakout moment. Mail ballots began arriving at homes this week in advance of a primary election that concludes June 2.

Steyer — a hedge fund manager turned liberal activist — has tapped his personal fortune to finance a torrent of advertising but has not broken away from the field. Data compiled by advertising tracker AdImpact show Steyer has spent or booked nearly $150 million in ads for broadcast TV, cable and radio, dwarfing his competitors.

California puts all candidates on a single ballot and the two with the most votes go on to the November general election, regardless of party. Democrats have worried that their crowded field could result in two Republicans advancing, which would be a historic calamity for the party.

The GOP has not won a statewide election in California in two decades, and registered Democrats outnumber Republicans about 2-to-1 statewide.

The race was shaken up last month after the dramatic downfall of Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell over sexual assault allegations. When he left the race — and then Congress — he was among the leading contenders.

The debate is being hosted by CNN.

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Austin reported from Sacramento, California.