Commentary: Who won and who lost in Thursday night's California gubernatorial debate? Our columnists weigh in

"That's pretty much how California voters have reacted to this primary. In an era where politics are far too often about choosing the least worst option, voters in this election are left with the political version of the Angels baseball team. No candidate has polled higher than 20-some percent - a testament to how many are in the running, but also an indication that none of them has truly captured the zeitgeist of today's California."

"This year's debates have done little to catapult anyone to the top, and tonight was more of the same. I still don't know who I'm going to vote for, and no one inspired me to side with them. No one offered a clear vision of how they would pull Californians out of a spiritual malaise that has so many of us leaving the state, or thinking about leaving."

"Instead, what I heard too many of the candidates evoke was the glories of the past - their past. Antonio Villaraigosa's closing remarks made a mantra out of "Dream with me," a slogan he used back when he was L.A. mayor - that was 13 years ago. Xavier Becerra bragged about how he stood up to President Trump as California attorney general - that was five years ago."

"Near the end of the debate, co-moderator and San Francisco Examiner editor-in-chief Schuyler Hudak Prionas groaned as candidates talked over each other while trying to answer a question that was supposed to elicit a yes or no response. That's pretty much how California voters have reacted to this primary."

A televised debate in San Francisco featured leading contenders for California governor, with candidates trading rhetorical attacks and policy proposals. Voters are portrayed as reacting similarly to the debate’s confusion, including candidates talking over one another during questions meant to require yes-or-no answers. The primary is characterized as a choice among the least worst options, with no candidate polling above the low 20 percent range. Debates are described as not elevating anyone to the top or providing a clear reason to vote. The candidates are said to emphasize past achievements and slogans rather than offering a convincing plan to address California’s spiritual malaise and concerns about leaving the state.

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