BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Sheriff Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton faced off Saturday at a governor's forum hosted by the California Young Republicans, where dozens attended to hear where the candidates stand on issues like homelessness, gas prices, and education.
Both candidates called for major changes to California's education system. Hilton argued the state is getting a poor return on its education spending.
"If you can't read, if you can't do math properly, it doesn't matter what the future holds in terms of AI or whatever else it is, you're not going to be able to succeed. We have some of the worst school results in the country, even though we spend the most," Hilton said.
Bianco pointed to reading scores among high school seniors as evidence the state is failing its students.
"High school seniors, less than 50% of high school seniors are at 6th grade reading level. We should be embarrassed in California that we are allowing this to happen," Bianco said.
When asked whether they would work with a Democratic-controlled legislature, the two candidates took different approaches. Hilton said he would enter the process with a mandate for change.
"I go into that process of working with the legislature with a mandate for change, a strong mandate for big change, because that's the platform I would have run on to take us in a different direction," Hilton said.
Bianco was more direct in his skepticism of working across the aisle.
"It is the broken Democrat agenda that put us in this position in the first place, so why would I want to work with them? They have to figure out that you all elected me for a different path and what are they going to do to make sure that we get along, that we get that path taken care of," Bianco said.
Other Democratic candidates in the race were not part of Saturday's event. Voter Aida Gel attended the forum and said being there in person made a difference.
"Having an in-person experience is always better. Kind of you feel the energy of the person and see their demeanor and um just a more intimate gathering is always, you know, more informative, I think," Gel said.
Several attendees said the forum helped them decide who they will support at the ballot box.
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