LOS ANGELES — Organizers canceled a major televised debate for the June 2, 2026 California gubernatorial primary after an uproar over selection criteria that resulted in only six white candidates qualifying, with Black, Latino and Asian candidates excluded.

The University of Southern California said the debate selection dispute "created a distraction from the issues that matter to voters."

More than 50 candidates are on the ballot in the California gubernatorial race, including eight established Democrats and two leading Republicans. Twenty-four candidates identifying as Democrats are listed on the ballot.

California's top-two primary system places all candidates on the same ballot, with only the top two vote-getters advancing to the November general election, regardless of party affiliation. The primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026.

"Squabbles about debates or other inside baseball politics are likely under the radar for most voters and seem almost absurd, given what's facing us," said Kim Nalder, Director of the Project for an Informed Electorate at California State University, Sacramento.

Democrats have controlled the California state government for years. Democratic leaders in California have expressed concern about possibly losing a statewide election for the first time in two decades.

California, the most populous U.S. state, represents the world's fourth-largest economy. In 1998, Gray Davis won the primary against two leading Democratic candidates and then won the November general election for governor of California.