This will be the only scheduled debate featuring the two California gubernatorial hopefuls before Election Day on November 8
San Francisco -- California's two candidates for governor, Democratic incumbent Gavin Newsom and his Republican challenger, Brian Dahle, have agreed to debate live at KQED in San Francisco on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, at 1 p.m. PT. The debate will be broadcast live via KQED Public Radio 88.5 with video to be streamed live from KQED's website and social channels, and will be televised on KQED Public Television 9 at 6 p.m.
The debate will be moderated by KQED senior politics editor Scott Shafer and KQED politics correspondent Marisa Lagos, who also are co-hosts of Political Breakdown. This is the only debate that Newsom and Dahle will participate in before voters choose a governor to lead the state of nearly 40 million people on November 8.
The conversation will not feature a live in-person audience, though KQED will solicit questions for the candidates ahead of time from the public. It will be conducted in a format similar to previous debates KQED has hosted: a directed conversation, not subject to strict debate timelines and rules.
"We live in an era of echo chambers and siloed political messaging, which means civic discourse and public debate are more valuable than ever," said Ethan Toven-Lindsey, KQED's vice president of news. "We are proud to be able to provide a space for these two candidates to share their differing visions for all Californians."