In an announcement, the university acknowledged that it canceled the debate because its selection criteria had \u201ccreated a significant distraction from the issues that matter to voters.\u201d That selection criteria was based on a combination of polling and fundraising, a fairly standard measure of potential success. Unfortunately for Democrats who want to project an image of diversity (even if all their leading candidates in this race are white), this effectively excluded former HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Superintendent Tony Thurmond, and former State Controller Betty Yee from the debate. That\u2019s racist, criteria! Bad criteria, bad.<\/p>\n
![\"PASADENA,](\"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2258201958-864x576.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMatei Horvath\/Getty Images for California Environmental Voters<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The problem that faced California Democrats presages the racial challenge they\u2019re going to face in 2028, when their debate stage will almost certainly be dominated by white candidates. California\u2019s own Gavin Newsom, former Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly all routinely rank in the top ten candidates in early polling for 2028. The only non-white candidates who share the same status are \u201cfalling out of a coconut tree\u201d 2024 disaster Kamala Harris and Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Maybe if Jasmine Crockett had more of an opportunity in Texas, she\u2019d sneak into the top ten \u2014 but no, the party chose another bland-looking white guy because they think that\u2019s what dumb voters want.<\/p>\n
Republicans would be wise to recognize the opportunity here. Having built an elitist left coalition overwhelmingly dependent on identity politics above all else \u2014 while offering minority voters nothing of substance when they hold power \u2014 Democrats are ripe to correct for Kamala in 2028 and nominate some white guy who they think is \u201csafe\u201d from a pool of candidates who all have to wear SPF 70 and above. When all the left has to offer is checking a racial box, it leaves an opening for the right to build on Donald Trump\u2019s success in attracting voters who are tired of the visual pandering California Democrats think is more important than actual policy. If what they have to offer in 2028 connects with what people actually care about, maybe they can even do it with a white guy from Ohio. And as Kamala Harris showed us, play stupid DEI games, win stupid DEI prizes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n