A California gubernatorial debate was axed on Monday after public outcry over the all-white lineup of candidates. The University of Southern California was set to host the debate Tuesday night but said the controversy surrounding the event has “created a significant distraction from the issues that matter to voters,” the New York Times reported. The cancellation came after four candidates of color who were excluded from the stage held a press conference calling on the invited candidates to withdraw. The debate was set to feature six Democratic and Republican candidates—five of whom were leading in the polls and a sixth, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who has been polling at just 3 percent. “We are a minority-majority state, and the idea that the four candidates of color are not going to be on the stage to bring those perspectives, to really speak to those communities, is really not doing right by the voters,” Betty Yee, one of the candidates and former state comptroller, said. Political science professor Christian Grose, who developed the methodology to determine which candidates receive invites, said the formula was “objective,” and was based on polling, fundraising data, and the length of time in the race. Mahan, who received millions in backing from Silicon Valley elite, urged organizers to include the candidates of color.
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