A debate for California's governor's race, which is currently competitive, was an awkward moment when moderators asked the four Democrats and two Republicans on stage to grade Gavin Newsom on his efforts to tackle the state's homelessness crisis. Several candidates gave mealy-mouthed responses, while others gave measy-moutshed answers to the governor, who had previously said he planned to watch the debate. Democrat San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan initially refused to give any grade, but ultimately said he would give Newsom a "B" for his efforts on homelessness. Democrat ex-Rep. Katie Porter also gave Newsom an "A" grade, while Republican candidate Steve Hilton criticized Newsom's efforts to address the issue as a drug and mental health issue. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra praised Newsom for his performance, giving him the highest marks on homelessness by giving him an “A” grade.