CBS California is turning Pomona College into the center of the political universe for one night, hosting a live gubernatorial debate at Bridges Auditorium on Tuesday, April 28, starting at 5:30 p.m. PDT. A 30-minute special will kick things off at 5 p.m., with the broadcast set to beam out to audiences across California's biggest media markets.
What to expect
According to CBS Los Angeles, the debate is being co-hosted by the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs Association and will feature a lineup drawn from the top candidates in recent polling. CBS notes that the scheduling is no accident: the event lands just five days before Primary Election ballots are mailed to registered voters, giving campaigns a tightly timed, televised stage to make their case.
Where it's held
The debate will unfold inside Bridges Auditorium on Pomona College's Claremont campus, a long-running performance venue that regularly hosts concerts and public events. Pomona College lists the hall at 450 N. College Way and provides box-office and visitor details for campus goings-on; per Pomona College, Bridges is one of the institution's primary gathering spots.
Moderators and format
The moderator slate pulls from CBS newsrooms up and down the state, along with a local academic voice. On stage will be CBS Los Angeles anchor Pat Harvey, CBS San Francisco anchor Ryan Yamamoto, CBS Sacramento anchor Tony Lopez, CBS News California Investigates correspondent Julie Watts, and Pomona College politics professor Sara Sadhwani.
CBS Los Angeles quoted Jennifer Mitchell, president of CBS Television Stations, as saying, "Our CBS stations serve California's biggest markets, giving us a unique ability to bring this debate across the state." APAPA national president Sonny Mehrtash described the event as a nonpartisan forum designed to let candidates address issues side by side.
Why it matters
For campaigns and voters still weighing their options, the April 28 debate is positioned as one of the last big, shared moments before ballots start leaving county election offices. Holding the forum on a college campus also signals a push to engage younger and first-time voters while contenders deliver their closing arguments across a patchwork of regional media markets.
CBS stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Fresno, and Santa Barbara will carry the debate. Viewers are encouraged to check local station sites for livestream and scheduling specifics as the date gets closer. Circle it on the calendar: April 28 at 5:30 p.m. PDT for a side-by-side look at the race that organizers say will play out live, in full view of the state.
