On November 7, 2025, leading candidates for California governor will meet for a forum hosted by UC Riverside to discuss health care challenges faced by state voters.

The event, titled “Health Matters: A Conversation with California’s Next Governor,” is a nonpartisan forum organized by 11 California health-focused advocacy organizations committed to ensuring that every Californian has the opportunity to live healthy and well.

The state's primary election is on June 2, 2026 and the national midterm election is scheduled for November 3, 2026.

While the in-person forum is by invitation only, the UCR School of Medicine is one of several institutions across the state hosting an in-person watch party at the SOM Education Building II, Room 205. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, RSVPs are requested.

Doors will open at 1 p.m., and the telecast will run from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

Four gubernatorial candidates are confirmed to participate: Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles mayor and former speaker of the state assembly; and Betty Yee, former state controller. Moderators will be Paulette Brown-Hinds, founder and CEO of Voice Media Ventures, and Colleen Williams, anchor of NBC4 News.

For those unable to attend a watch party, the forum will be streamed by the event’s media partners, NBC4 LA and Telemundo 52.