Blaming President Donald Trump for everything ailing your state has proved to no longer be a sound political strategy for Democrats. It’s the one Xavier Becerra, the Democratic nominee for California governor, chose anyway during the Sept. 30 debate aired on CNN.

The showdown between Becerra, the Health and Human Services secretary under former President Joe Biden, and Republican nominee Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host who has never held elected office, is the only one of its kind before Californians go to the polls on Nov. 3.

The debate itself was more about people who weren’t running than people who were. Hilton tied Becerra to current Gov. Gavin Newsom. Becerra continuously reminded viewers that Hilton, who has been endorsed by Trump, is simply going to do whatever the president wants. It was something that frustrated Hilton within the first 20 minutes of the debate.

“All you ever say is ‘Trump, Trump, Trump,’” Hilton said during a question on immigration. “That’s nothing but an insult to every Californian who is desperate for something to change in this state.”

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