Governor’s race: Sparks fly as San Jose mayor fends off rivals from left and right in first debate

The first major televised debate among leading candidates for California governor Tuesday saw the race’s newest entrant — San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan — draw fire from both ends of the political spectrum.

For most of the two-hour debate aired on KTVU in the Bay Area and KTTV in Los Angeles featuring a half dozen Democrats and one Republican, the candidates stuck to their campaign talking points with little acknowledgement of their rivals. Mahan was singled out by name by two of his rivals on the stage.