California Candidate Questionnaire

Compartir

State Gubernatorial

  • Xavier Becerra (D)
  • Chad Bianco (R)
  • Steve Hilton (R)
  • Matt Mahan (D)
  • Katie Porter (D)
  • Thomas Steyer (D)
  • Eric Swalwell (D)
Back to State Race Listings

Access to Cancer Screening and Early Detection

Will you support policies that eliminate cost-sharing, including deductibles and co-pays, for evidence-based cancer screening and follow-up diagnostic testing so Californians can access lifesaving early detection?

Xavier Becerra

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Chad Bianco

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Steve Hilton

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Matt Mahan

Yes

I support policies that eliminate cost-sharing for evidence-based cancer screening and medically necessary follow-up diagnostic testing. Early detection only works if patients can complete the full pathway from screening to diagnosis. A free screening does not help enough if the next test needed to confirm cancer is delayed by a deductible, co-pay, prior authorization barrier, or confusing insurance process. This fits my broader view that California’s health system revolves too heavily around paperwork and profits instead of patients. We should be cutting administrative waste, not care. That means making it easier for Californians to get recommended screenings, ensuring follow-up diagnostic testing is covered, and preventing insurers from using bureaucracy to delay care. The tests exempt from cost-sharing should be those proven to improve early detection, reduce late-stage diagnoses, and lower long-term treatment costs. We should actively monitor costs, utilization, and outcomes to hold ourselves accountable to improving patient results. I support eliminating cost barriers to evidence-based cancer screening and follow-up diagnostics, alongside stronger accountability for insurers, better provider access, and a healthcare system that puts patients first. No one should delay or skip a recommended cancer screening or diagnostic follow-up because of cost.

Katie Porter

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Thomas Steyer

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Eric Swalwell

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Back to Top

Protecting and Strengthening Medi-Cal

Will you oppose policies that reduce Medi-Cal eligibility or create administrative barriers, and support policies that ensure timely access to cancer screening and treatment?

Xavier Becerra

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Chad Bianco

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Steve Hilton

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Matt Mahan

Yes

I understand how high the stakes are for cancer patients, where stable health coverage can be the difference between early and late detection. A missed renewal notice, confusing paperwork requirements, or unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles should not be the reason someone loses access to care. That is why I oppose policies that reduce Medi-Cal eligibility or create administrative barriers, and support practical reforms that improves lives, expands eligibility, and removes administrative barriers. My healthcare agenda focuses on expanding provider capacity, strengthening the healthcare workforce pipeline, and cutting administrative waste so public dollars are going toward care rather than paperwork. As Governor, I will conduct a comprehensive progress audit identifying waste, fraud, and abuse across our budget, and especially in our healthcare system. After identifying where we have spent inefficiently, I will utilize the additional funds to implement proven policies that save lives and benefit patients, especially policies that would ensure timely access to cancer screening and treatment. California also has to prepare for federal disruption. I will oppose policies from Washington that reduce Medi-Cal eligibility, strain our system, and make it more difficult to provide adequate treatment to cancer patients. We cannot control every decision made in Washington. However, we can make our system more efficient in order to provide the services people need with the resources we do have. That is why, as Governor, I will reduce inefficiency in our healthcare system so that all Californians can actually access the preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services they need.

Katie Porter

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Thomas Steyer

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Eric Swalwell

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Back to Top

Tobacco Prevention Funding

Will you protect, increase, and sustain funding for life-saving tobacco prevention and cessation programs in California?

Xavier Becerra

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Chad Bianco

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Steve Hilton

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Matt Mahan

Yes

I support protecting, increasing, and sustaining funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs in California. Tobacco remains one of the clearest preventable causes of cancer, and prevention is exactly the kind of upstream healthcare investment California should prioritize. We should not wait until people are sick and then spend far more treating advanced disease when we can prevent addiction and cancer earlier. This approach is consistent with my broader healthcare philosophy: cut waste, invest in what works, and build a system focused on patients and outcomes. Tobacco prevention dollars should be protected from being diverted to unrelated purposes, and they should be targeted toward programs with measurable public health impact. That includes youth prevention, cessation services, public education, enforcement against illegal sales to minors, and outreach in communities that have been disproportionately harmed by tobacco use and tobacco marketing. There are real implementation challenges. Prevention funding can be vulnerable during tight budget years, and tobacco tax revenue may decline over time if public health efforts succeed. That is a good problem from a health perspective, but it means the state should plan for sustainable funding rather than treating prevention as optional. As governor, I would support sustained and increased tobacco prevention and cessation funding because it saves lives, reduces cancer risk, and lowers long-term healthcare costs by preventing disease before it starts.

Katie Porter

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Thomas Steyer

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Eric Swalwell

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Back to Top

Tobacco Tax and Revenue

Will you support increasing taxes on all tobacco and nicotine products, including emerging products like nicotine pouches, and dedicating that additional revenue to tobacco prevention and cessation programs?

Xavier Becerra

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Chad Bianco

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Steve Hilton

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Matt Mahan

Yes

I support increasing taxes on tobacco and nicotine products, including emerging products like nicotine pouches, and dedicating the additional revenue to tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Taxes on these products are a public health investment, and will save us money in the long run by reducing youth initiation, helping current users quit, and fund prevention and cessation programs. While I’m generally skeptical of imposing new taxes at a time when tax rates and overall cost of living in California are both very high, the effectiveness of tobacco taxes are widely documented and are a good investment for our state. At the same time, the state should be honest about implementation concerns. Tobacco taxes can be regressive, and illicit or untaxed sales can undermine the policy. That is why any increase should be paired with accessible cessation services, targeted outreach, and strong enforcement against illegal sales, especially to minors. The goal is not to punish people struggling with addiction; the goal is to reduce addiction, prevent cancer, and make it easier for people to quit. As governor, I would support increasing taxes on tobacco and nicotine products when the revenue is dedicated to prevention, cessation, youth protection, and enforcement. California should close loopholes, protect young people, and use the revenue to reduce cancer risk.

Katie Porter

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Thomas Steyer

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Eric Swalwell

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Back to Top

This candidate has not yet responded to the ACS CAN questionnaire.

Disclaimer: This questionnaire is for informational and educational purposes only and is intended to educate voters on candidates’ stances on issues relevant to our organization’s mission. ACS CAN is strictly nonpartisan and does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views expressed in these responses are solely those of the candidates and do not reflect the views or positions of ACS CAN.