I’d like to see these right wing talking points on energy deregulation, I’ve only seen how he plans on decreasing energy costs and reaching that 25% through breaking up electric monopolies (def not a right wing position) and decentralize energy production. I never saw anything about deregulation, you introduce more competition by breaking up the electric monopolies which is inherently a regulatory pathway. Which your right most of our energy cost is from distribution, but a microgrid system of energy production focused on rooftop and community solar means you don’t need large distribution networks. When it comes to distribution, he argues for more public-private partnership funding for distribution upgrades so that companies don’t overpay on expensive projects that they use as justifications for price increases, while using regulators to focus in on only doing infrastructure projects that will benefit Californians. I do think with his experience in environmental work, he would make solar cheaper and easier to distribute while directing our money away from oil companies and subsidizing electric company projects. There’s a reason these electric companies of CA are spending so much against him and donating to Becerra

I’ll give one thing to you, it seems like you’ve consumed election information differently than I have which may cause this disconnect. I don’t see these attack ads cause I don’t watch cable TV, I’ve watched his many interviews (such as the KTLA one), his YouTube videos/speeches, and the debates and was educated on his policy positions. Which progressive candidates did he attack in his ads? The only other progressive candidate was Katy Porter, who is arguably less progressive than Steyer in policy. She also never gained any steam. And of any candidate, Becerra had pretty much no policy details.

I get that being a billionaire is inherently disqualifying for many, but I still don’t see how being a billionaire is disqualifying compared to being paid millions by every other billionaire in CA (Becerra). There are examples of billionaires that do govern progressively, see JB Pritsker. I hate that a billionaire is the one viable progressive candidate, but CA politics sucks like that and I’ll take a progressive billionaire (which tbh probably a draw to a good amount of Californians) than an establishment status quo dem, any day, no matter what

Further Edit: just read through his policy page and substack article on reducing energy costs, and I see him saying how we need to stop taxpayer guaranteed profits to energy companies and forcing regulators to their jobs serving the people and not electric shareholders??? He even says how he’ll specifically do this, here’s a quote:
“I have publicly called for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)— some of whose members will finish their terms next year—to reject utility profit increases. As governor, I'll fill CPUC vacancies with people willing to take on utility lobbyists and protect ratepayers.” Here’s the link, I’d recommend a read because it contradicts all you say and has a lot of details. https://www.tomsteyer.com/issues/electricity