California voters deserve a real contest as we decide who our next governor will be.

The most recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California shows that Democrat Xavier Becerra has a 25-point lead over Republican Steve Hilton — as to be expected at the start of a race in deep-blue California.

But look more closely at the issues — especially environmental issues. 

Two-thirds of likely voters oppose outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order banning sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.

Moreover, 68% of likely voters say that energy costs are a problem. A similar proportion says that gasoline prices are a major problem.

And six in 10 Californians are not willing to pay for “renewable” energy if it costs more.

These are issues on which Becerra has taken “status quo” positions. He backs Newsom’s “green” policies and has even defended California’s gas tax — though it’s the highest in the nation.

Shouldn’t we have a real debate about these issues?

Becerra may think he can do what Jerry Brown did in 2014, when he faced a challenge from Neel Kashkari, one of the most brilliant candidates ever to seek the governor’s office. (Kashkari is now the head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.)

Brown ignored Kashkari for months, and finally agreed to only one debate, without a live audience. The former lost the debate, and refused to give his opponent — or the voters — any more time than that. 

But Brown got away with it because he was an incumbent seeking a record fourth term. He was already a California institution.

Becerra is competing for an open seat. He should not be able to dictate the shape of the race.

The reality of partisan loyalty in California means that Becerra may hope to coast to victory, simply because he has a “D” after his name. 

But if he never has to defend his policies, voters will never be able to hold him accountable.

We need debates — several of them — so that voters can make an informed choice.

Early this year, Becerra himself was excluded from the debate stage. He should not try to do the same to his opponent in the general election.

Nor should he be able to make the race about President Donald Trump, who remains unpopular in California.

Trump only has two more years in office. Becerra and Hilton are seeking to serve for the next four.

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