California’s gubernatorial hopefuls will square off Wednesday for the first time since former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s abrupt exit following bombshell sexual assault allegations that upended the crowded primary race and injected fresh uncertainty into it.

The debate marks a critical test for the top six remaining candidates as they jockey for position in a wide-open field, with no clear front-runner and Democratic voters still fractured. It also offers the first real glimpse of how the field is recalibrating in the wake of Swalwell’s departure, from competing for his supporters to drawing sharper policy contrasts.