California governor candidate Tom Steyer defends paying influencers, dodges calling Israel's actions a genocide, and pitches himself as the only billionaire willing to tax billionaires.

• Steyer admits his campaign pays influencers for their time but denies paying for endorsements, and brushes off accusations that this corrupts coverage.
• He attacks rival Javier Becerra as a corporate Democrat taking money from health insurers and oil companies, and calls Republican Steve Hilton a MAGA extremist.
• On Israel, Steyer calls the Netanyahu government's actions war crimes and a crime against humanity, but refuses to use the word "genocide" despite the interviewer pointing to most Democrats and human rights groups using it.
• He blames California's high poverty, weak schools, and unaffordable housing on corporate interests, especially oil companies he says are gouging drivers since the Iran conflict.
• His housing plan would close a $20 billion corporate tax loophole and send the money to cities and counties to fund local services tied to new home construction.

Outlook: Steyer is positioning as the progressive in the race, but his refusal to label Gaza a genocide and his use of paid influencers will keep dogging him with Democratic primary voters.