Candidates courted Sacramento’s Asian-American population during a voter-education forum held Sunday in the University Union Ballroom.

U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina addressed about 500 people in the forum hosted by the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association. The former Hewlett-Packard CEO said the events of the last two years are examples of why voters should not vote for her opponent, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, who, Fiorina said, supported policies that throttled small businesses.

“I think California is also the test case, the proof positive of what happens when government gets too big, taxes get too high, regulations get too thick, entitlements get too rich,” Fiorina said. “I think California is a warning of what happens if we continue down the same path in our state, but also in our nation’s capital.”

According to a Field Poll released Friday, Boxer is ahead of Fiorina by 6 percent with 12 percent of voters still undecided.

The Democratic incumbent’s margin over Fiorina has widened slightly over the last months. In March, Boxer was ahead of Fiorina by 45-44 percent. In July, she was ahead by 47-44 percent.

Another recent Field Poll showed Boxer has a 52 percent support among Asian-Americans, blacks and American Indians, compared with Fiorina’s 22 percent.

Fiorina told reporters Sunday that she is still confident, adding there is a “night-and-day” difference between her and Boxer’s economic policies.

“Barbara Boxer believes we should tax more, spend more and regulate more. And what voters figured out is it’s failing miserably in the state of California,” Fiorina said. “What we’re arguing and what we’ll continue to do is to reach as many voters as we can and talk with them about the alternative, which is to create private sector jobs.”

She added that the government’s uncontrollable spending has threatened public university systems.

“When tuition costs skyrocket by a third in a year without warning, that’s a direct result of government bureaucrats not being able to get their spending under control,” Fiorina said.

As Fiorina ended her speech, a group of Boxer supporters yelled “Barbara! Barbara! Barbara!”

Assemblyman Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, who spoke on behalf of Boxer, said she could not attend because of illness.

Other candidates present in the forum are Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, who is up for re-election, and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who is running against Republican Abel Maldonado in the lieutenant governor race.

While Fiorina criticized the events from 2008 to present, Steinberg commended the Legislature for cutting the state’s budget deficit from $46 billion two years ago to $19 billion today.

“I must tell you despite all of the rightful criticism of California’s government and its structure, I do stand here with some pride on behalf of my colleagues that we’re able to get through this period of time and California is still standing,” Steinberg said. “The Legislature and the governor have done more than enough cutting.”

Steinberg also encouraged the audience to support Proposition 25, which would allow the Legislature to pass a budget by a simple majority vote and eliminate the two-thirds super majority requirement.

“Let the majority rule and if you don’t like their decisions, then change who the majority is,” Steinberg told a cheering crowd. “But it makes no sense to allow a small minority to dictate the terms and the timing of the most important value statement and work that the Legislature does, namely passing a state budget.”

Steinberg went on to say that voters should be weary of candidates who claim they can fix California because they are new in the political arena.

“Beware of candidates who tell you that because they have experience running a company or a corporation, that they, in fact, can come on in and sweep it clean and fix California,” he said.

Also invited to the event is Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, who cancelled Saturday night because of illness, said David Low, spokesman for the association.

A few Sacramento State students, such as Associated Students Inc. Executive Vice President Rylan Gervase, senior digital media major Yeimi Lopez, senior government major Dominic Campos and graduate student Veronika Kolesnikov, volunteered at the event.

Kristine Guerra can be reached at kguerra@statehornet.com.