Xavier Becerra Eyes Historic Run for California Governor

Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and former U.S. health secretary, is the strong favorite to win California’s governor race on Nov. 3. A victory would make him the state’s first Latino governor since 1875. He faces Republican Steve Hilton, who has the backing of President Donald Trump. A New York Times profile published Oct. 14 describes a career built on caution, quiet influence and a deliberate choice not to make identity the center of his campaign.

Where Xavier Becerra Stands in the Governor’s Race

California picks a successor to Gov. Gavin Newsom in November, and the contest has narrowed to Becerra and Hilton after the state’s top-two primary on June 2. Hilton is a former Fox News commentator, according to Times of San Diego.

The most recent independent survey in the sources reviewed came from the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times. Newsweek reported that the poll, taken Aug. 3 to 9 among 2,310 likely voters, put Becerra ahead 55% to 37%. ABC7 in Los Angeles reported the same numbers, with 7% of voters undecided.

Hilton’s camp disputes the sense that the race is settled. The Daily Signal reported on Oct. 9 that a poll commissioned by Hilton’s campaign had Becerra ahead 45.7% to 40.1%, with 14.1% undecided. The same report noted that an online post-debate poll favoring Hilton was not a representative survey of California voters.

The partisan makeup of the state also matters. A MediaNews Group report from May said registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 2-to-1 in California and that no Republican has won a statewide race in 20 years.

Key Facts at a Glance

A Possible First for California Latinos

The 1875 date is not arbitrary. The MediaNews report notes that Romualdo Pacheco, a Republican of Mexican ancestry, served about 10 months as governor that year after his predecessor left office. No Latino has held the job since.

The Times traces the modern significance to the 1990s. Then-Gov. Pete Wilson won re-election in 1994 with a campaign that focused on illegal immigration, and critics called one of his ads racist. That period pushed a generation of activists into politics, and several now hold senior Democratic posts. Sen. Alex Padilla is the state’s senior senator, and Latino lawmakers lead both houses of the Legislature.

Many Latino leaders have spoken more about the milestone than the candidate has. Xavier Becerra said in an interview that he is proud to be Latino but that identity has not been the fuel for his campaigns. Padilla offered a measured view, saying representation matters but that many Latino residents still face high poverty rates and low education levels.

Who Is Xavier Becerra? A Career Inside the Halls of Power

Xavier Becerra grew up in Sacramento, the son of Mexican immigrants. His father worked in construction and his mother held a clerical job. He earned a scholarship to Stanford University, where he met his wife, Dr. Carolina Reyes, a physician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies.

After a short time in the State Legislature, he won a U.S. House seat in 1992 and stayed more than two decades. By 2016 he had chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and ranked fourth among House Democrats.

From attorney general to the Biden cabinet

Instead, Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Becerra as California’s attorney general at the end of 2016. Brown told the Times that he weighed about a dozen candidates and found Becerra’s résumé the strongest, including two Stanford degrees and earlier work as a deputy attorney general in the same office. Brown said heritage was not a major factor, though he also said he wanted leaders who reflected the state’s population.

In that role, Becerra and Brown joined legal fights against the first Trump administration. They defended California’s sanctuary state law and helped secure protections for Dreamers, young adults brought to the country as children. After Joe Biden won the 2020 election, he named Becerra secretary of health and human services.

Criticism of his record

Xavier Becerra’s appointments have drawn skepticism from Republicans. Gloria Romero, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, told the Times she doubted he had the right expertise for the federal health post. She said his agency struggled to respond to a surge of unaccompanied migrant children at the border.

Becerra rejects that account. He said children were not exploited while in his agency’s care and that he worked to fix problems inherited from the first Trump administration. He added that critics have questioned his qualifications in nearly every job he has held. Hilton has also criticized Becerra’s time as health secretary, according to Newsweek.

Campaign Themes and the Prop 39 Fight

The Times reports that Xavier Becerra campaigns comfortably in English and Spanish and describes himself as a “working-class governor.” His campaign has offered few detailed policy proposals so far.

One issue where he has been direct is Proposition 39. ABC7 explained that the measure would require voters to show government-issued identification when voting in person. The measure is backed by the California Republican Party, and Hilton has suggested voter ID could speed up ballot counting. Becerra argues it would block eligible voters, and he has framed the issue around protecting his mother’s right to vote as a naturalized citizen.

Mail voters would face a different rule. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, they would write the last four digits of their selected ID number on the ballot envelope, and the state would issue a free voter ID card on request.

The proposal has opponents beyond the governor’s race. NBC Bay Area reported that Common Cause California opposes it, citing the lack of guidance on how voters could fix ballot problems. The same report said an April Berkeley poll found 56% initial support, which dropped to 39% after respondents heard political context.

What Happens Next

Early voting begins in October, according to ABC7, and the final result will come Nov. 3. The Daily Signal reported that Hilton has kept pressing his case this month, saying Becerra backed out of a Los Angeles Times candidate forum and challenging him to another debate. The Daily Signal’s report did not include a response from Becerra’s campaign on that point.