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SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Xavier Becerra on Tuesday was elected as California’s next governor, earning nearly 60% of the vote in the race against Republican Steve Hilton to continue Democratic leadership in the nation’s most populous state.
The Associated Press called the race for Becerra shortly after polls closed, showing that the Democrat gubernatorial candidate had secured 59.3% of the vote with over 1.6 million ballots cast in his favor by 8:20 p.m.
Becerra, who formerly served as the Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden and as California’s attorney general, was heavily favored to win the election, with polls showing him leading opponent Steve Hilton by as much as 60% to 38%.
Becerra will be the first Latino governor elected by voters to lead California.
In the 19th century, California had its first Latino governor, Romualdo Pacheco, who served in the role after his predecessor was elected to the U.S. Senate, leaving the gubernatorial seat vacant.
Becerra's campaign
Becerra's focus:
Becerra campaigned on building more affordable housing, increasing access to health care, investing in clean energy, and lowering Californians’ cost of living.
Much of Becerra’s campaign rhetoric touted his experience leading HHS and his willingness to fight the Trump administration, as exemplified by the 122 lawsuits he filed against Trump’s first administration.
"California has cemented its position as the answer to Donald Trump’s chaos. I know exactly how to hold this president accountable, because I did it 122 times as this state’s Attorney General," Becerra said in a statement posted to his campaign website. "Every time he attacked our rights, our community and our democracy — I made sure California stood up, fought back, and won.
Becerra’s campaign came under fire for a scandal involving his one-time political strategist Dana Williamson, who pleaded guilty to conspiring with Becerra’s former longtime chief of staff to steal money from Becerra’s campaign.
Background
Dig deeper:
Xavier Becerra was born in Sacramento, the son of Mexican-American immigrants. He graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctor.
He was elected to Congress in 1992, a position he held until 2017, when he was appointed by then-governor Jerry Brown to serve as the state’s attorney general. He was elected to a four-year term in 2018.
Becerra was appointed by then-president Biden to serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services in 2021, a position he held until 2025.
The stakes
Pledge to California:
Following the June primary election which pitted Becerra against Republican candidate Steve Hilton, Becerra issued a statement in which he pledged to serve the people of California, not the president.
"Last week, Californians sent a clear message: more than four million voters chose a different path than the one Steve Hilton and Donald Trump are offering… Here’s what we’re fighting for: a California where every child gets a great education, every family can afford a home, and no one loses their health care because of where they were born or how much money they have," Becerra’s statement read. "This November, voters will choose between a governor who will fight for that future and one who would hand Sacramento to Donald Trump. California will not be his next casualty."
The Source: The election results were projected by the Associated Press. Information in this story came from previous KTVU reporting.