Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, is running for California governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican Steve Hilton.
Becerra, a Sacramento native, served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2021 to 2025 and as California attorney general from 2017 to 2021. He represented California in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2017, according to the U.S. House History, Art & Archives.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Born: Jan. 26, 1958, Sacramento, California
- Education: Bachelor's degree in economics, Stanford University, 1980; study abroad, University of Salamanca; juris doctor, Stanford University, 1984
- Family background: Son of Mexican immigrant parents; first in his family to graduate from college, according to his Wikipedia biography
- Endorsements (claimed by endorsers): California Chamber of Commerce, AFL-CIO, AFSCME Local 3299, California Young Democrats, Riverside County Democrats, Heart of LA Democratic Club, Planned Parenthood of San Diego/Riverside/Imperial, CHIRAL Action Fund
Experience and public service
- Attorney, Legal Services Agency, 1984–1987
- Administrative assistant, Office of State Senator Art Torres, 1986–1987
- Deputy attorney general, California, 1987–1990
- Member, California State Assembly (59th District), 1990–1992
- U.S. representative from California, 1993–2017
- Chair, House Democratic Caucus, 2013–2017
- Attorney general, California, 2017–2021
- U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 2021–2025
Becerra was the first Latino to serve as California's attorney general, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Jan. 24, 2017, according to his Wikipedia biography. He was also the first Latino to serve as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. During his term as attorney general, Becerra filed 122 lawsuits against the first Trump administration, according to the same source.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Becerra's campaign website and his account on X. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Energy and affordability: Becerra said bill affordability would be at the center of his energy policy, especially for low- and middle-income families. He said he wants stronger oversight and accountability of utilities to ensure reliability, safety, affordability and emission reductions. He said his goal is to cut pollution while lowering household energy costs and ensuring the benefits of clean energy reach everyone.
Disaster preparedness: Becerra said he would shift California from a system that reacts after disasters to one that prevents harm. He said he would push for investments in wildfire prevention, flood control and seismic retrofits, prioritizing communities most at risk. He also said he would strengthen early warning systems and improve evacuation planning.
Healthcare: Becerra said he has been an advocate for single payer since his early years in Congress and believes California is on its way there. He said he would pursue cost-containment strategies, work to eliminate disparities in care and strengthen the Medi-Cal program for vulnerable families while finding cost-relief programs for middle-income families.
Housing: Becerra said he would treat housing like essential infrastructure and push to increase housing production by cutting red tape, speeding up approvals and reducing unnecessary costs. He said he would invest in affordable housing, protect renters from unfair evictions and rent hikes, and help first-time buyers.
Artificial intelligence: Becerra said on X that California would "continue to accelerate our lead on AI safety" and called for "real guardrails on companies racing toward superintelligence before anyone's proven they can control it."
Endorsements
Xavier Becerra’s campaign lists endorsements from Democratic leaders, labor unions, business groups and advocacy organizations. Named supporters include Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Adam Schiff, Alex Padilla, Rob Bonta and Robert Rivas, alongside numerous state legislators and local officials. The campaign also lists the California Democratic Party, California Chamber of Commerce, California Medical Association, California YIMBY, Equality California and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.
Labor supporters listed by the campaign include SEIU California, the California Teachers Association, California Professional Firefighters, United Farm Workers, the California School Employees Association and the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California. The page also names Democratic clubs, school board members and environmental justice leaders.
Candidate responses were collected through BallotReady questionnaires and the candidate's public statements. The Pasadena Ledger presents this information to help voters evaluate candidates and does not endorse in any race.
