Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, is running for California governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Becerra faces Republican Steve Hilton. Becerra is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. His campaign platform centers on affordability, housing, health care, energy policy and disaster preparedness.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Born: Jan. 26, 1958, in Sacramento
- 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
Experience and public service
Becerra worked as an attorney and deputy attorney general in California before winning election to the State Assembly's 59th District in 1990. He served as a U.S. representative from California from 1993 to 2017, according to the U.S. House History, Art & Archives. He chaired the House Democratic Caucus from 2013 to 2017.
Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Becerra as California attorney general on Jan. 24, 2017. He was the first Latino to serve in that role, according to his Wikipedia biography. During his tenure, he filed 122 lawsuits against the first Trump administration, his biography states.
Becerra served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2021 to 2025. He was the first Latino to hold that position, according to his biography.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Becerra's campaign website and social media accounts. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Housing
Becerra said on his campaign website that he would "treat housing like the essential infrastructure it is." He said he would push to increase housing production by cutting red tape, speeding up approvals for projects that meet affordability and environmental standards, and reducing unnecessary costs. He also said he would invest in affordable housing, protect renters from unfair evictions and rent hikes, and help first-time buyers.
Health care
Becerra said he has advocated for single-payer health care since his early years in Congress and believes California is moving in that direction. He said he would pursue cost-containment strategies, strengthen the Medi-Cal program for the state's most vulnerable families and create targeted cost-relief programs for middle-income families while working to eliminate racial, economic and geographic disparities in accessing care.
Energy and affordability
Becerra said bill affordability would be central to his energy policy, with a focus on low- and middle-income families. He called for stronger oversight and transparency from utilities and said he would work to ensure reliability, safety and actual emission reductions. On his campaign website, he said his approach to climate action would aim to "cut pollution and emissions while lowering household energy costs."
Disaster preparedness
Becerra said he would shift California from reacting after disasters to preventing harm before they happen. He called for investments in wildfire prevention, flood control and seismic retrofits, with priority given to the most at-risk communities. He also said he would strengthen early warning systems and improve evacuation planning.
Economy and cost of living
Becerra said on his campaign website that he would "take on the cost of living head-on by standing up to price gouging and unjustified rate hikes." He said he would expand help with childcare and essential costs and use state authority to lower prices where the market has failed. The race is on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Endorsements
Xavier Becerra’s campaign lists endorsements from Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Adam Schiff, Alex Padilla, Rob Bonta and numerous state legislators and local officials. Organizational supporters include the California Democratic Party, California Chamber of Commerce, California Medical Association, California YIMBY, Equality California and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.
Labor endorsements reported 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 list also names Democratic clubs, education leaders and environmental justice advocates across the state.
Policy positions and campaign claims in this profile are based on the candidate's responses submitted through BallotReady and statements on the candidate's campaign website and social media. They have not been independently verified by the Newport Signal.
