Becerra wins to become California's first Latino governor since 1875
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Xavier Becerra meets with supporters on June 2 in Los Angeles. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Democrat Xavier Becerra beat Republican Steve Hilton handily in the California governor's race on Tuesday, becoming the state's first Latino governor in more than 150 years.
- Becerra was expected to win the state where 45% of voters are registered Democrats and 25% are Republicans.
State of play: Becerra was largely out of the public eye after narrowly defeating businessman Tom Steyer in the June primary.
- He debated Hilton once and did a few media interviews and very little campaigning.
Becerra let the demographics do the work, GOP consultant Mike Madrid told Axios.
- "When you're up that big, there's no reason to make it a race," he said.
What's next: Political experts predict Becerra's governorship could be as quiet as his campaign.
- "He's the polar opposite of Gavin Newsom," CalMatters columnist Dan Walters told Axios. "He's a journeyman, a get-along, go-along-type politician."
- Walters predicts Becerra will prioritize unions' agendas, while Madrid expects he'll need to show he cares about Latino and working-class voters in the state.
The intrigue: Becerra could be a second chance for Democrats to prioritize voters who once turned to President Trump.
- "They're going to have to do something substantive from a policy perspective to change course and realize that it took 30 years to get into this bad spot and it's going to take a while to climb out," he said. "He's going to have to begin that process. I think he will."
Between the lines: Becerra's win is largely because of anti-Republican, anti-Trump feelings in California, Madrid said.
- Trump endorsed Hilton, a Fox News host and political commentator, during the primary.
- "This is a referendum on Donald Trump and the president and how people are feeling with the country right now," Madrid said. "It's overshadowing everything."
Catch up quick: Becerra is a former California attorney general and U.S. Health and Human Services secretary.
- During the campaign, he called for lowering household costs, expanding child care support and cracking down on price gouging.
- He said the state needs to accelerate construction and has proposed declaring a housing state of emergency on his first day in office.
- On immigration, he supports regulating the border while arguing enforcement must respect constitutional rights.
Becerra, 68, grew up in a working-class family in Sacramento. His mother emigrated from Mexico, while his father was born in Sacramento and raised in Mexico.
- He was the first in his family to go to college, graduating from Stanford University and Stanford Law School.
- He lived in Los Angeles with his wife and three daughters, representing the area in Congress until 2017. He then became California attorney general, and U.S. Health and Human Services secretary under President Biden.
