Who Is Xavier Becerra? California’s Governor-Elect

In April 2026, Xavier Becerra was polling in the single digits in a crowded field for California governor. On November 3, the Associated Press called the race for him anyway.

So who is he? Becerra is a Sacramento-born Democrat who spent 24 years in the U.S. House, four years as California’s attorney general and four years as the former US health secretary under President Joe Biden. The AP projected that he defeated Republican Steve Hilton in the general election, and he is expected to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom early next year. The sections below cover his background, his record in each office, the controversies that followed him, and how a candidate who trailed in the spring ended up winning.

Early Life: From Sacramento to Stanford

Xavier Becerra was born in Sacramento on January 26, 1958. His mother was born in Mexico and emigrated to the United States, while his father was born in Sacramento but raised in Tijuana. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 1980 and a law degree there in 1984.

His public career began as an aide to Los Angeles state Sen. Art Torres. He then worked as a deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice and served in the state Assembly before moving to Congress.

Twelve House Terms and a Run as Attorney General

Becerra represented a Los Angeles district in the U.S. House from January 1993 until he resigned on January 24, 2017. He chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus during the 105th Congress. He also chaired the House Democratic Caucus in the 113th and 114th Congresses.

He was chosen to replace Kamala Harris as California attorney general after she won a U.S. Senate seat, and he became the first Latino to hold the office. During Donald Trump’s first term, he sued the administration 120 times by his own count.

Xavier Becerra’s Record as Health Secretary

The Senate confirmed him 50 to 49, with only one Republican in favor, and he became the first Latino to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. He held the job until January 20, 2025.

He implemented the law requiring Medicare to negotiate prices on some high-cost drugs and oversaw growth in individual-market enrollment. Neera Tanden, a senior Biden adviser, also credited him with $35 insulin and coverage for 14 million more people.

His tenure drew heavy criticism too. HHS was the lead agency during the surge of unaccompanied migrant children at the border, a baby formula shortage and the 2022 mpox outbreak. A New York Times investigation found the agency lost contact with 85,000 children after rushing to release them from shelters to sponsors. Becerra and his allies reject the idea that the children were lost. House Republicans subpoenaed HHS records on sponsor vetting. Several former Biden colleagues criticized his leadership, while others, including Tanden, defended him.

The Campaign Account Case

The most serious legal story around Becerra involves money he did not spend. Dana Williamson, who worked on his 2018 attorney general campaign and later served as Newsom’s chief of staff, was indicted in November 2025. She pleaded guilty about two weeks before the June 2 primary. Prosecutors said she and Becerra’s former chief of staff, Sean McCluskie, took $225,000 from an inactive campaign account of his, and both pleaded guilty.

Becerra has not been charged, and prosecutors have characterized him as a victim whose account was exploited without his knowledge. Rivals still used the case against him. Strategists said the monthly fees charged to the account were high for simple maintenance, and Becerra faced questions about whether he should have watched the expenses more closely. His campaign points to the indictment’s statement that McCluskie misled him about the payments.

How He Won the Race

The Xavier Becerra California governor campaign began in 2025 with a short video promising to rebuild the California Dream amid an affordability crisis. He entered a field of more than a dozen declared candidates.

Things changed in April, when Rep. Eric Swalwell’s campaign collapsed after allegations of sexual assault and harassment, which Swalwell denies. Becerra quickly collected endorsements from labor groups and Latino legislative leaders. Under California’s top-two primary, the split Democratic field had made a Republican-only November ballot a real risk.

In the June 2 primary, which had 61 candidates, Becerra and Hilton advanced. Hilton had received Trump’s endorsement in April, and billionaire Tom Steyer spent more than $213 million of his own money. The AP called Becerra’s spot on Friday, June 5.

Hilton conceded the morning after the general election, predicting Republicans would win the governorship in 2030. Becerra told supporters he ran to make a difference, not history. The AP notes that he would be the first Latino to hold the office since the late 1800s.

What Happens Next

As of November 5, 2026, the AP has called the race. Xavier Becerra is expected to take office early next year. His campaign centered on housing, health care, child care, and college costs. He also vowed to keep California as a chief antagonist to President Trump. California counties usually take weeks to finish counting, so certified results will follow. A former US health secretary will now run the nation’s most populous state.

Conclusion

Xavier Becerra reached the governor’s office through Congress, the attorney general’s office and a Cabinet post, and voters weighed each part of that record differently. Supporters cite drug-price negotiation and his lawsuits against the first Trump administration. Critics cite the migrant children controversy and the campaign account case. The best way to judge those claims is to read the primary material: the court filings in the Williamson case, the Times investigation, and HHS’s own reports. After he takes office, his first budget and early appointments will show which campaign promises he treats as priorities.