Xavier Becerra grew up in Sacramento, coming from a working-class background that shaped his approach to public service. His father, born in Sacramento and raised in Mexico, and his mother, born in Mexico, influenced Becerra's outlook on representation in government.
Becerra attended Stanford University, earning both undergraduate and law degrees. He launched his political career in California and won a seat in the US House of Representatives in 1992. During more than two decades in Congress, Becerra concentrated on healthcare and immigration, building a record of advocacy for communities across the state.
Breaking a 150-Year Barrier
By defeating Republican Steve Hilton, Becerra becomes the first Latino to serve as California's governor since Romualdo Pacheco in 1875. Pacheco took office after his predecessor left, while Becerra won through a direct election. This result stands out as a major advance for Latino political representation in California.
On November 3, 2026, California voters chose Democrat Xavier Becerra as governor, with Republican Steve Hilton as his main opponent in the race to replace term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom. According to the Associated Press and NBC News, Becerra received 4,980,013 votes, or 64.0% of the counted vote. Hilton received 2,802,366 votes, or 36.0%, with 59.2% of the expected vote counted at the time. The total number of votes counted reached 7,782,379, with an estimated 5.36 million ballots still outstanding as of November 4, 2026. The Associated Press called the race for Becerra at about 4:00 a.m. Pacific time on November 4, naming him the projected winner, though the final certified statewide canvass was still pending. The reported margin between the candidates stayed near 28 percentage points as more ballots were processed.
The 2026 gubernatorial race followed California's constitutional term-limit rules, which prevented Gavin Newsom from running for a third consecutive term. The contest came after a June 2, 2026, all-party primary with 61 candidates. Becerra and Hilton finished as the top two vote-getters, advancing to the general election under California's "top-two" primary system, which sets up a general-election matchup regardless of party. Becerra's win keeps the governor's office in Democratic hands, a position Democrats have held since 2011, and marks a milestone as he becomes California's first elected Latino governor in modern times, as noted by The Washington Post.
After his time in Congress, Becerra was appointed California attorney general in 2016, following Kamala Harris's move to the US Senate. He served as attorney general from 2017 to 2021, during which he challenged several policies from Donald Trump's administration. In 2021, President Joe Biden named Becerra as US Secretary of Health and Human Services, making him the first Latino to lead the department. He stayed in that role until January 2025.
Challenges Ahead for California
Becerra will take office as governor of the most populous US state, following Gavin Newsom. He faces immediate issues such as housing affordability and rising home insurance costs. Homelessness and healthcare expenses also remain urgent. Housing continues to be a major concern for many Californians, and the state is dealing with increasing insurance premiums. Becerra's campaign focused on living costs and the broader political climate, including tensions related to former President Donald Trump, as reported by the Mercury News. His administration will need to address these domestic challenges as he begins his term.
For more details on the election and Becerra's political background, see the original coverage and The Washington Post's election results.
