Former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra advances to California governor general election, AP projects
Xavier Becerra, the former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and ex-California attorney general, has clinched a spot in California's gubernatorial general election, according to a race call by the Associated Press at 7:50 p.m. EDT on Friday.
Becerra, a Democrat, finished atop a crowded primary field with 26.7% of the vote, narrowly edging Republican Steve Hilton, who tallied 26.4%. Billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer placed third with 21.0%. With results still uncounted and unofficial, the AP has called only the top spot for Becerra so far. Hilton, a former Fox News contributor and policy adviser, held second place with roughly 68% of expected ballots reported, but no official determination has been made on the second general election slot.
The winner of the November contest will succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In a written statement, Becerra framed his primary performance as a win for working Californians and pledged to carry that message into the fall. "The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken — loudly and proudly," he said. "We will not be bought. We will not be bullied. And we are never backing down. November, here we come."
His campaign also pointed to the result as a historic milestone, noting that Becerra is the first Latino candidate to advance from a California gubernatorial primary to a general election. If elected in November, he would become the state's first Latino governor since Romualdo Pacheco, who briefly held the office in 1875.
Becerra reinforced the message in a post on X after the race was called, writing in both English and Spanish: "More than ever, California needs our voices and our values. To the people and the voters of California, this is your state. Este es tu estado."
A Los Angeles native, Becerra served as a U.S. congressman for more than two decades before being appointed California attorney general in 2017. He went on to lead the Health and Human Services Department under former President Joe Biden, a role he held until the end of the Biden administration, after which he returned to California to pursue the governorship.
The state's primary results will not be certified for several weeks, leaving the final order of finish — and whether Hilton holds on to second place — subject to change as remaining ballots are tallied.
