FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra testifies before the Senate Appropriations committee as lawmakers in the U.S. Congress struggle to reach a deal to head off a looming partial government shutdown less than two weeks away on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 8, 2023. / REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson

After a heated race with a crowd of Democratic candidates, Xavier Becerra pulled ahead in election results returned June 5.

Becerra, the former state attorney general, secured nearly 27% of the vote in the June 2 primary, with about two-thirds of votes counted as of Friday afternoon. If elected in November, he would be the first Latino to serve as California governor in more than a century and the first to win the seat via election, which his campaign called “a breakthrough.”

Also Read: Xavier Becerra advances in race to be California’s Governor

Xavier Becerra in a one on one meeting with the Americans Community Services community had promised to fulfill the dream that brought many to California, a dream that many increasingly feel is out of reach. 

The promise that brought millions of people to California. The promise that convinced immigrants to leave everything behind and start over. The promise that hard work could build a better future for their children. That promise he promised to fulfil . 

“We have to restore those days when people would come to California believing that if they worked hard, they could accomplish much more for their kids,” he said. “That’s my job, to restore that faith, ignite that dream, and make people believe again.”

Standing at the center of his campaign is the story of his own family.

His father left school after the sixth grade. His mother arrived in California from Mexico at 18 with little money and even fewer connections. Yet their son would eventually become a member of Congress, California attorney general, and later the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

As Californians grapple with soaring housing costs, rising utility bills, homelessness, healthcare concerns, and growing uncertainty around federal immigration policies, Becerra asked voters to trust both his personal story and his decades of government experience.

I will not need training wheels when I become governor

“I will not need training wheels when I become governor,” he said.

It is a line that reflects one of the central themes of his campaign. Unlike candidates who promise to learn on the job, Becerra argued he has already spent decades navigating some of the state’s most difficult challenges.

His résumé is among the most extensive in the race. He served more than two decades in Congress representing Los Angeles, became California’s attorney general, and most recently led the nation’s largest public health agency as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden.

But throughout the conversation, Becerra repeatedly returned to the people he says are being squeezed the hardest: working families.

For many Californians, the most immediate challenge is simply finding a place to live.

Teachers, nurses, first responders, young professionals, and even middle-income families increasingly find themselves priced out of the communities where they work. Parents worry whether their children will ever be able to afford a home in the state where they grew up.

Becerra said housing would become his first priority.

His first executive action as governor, he says, would be declaring a housing emergency aimed at accelerating the construction of thousands of homes that already have approvals in place.

“There are currently about 40,000 housing units that are shovel ready,” he said. “They’re ready to be built. They just lack the financing.”

For families struggling under the weight of rising costs, he also proposed freezing utility rates and homeowners insurance premiums while the state examines what is driving the increases.

The issue of homelessness, meanwhile, remains visible on streets and sidewalks across California

Becerra believes the state has spent too much time responding to homelessness after people lose housing and too little time preventing it in the first place.

For a family living paycheck to paycheck, a medical emergency, job loss, or sudden rent increase can quickly trigger a downward spiral. Preventing that crisis, he argues, is both more humane and less expensive than helping people recover once they are already homeless.

“We’re going to do everything we can to work with those families, find out what it takes to keep them housed rather than see them become homeless,” he said.

Immigration emerged as one of the most emotional portions of the discussion.

For Becerra, immigration is not an abstract policy debate. It is deeply personal.

“I know what it means to be the son of immigrants, when your rights are not respected, when you’re threatened, and when it’s difficult, as hard as you’re working, to believe that your government is there for you.”

At a time when immigration enforcement has become increasingly contentious, Becerra pledged that California would continue to defend immigrant communities.

He sharply criticized recent federal immigration actions and said he would work closely with California Attorney General Rob Bonta to challenge policies he believes exceed federal authority.

“We will make sure that our immigrant families know that they are protected,” he said.

His concerns extend beyond undocumented immigrants.

Becerra also criticized a recent federal policy affecting green card applicants, arguing that it risks creating additional obstacles for families who are already navigating the legal immigration system.

“These are people who are qualifying to be here,” he said. “These are not the criminals. These are not the people that Donald Trump always talks about trying to go after.”

Maintain healthcare access for undocumented Californians

Healthcare, another issue that directly touches millions of households, remains central to Becerra’s political identity.

As Secretary of Health and Human Services, he oversaw implementation of major healthcare initiatives, including expanded Affordable Care Act enrollment and Medicare prescription drug negotiations.

Asked about universal healthcare, Becerra rejected suggestions that he has moved away from long-standing support for broader coverage.

“I’ve been consistent throughout my public life,” he said. “I want to make sure we have the most efficient system possible.”

One of the more consequential commitments he made was a pledge to maintain healthcare access for undocumented Californians.

The debate often centers on cost. Becerra sees it differently.

When people lose access to preventative care, they often delay treatment until illnesses become emergencies. Hospitals absorb those costs, emergency rooms become overcrowded, and taxpayers ultimately pay more.

“If you work hard in California, it makes no difference to me where you come from,” he said. “You deserve to have access to the healthcare that you need.”

Becerra views California’s relationship with Washington.

Yet perhaps the most revealing part of the conversation was not about any individual policy proposal.

It was about how Becerra views California’s relationship with Washington.

The state has increasingly found itself at odds with federal policies on issues ranging from immigration and healthcare to environmental regulations.

Becerra’s approach is straightforward.

“We will partner where we must, but we will fight when it’s necessary,” he said.

For many voters, the question in this election may come down to whether California can once again become a place where opportunity feels attainable.

Can young families buy homes?

Can workers afford healthcare?

Can immigrants feel secure?

Can parents believe their children will have a better future?

Becerra’s campaign is built on the argument that California’s best days are not behind it, but that restoring faith in that future will require both experience and action.

Xavier Becerra's surprising rise in the California governor's race was fueled by the sudden departure of frontrunner Eric Swalwell. Swalwell suspended his campaign and resigned from Congress following allegations of sexual misconduct. Following this shake-up, establishment Democrats rallied around the former US Health and Human Services Secretary, pushing Becerra into the November runoff. 

The collapse of Swalwell's campaign fundamentally altered the wide-open race to replace outgoing Governor Gavin Newsom. 

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