Former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Advances to California Governor General Election

Xavier Becerra advanced to the California governor general election in a stunning comeback from single-digit polling.

Objective Facts

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra advanced to California's general election for governor, pulling off a stunning rise late in the race. Becerra spent much of the primary campaign languishing in single digits in polls and faced pressure from party leaders to drop out earlier this year amid fears that a crowded field of Democrats could split the vote and allow two Republicans to advance. He rapidly rose to the top of the field following former Rep. Eric Swalwell's abrupt exit from the race in April in the wake of sexual assault and misconduct allegations. With most votes counted, Becerra had 26.7% of the vote and Republican Steve Hilton had 26.4%, while Democrat Tom Steyer finished third with 21.0%. Becerra's opponent in November has yet to be determined, though Republican Steve Hilton and billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer are the leading candidates for second place.

Left-Leaning Perspective

Becerra's campaign celebrated his primary advance as "a breakthrough that reflects both the demographic transformation of California and the enduring power of a politics rooted in working people and underrepresented communities." Democratic outlets and supporters have framed his comeback as a victory for mainstream Democrats against billionaire Tom Steyer's progressive challenge. Ron Klain, President Joe Biden's first White House chief of staff, defended Becerra on CNN, saying he "inherited a super, super tough situation, and worked night and day, day and night, to try to do the humane thing by these kids and get them reunited with their US family members." Becerra ran on his years of experience in various governmental roles and argued that only someone who had managed crises could fix California's current problems. Becerra overcame most attacks primarily by pointing to his longtime experience in government and his years of lawsuits against Trump when he was attorney general. While Steyer ran a progressive campaign and garnered the support of Bernie Sanders surrogates, Becerra is favored by more of the Democratic establishment. Democratic outlets have noted that Becerra's advancement guarantees a Democrat will be in the general election after some feared that the wide field of candidates would split the vote, allowing Republicans to lock them out. NBC News projected that if Becerra is the lone Democrat running in November, he will be the heavy favorite to be the next governor of California. Left-leaning coverage has largely emphasized Becerra's historic status and Democratic establishment credentials while downplaying or contextualizing his HHS record. Some Democratic insiders privately criticized his record, though major Democratic outlets focused more on his comeback narrative and experience than on detailed examination of his tenure overseeing the migrant children crisis.

Right-Leaning Perspective

Republican Steve Hilton, capitalizing on Republican frustrations with the state's high costs and regulations, has portrayed Becerra as a symbol of the status quo under Newsom. Right-leaning outlets and Republican critics have focused heavily on Becerra's HHS record. Fox News reported that Becerra faces criticism over his HHS record as he runs for California governor, with investigations revealing gaps in sponsor screening for unaccompanied migrant children and reports that the Biden administration imposed demands on staffers to move kids quickly out of shelters. A Democratic Party campaign strategist told Fox News Digital that "Xavier Becerra failed those kids, failed the country, and failed to do his job," adding "Becerra was horrible at HHS, and thinking he can become Governor of California after that record is delusional". Republicans have criticized both Becerra's record and the election process itself. Steve Hilton said "This election is turning into yet another Democrat fiasco" and called it "a complete disgrace" that nearly two days after the election barely half the votes had been counted. Political campaigns spent more than $6 million on English and Spanish language advertisements highlighting the migrant children issue, with ads claiming that "more than 85,000 migrant children went missing" under Becerra's leadership and others alleging that children suffered forced labor, trafficking, and abuse. Republican strategist Tim Rosales noted that Trump's endorsement of Hilton becomes "kind of an albatross to any candidate right now in California -- a Republican candidate, at least". Right-leaning coverage has extensively documented the migrant children controversy while sometimes characterizing Becerra's defense of his record as evasive, particularly regarding his tense television interview where he questioned whether it was a "gotcha piece."

Deep Dive

Xavier Becerra's primary victory represents a striking realignment in California's sprawling gubernatorial field, driven by three structural factors: the exit of prominent frontrunner Eric Swalwell in April following sexual misconduct allegations, which consolidated Democratic voters behind a non-progressive alternative; the late arrival of Democratic mail-in ballots, which skewed his returns upward in the final count; and the fractious split between Tom Steyer's billionaire-funded progressive campaign and establishment-backed candidates. Becerra began the race in February 2026 at roughly 5 percent in polling, facing pressure from state party leadership to drop out for fear that a crowded Democratic field would allow Republicans to dominate the top-two primary. His pathway to victory depended on high name recognition among voters already familiar with his record as attorney general and congressman, combined with favorable conditions in late-counted ballots. In mid-February with Becerra at around 5% in polling, his campaign manager Emma Harris published a memo outlining his path to victory, noting that "Becerra's high net favorability rating (+40 points, 9:1 favorable) as a ratio of the unfamiliarity with him (49% unfamiliar) is the strongest in the upper tier of candidates." The left-right disagreement about Becerra reflects genuine differences in how each side evaluates executive performance under crisis. Democratic defenders, including White House officials like Ron Klain, emphasize that Becerra inherited an unprecedented migrant surge and worked to process children humanely while managing overwhelming facilities. They note that Becerra contested that unaccompanied minors had been "lost," arguing they were in custody of vetted sponsors but did not pick up the phone, and that HHS's legal authority over a child ends once they are placed with a sponsor. The right counters that Becerra's own statements and HHS investigative reports demonstrate he pressured staff to move children faster despite warnings, and that the HHS Office of Inspector General found gaps in sponsor screening and follow-up, including missing documentation for required safety checks in 16% of sampled case files and untimely or undocumented follow-up calls in many cases. This reflects a deeper philosophical divide: whether a executive should be judged by the constraints he inherited or by the specific decisions he made within those constraints. What to watch: The outcome of the second-place race between Steve Hilton and Tom Steyer will dramatically reshape the general election's character. If it's Hilton, Becerra would be heavily favored to win, as Democrats in California outnumber Republicans nearly two-to-one and Hilton is endorsed by Trump, whom Californians disapprove of in high numbers. If the billionaire Steyer makes the runoff, it will set up a costly intraparty fight, with Steyer having spent more than $213 million of his own money to boost his candidacy, making it the most expensive gubernatorial election in California. Additionally, watch whether the migrant children issue that defined Becerra's primary challenges reemerges in November, or whether his primary victory demonstrates that California voters have moved past it.

OBJ SPEAKING

Create StoryTimelinesVoter ToolsRegional AnalysisPolicy GuideAll StoriesCommunity PicksUSWorldPoliticsBusinessHealthEntertainmentTechnologyAbout

Former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Advances to California Governor General Election

Xavier Becerra advanced to the California governor general election in a stunning comeback from single-digit polling.

Jun 6, 2026
What's Going On

Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra advanced to California's general election for governor, pulling off a stunning rise late in the race. Becerra spent much of the primary campaign languishing in single digits in polls and faced pressure from party leaders to drop out earlier this year amid fears that a crowded field of Democrats could split the vote and allow two Republicans to advance. He rapidly rose to the top of the field following former Rep. Eric Swalwell's abrupt exit from the race in April in the wake of sexual assault and misconduct allegations. With most votes counted, Becerra had 26.7% of the vote and Republican Steve Hilton had 26.4%, while Democrat Tom Steyer finished third with 21.0%. Becerra's opponent in November has yet to be determined, though Republican Steve Hilton and billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer are the leading candidates for second place.

Left says: Becerra's team celebrated his advance as a historic breakthrough for working people and underrepresented communities, with Democratic establishment backing contrasting with Tom Steyer's more progressive, billionaire-funded campaign.
Right says: Republicans criticize Becerra's HHS record on migrant children and portray him as representing failed Democratic governance, though Hilton faces challenges as Trump's endorsement remains an electoral liability in California.
✓ Common Ground
Across the political spectrum, analysts recognize that Becerra's rise from single-digit polling to first place represents a remarkable and unusual political comeback, suggesting California's crowded primary and late ballot counting dynamics created opportunities for lesser-known candidates.
Both left and right acknowledge that the narrowing of the Democratic field after Eric Swalwell's exit quieted Democrats' fears of splitting their vote to the extent that two Republicans could advance, which would have resulted in a guaranteed Republican governor in a state where Democrats outnumber GOP voters 2 to 1.
Democrats and Republicans both recognize that a Hilton victory would set Becerra on a glidepath to victory given California's Democratic advantage and Republican struggles statewide, while a Steyer victory would present a rockier road with an expensive intraparty fight, as Steyer has spent more than $213 million.
Commentators across the spectrum acknowledge Becerra's significant political vulnerabilities regarding his HHS tenure, though they frame the implications differently—progressives note he faced an inherited crisis, while conservatives emphasize his management failures.
Objective Deep Dive

Xavier Becerra's primary victory represents a striking realignment in California's sprawling gubernatorial field, driven by three structural factors: the exit of prominent frontrunner Eric Swalwell in April following sexual misconduct allegations, which consolidated Democratic voters behind a non-progressive alternative; the late arrival of Democratic mail-in ballots, which skewed his returns upward in the final count; and the fractious split between Tom Steyer's billionaire-funded progressive campaign and establishment-backed candidates. Becerra began the race in February 2026 at roughly 5 percent in polling, facing pressure from state party leadership to drop out for fear that a crowded Democratic field would allow Republicans to dominate the top-two primary. His pathway to victory depended on high name recognition among voters already familiar with his record as attorney general and congressman, combined with favorable conditions in late-counted ballots. In mid-February with Becerra at around 5% in polling, his campaign manager Emma Harris published a memo outlining his path to victory, noting that "Becerra's high net favorability rating (+40 points, 9:1 favorable) as a ratio of the unfamiliarity with him (49% unfamiliar) is the strongest in the upper tier of candidates."

The left-right disagreement about Becerra reflects genuine differences in how each side evaluates executive performance under crisis. Democratic defenders, including White House officials like Ron Klain, emphasize that Becerra inherited an unprecedented migrant surge and worked to process children humanely while managing overwhelming facilities. They note that Becerra contested that unaccompanied minors had been "lost," arguing they were in custody of vetted sponsors but did not pick up the phone, and that HHS's legal authority over a child ends once they are placed with a sponsor. The right counters that Becerra's own statements and HHS investigative reports demonstrate he pressured staff to move children faster despite warnings, and that the HHS Office of Inspector General found gaps in sponsor screening and follow-up, including missing documentation for required safety checks in 16% of sampled case files and untimely or undocumented follow-up calls in many cases. This reflects a deeper philosophical divide: whether a executive should be judged by the constraints he inherited or by the specific decisions he made within those constraints.

What to watch: The outcome of the second-place race between Steve Hilton and Tom Steyer will dramatically reshape the general election's character. If it's Hilton, Becerra would be heavily favored to win, as Democrats in California outnumber Republicans nearly two-to-one and Hilton is endorsed by Trump, whom Californians disapprove of in high numbers. If the billionaire Steyer makes the runoff, it will set up a costly intraparty fight, with Steyer having spent more than $213 million of his own money to boost his candidacy, making it the most expensive gubernatorial election in California. Additionally, watch whether the migrant children issue that defined Becerra's primary challenges reemerges in November, or whether his primary victory demonstrates that California voters have moved past it.

◈ Tone Comparison

Left-leaning outlets used celebratory language like "breakthrough" to describe Becerra's advance, emphasizing historic significance and demographic transformation. Right-leaning coverage used more critical framing, with Fox News quoting strategists saying Becerra "was horrible at HHS" and Republican Steve Hilton calling the vote count "yet another Democrat fiasco" and a "complete disgrace."