Xavier Becerra Surges Ahead in California Gubernatorial Jungle Primary

Xavier Becerra Emerges as Front‑Runner in California’s Jungle Primary

California voters head to the polls Tuesday, and the latest Emerson College poll places Xavier Becerra ahead with ↑ 28% support, eclipsing billionaire Tom Steyer (22%) and commentator Steve Hilton (21%). Just two months ago the former HHS secretary lingered at ↓ 5% in a Berkeley/IGS survey, underscoring the volatility of a field that once favored Rep. Eric Swalwell before his abrupt exit.

Who Is Xavier Becerra?

Born in 1958 to Mexican immigrants in Sacramento, Becerra earned an economics degree and a J.D. from Stanford, becoming the first in his family to graduate college. He entered the State Assembly in 1990, won a Los Angeles‑area congressional seat in 1993 and held it for 24 years. In 2017 Governor Jerry Brown appointed him Attorney General, making him California’s first Latino in the role; he later served as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Biden, a tenure later scrutinized for its handling of the pandemic response.

“I will fight for every Californian’s right to affordable housing, health care and a safe future,” Becerra told supporters at Long Beach Arena.

His record aligns with the national Democratic platform: gun‑control measures, marriage equality, reproductive rights, and a staunch defense of immigrant protections, though critics point to controversies over unaccompanied migrant children while he led HHS.

Policy Promises on the Ballot

On utilities, Becerra vows to freeze rates and seek long‑term cost reductions. He proposes expanding the state’s down‑payment assistance, which currently caps at $150,000 for first‑time buyers, though financing details remain vague. To curb homelessness, he aims to double housing construction to 1.5‑2 million units in his first term, insisting that “unhoused Californians should not stay on the street when help exists.” In health care, his website pledges an executive order to preserve Medi‑Cal coverage for up to 3.4 million residents threatened by federal cuts, while boosting CalRx to lower prescription prices. For further context on the race’s shifting dynamics, see Reuters coverage.