Xavier Becerra, a former U.S. health and human services secretary, has been elected governor of California. He takes office promising to resist President Donald Trump’s agenda during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
Becerra, 68, is the son of Mexican immigrants and will be the state’s first Latino governor since 1875. More than 40% of California residents are Latino, and nearly half of the state’s children have an immigrant parent. Becerra defeated Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host endorsed by Trump.
At a victory party in Sacramento, Becerra said his mission would be to make California more affordable while defending the state. His campaign emphasized affordability, including access to healthcare, and his opposition to Trump. He has pointed to filing 122 lawsuits against the Trump administration while serving as California attorney general during Trump’s first term.
Becerra will take charge of the country’s largest state and its fourth-largest economy. His administration will face challenges including the cost of living, a housing shortage, homelessness, rising insurance premiums, wildfire risk and growing wealth inequality. Regulation of artificial intelligence is also a major issue, with technology companies and investors challenging state proposals on AI safety, labor protections and data center construction.
The race to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom was initially crowded and unpredictable. Becerra struggled to gain support before former congressman Eric Swalwell’s campaign collapsed amid sexual assault allegations. He then moved ahead of billionaire candidate Tom Steyer to secure a place on the November ballot alongside Hilton.
Hilton blamed California’s problems on Democratic governance and campaigned on tax cuts, cheaper fuel and smaller government.
Sources: The Guardian World.