Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and former U.S. secretary of health and human services, is running for California governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
He faces Republican Steve Hilton. Both advanced from the June 2 primary, according to Ballotpedia.
Becerra, who also served as California’s attorney general, says on his campaign website that he would tackle the cost of living, expand housing production and push the state toward universal health coverage.
Surround Sound News’s candidate questionnaire was sent to Becerra’s campaign; no response had been received as of Oct. 8, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from his public campaign website and public records.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Born: Jan. 26, 1958, Sacramento
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in economics, Stanford University, 1980; juris doctor, Stanford University, 1984
- Family background: Son of Mexican American parents; first in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree, according to U.S. House records. His father was born in Sacramento and raised in Mexico.
Experience and public service
U.S. House records document his service in the following offices:
- U.S. secretary of health and human services, 2021–2025.
- California attorney general, 2017–2021. He was sworn in Jan. 24, 2017, and was the first Latino to hold the office, according to California DOJ.
- U.S. representative from California, 1993–2017. He chaired the House Democratic Caucus from 2013 to 2017.
- California State Assembly, 59th District, 1990–1992.
- Deputy attorney general, California, 1987–1990.
On the issues
Housing
Becerra says on his housing platform that he would speed approvals, reduce development costs, protect renters and strengthen enforcement of state housing laws.
His plan targets nearly 40,000 already-approved affordable homes that his campaign says await final funding. It identifies bond measures, state subsidies and public-private partnerships as possible funding tools. His proposal would strengthen state oversight of how cities meet their housing commitments.
Healthcare
On his healthcare platform, Becerra proposes protecting coverage, expanding preventive and community-based care, and strengthening the healthcare workforce while moving toward universal access.
Energy and affordability
Becerra says bill affordability would be central to his energy policy, especially for low- and middle-income families. He calls for stronger utility oversight and says he wants to cut pollution while lowering household energy costs.
He also says he would confront the broader cost of living by opposing price gouging and expanding help with childcare and other essential costs for working families, according to his affordability platform.
Disaster preparedness
On his disaster-preparedness platform, Becerra says he would shift California from reacting after disasters to preventing harm beforehand, seeking investments in wildfire prevention, flood control and seismic retrofits.
He also proposes strengthening warning systems, evacuation planning and emergency communications.
Artificial intelligence
On his AI platform, Becerra calls for safeguards addressing workers’ rights, child safety and public-safety risks, developed with input from industry, labor and affected communities.
Endorsements
Becerra has received an endorsement from the California Chamber of Commerce.
Voters can find Becerra’s full policy platform on his campaign website.
These are candidate proposals, not policies already enacted. This profile will be updated if Becerra responds to the Surround Sound News questionnaire.
