Governor of California
Xavier Becerra
Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2021–2025) and California Attorney General (2017–2021)D
- Race
- Governor of California
- Election
- 2026-11-03
- Opponent
- Steve Hilton (R)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did3 statements · 0 votes
Where zoning still locks out affordable housing from entire communities, we will open it up.
Loosen zoning rules to build more housing
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotGovernor
2026-11-03
| Xavier Becerra D | challenger |
| Steve Hilton R | challenger |
Top-two primary finisher (28%); one of two candidates on the official certified general-election list. California governors have no ballot-line running mate; the lieutenant governor is elected separately.
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
Where zoning still locks out affordable housing from entire communities, we will open it up.
Says that where zoning locks out affordable housing from entire communities he would open it up, and that his administration would pursue zoning reform and enforce the law on cities that shirk their housing obligations.[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
We need to protect coverage for every Californian today while building toward a system where universal access is not a promise deferred but a guarantee delivered.
Says California must protect coverage for every Californian and build toward universal access to health coverage.[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
California’s clean-energy transition is necessary and urgent—but too many families are paying the price through rising utility bills, unreliable service, and confusing rate structures.
Calls the clean-energy transition necessary and urgent while saying climate action must be affordable, reliable and fair.[6]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Xavier Becerra is a Democrat and former California attorney general, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and member of Congress (1993–2017). His campaign emphasizes lowering housing, utility and insurance costs and resisting Trump administration policies.[1][2][3]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Becerra was born and raised in Sacramento and earned a B.A. in economics from Stanford University in 1980 and a J.D. from Stanford in 1984.[1] He worked as an administrative assistant for state senator Art Torres and as a deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice.[1]
He served in the California State Assembly from 1990 to 1992 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2017, chairing the House Democratic Caucus from 2013 to 2017.[1]
Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him California Attorney General in 2017, and he was elected to a full term in 2018.[1][7] He then served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2025.[1][7]
On the record
Official actions: bills, executive acts, filings and court records.
- legal2020-01-03 · As California Attorney General, led a coalition of 20 states and D.C. in petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Fifth Circuit's decision in Texas v. U.S., which held the ACA's individual mandate unconstitutional.[8]
In their own words
Priorities
- Declare a state of emergency to freeze insurance and utility rates, and declare the housing shortage a state of emergency to fund the nearly 40,000 affordable housing units in approved projects that await a final tranche of funding.[9][4]
- Continue challenging Trump administration policies, as he did when he sued the administration more than 120 times as attorney general.[10][11]
- Expand state health coverage toward universal access and lower costs, including by eliminating duplicative healthcare oversight requirements.[9][5]
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/xavier-becerra
Compare all 2 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.Xavier Becerra · Wikipedia · 2026-10-19 Reference
- 2.Xavier Becerra (D) and Steve Hilton (R) to run for governor of California on Nov. 3 · Ballotpedia News · 2026-10-19 Reference
- 3.California Voter Guide 2026: Governor · CalMatters · 2026-10-19 News report
- 4.Housing — Becerra for Governor · Becerra campaign · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
- 5.Health Care — Becerra for Governor · Becerra campaign · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
- 6.Energy and Utilities — Becerra for Governor · Becerra campaign · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
- 7.Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton will face off in California governor's race · Associated Press via WTOP · 2026-10-21 News report
- 8.Attorney General Becerra Leads Coalition Seeking Supreme Court Review of ACA Repeal Case · California Department of Justice · 2020-01-03 Official record
- 9.California Voter Guide 2026: Governor · CalMatters · 2026-10-19 News report
- 10.Xavier Becerra for Governor · Becerra campaign · 2026-10-19 Candidate's own words
- 11.Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton will face off in California governor's race · Associated Press (via WTOP) · 2026-06-09 News report