Becerra advances to California governor's race general election

Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and former California attorney general, advanced Friday to the general election for governor of the nation's most populous state, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Becerra's primary win could make him California's first Latino governor since the late 1800s — a prospect with significant implications for immigration policy affecting communities across Southern California, including Orange County.

Becerra, born in Sacramento to Mexican immigrant parents, leveraged more than 35 years in public office to build his candidacy. He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives, as California attorney general and as U.S. health secretary under President Joe Biden. During the first Trump administration, he filed more than 120 legal actions against the federal government on issues including immigration and climate policy, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

"The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken - loudly and proudly. We are never backing down. November, here we come," Becerra said in a statement, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

His closest Democratic rival in the primary was Tom Steyer, a billionaire climate activist who spent $215 million of his own money on the campaign, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Another Democrat, Rep. Eric Swalwell, had dropped out of the race after facing sexual assault accusations, which cleared a path for Becerra to consolidate the party's progressive flank.

The leading Republican contender is Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator backed by President Donald Trump. Becerra built his coalition with endorsements from labor groups and Latino legislative leaders and pledged to extend California's resistance to Trump administration policies.

Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, cannot seek a third consecutive term under state law, leaving the governorship open for the first time in years and drawing a crowded field of candidates across party lines.

For Orange County's sizable Latino and immigrant communities, Becerra's candidacy carries particular significance. As attorney general, he filed more than 120 legal actions against federal immigration policies during the first Trump administration, according to ABC7 Los Angeles — a record that has drawn the attention of immigrant advocacy organizations that have closely followed his campaign.

Becerra and Hilton are expected to face off in November in a contest that promises to shape California's direction on immigration, housing and energy policy for years to come.