Former Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra announced that he is entering the race for California governor.
In a video released on Wednesday, Becerra declared that he plans to seek the governor’s seat to replace current Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“Hi, I'm Javier Becerra, and you may have heard, I am running to be governor of our great state of California. And that's because I watched my parents, a construction worker and a clerical worker, achieve the California dream,” he said on the video.
Can we do that today with this affordability crisis? Very tough. But we've taken on these tough fights. California has succeeded in those tough fights and become the economic engine of this country. We can do that, but you need a leader who can be tough. And I've been in those tough fights, whether it was as a member of Congress, when we helped draft and pass the Affordable Care Act, when I was attorney general for our great state of California, and I took on the Trump administration the first time, sued him over 100 times and won, or whether as Secretary of Health and Human Services, I took on the pharmaceutical industry and we negotiated lower prescription drug prices for seniors under Medicare.
He concluded: “Honestly, look, speeches and fancy announcements, folks can wait. Right now, what can't wait is that California dream. Real change comes with our participation. I'm I'm looking forward to seeing you because together we will rebuild the California dream.”
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I’m running to be the next Governor of California.
— Xavier Becerra (@XavierBecerra) April 2, 2025
As AG I took on Trump – and won. As HHS Secretary, I took on Big Pharma – and won. It’s time to do it again for California. Let’s rebuild the California Dream for everyone.
Join our team: https://t.co/pZsqE35Iku pic.twitter.com/G4ZRVRGHek
The race to become California’s next governor is gradually heating up, with other potential contenders throwing their hats into the ring.
Becerra’s entrance into the race injects new intrigue into a contest that for months had been stagnant as Democrats and their deep-pocketed funders wait to see if the former vice president will jump into the fray. But recently the campaign has seen stirrings; former Rep. Katie Porter launched her own bid last month and and other contenders have taken increasingly pointed swipes at Harris and her drawn-out decision timeline.
Becerra’s campaign insists he would not drop out of the race even if Harris, the Democrats’ nominee for president in 2024, declares her candidacy for governor.
In his own bid, Becerra, 67, is not overtly carrying the progressive banner or pitching himself as a centrist Democrat. Instead, he seeks to make the race a referendum on experience, hoping to convince voters he has the most credibility to manage the gigantic state and take on President Donald Trump, whom he sued more than 120 times when he was California attorney general during the president’s first term.
Becerra previously served as California’s attorney general from 2017 to 2021. He was a member of Congress from 1993 to 2017.
During his tenure as HHS secretary, Becerra faced criticism for keeping a low profile, avoiding the media during the COVID-19 pandemic, and giving conflicting messages regarding the coronavirus.
Editor's Note: The Democrat Party has never been less popular as voters reject its globalist agenda.
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