‘A son of immigrants,’ California reacts to Governor-elect Xavier Becerra’s historic win

California’s gubernatorial race was called for Xavier Becerra shortly after polls closed on Election Night, making him the first Latino to be elected governor of the Golden State.

California leaders are simultaneously congratulating Becerra on his historic win and reminding the governor-elect that now, the real work begins. During his victory speech in Sacramento Tuesday night, Becerra, 68, vowed to “deliver a California we can afford.”

“I didn’t run to make history, I ran to make a difference for anyone and everyone who calls California home, whether you voted for me or not,” Becerra said Tuesday.

Sen. Lena Gonzalez, chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus, clarified that beyond the excitement of the election, lawmakers must now get to work, delivering solutions to concerns Californians have voiced for months: affordability, cost of living and immigration.

“While this election is promising, the responsibility is clear: Latino families deserve better,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “Latino representation is more than just getting elected; it’s about getting things done. In this spirit, we look forward to working very closely with Governor-elect Xavier Becerra in the coming year.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom said his successor will be “a governor who will carry the torch for California.”

“A son of immigrants, a product of the California dream who will stand up to Donald Trump and represent our values,” Newsom wrote in an X post shortly after the race was called Tuesday night.

Becerra was born to Mexican immigrants; his father was born in California but raised in Tijuana and his mother is from Jalisco, Mexico. Becerra highlighted his parents’ work Tuesday, saying he came from a “union home.”

The California Democratic Party said in a statement Becerra’s story is “deeply rooted in the California experience.” 

Following Becerra’s win, the three most powerful leaders in California will all be Latinos. Becerra will govern alongside Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) and Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara).

Rivas told CALÓ News on Tuesday night that the biggest difference in this election is that the over 15 million Latinos in California – roughly 40% of the state’s population – will now be represented by someone “who looks like us, that has the experience that we all have.”

Following the election, California will also now have the largest Democratic State Assembly caucus in modern history.

“Governor-elect Xavier Becerra’s win and the new blue majority is a mandate that Americans want affordability, healthcare and responsible government that truly delivers results,” Rivas said in a statement Wednesday morning.