After months of staying out of the California governor’s race, state leaders now rally behind Becerra

Almost immediately after the primary election for California's next governor was finalized Tuesday night, leaders from throughout the state raced to show their support for Democrat Xavier Becerra.

Becerra will be facing off against Republican Steve Hilton in November for California’s top job. With almost double the amount of registered Democratic voters than Republicans in the state, it's likely Becerra will be the next governor. Nothing is impossible though, and party leadership is clearly planning on bolstering the Democratic candidate as much as they can until the November 3 general election.

Perhaps the most anticipated endorsement that never was, Gov. Gavin Newsom finally put his thumb on the scale after months of dodging questions regarding who he thinks should be his successor.

Newsom posted a statement on social media Tuesday night leaving nothing up for interpretation regarding how he feels about the need for another Democrat to lead the state going forward.

“I’m proud to support [Becerra] as our nominee for governor and look forward to helping ensure a smooth transition,” Newsom wrote. “He’ll stand up to Donald Trump, defend our families and keep California moving forward.”

In his eight years in office, Newsom has polished his national profile by being one of Trump’s fiercest critics, often using social media trolling as his weapon of choice. Although a former California attorney general who sued Trump over 120 times during his first time in office, Becerra’s tame disposition is a stark contrast from Newsom.

Former vice president and 2024 presidential nominee Kamala Harris kept the state on its toes for months last summer as she debated running for governor. Ultimately, she announced in a statement that she would not be running, and encouraged pursuing “change through new methods and fresh thinking.”

Harris, a California native, has spent the last year on a cross-country tour for her memoir, “107 Days.” Like Newsom, she also declined to endorse a candidate during the crowded primary, but released a statement Tuesday night in support of Becerra.

The former vice president acknowledged Becerra’s “calm, steady brand of leadership” and highlighted that if Becerra is elected in November, California would be “[making] history” by electing the state’s first Latino governor in 150 years.

Becerra’s election would be historic in a state that is roughly 40% Latino. California’s first and only Latino governor, Rumualdo Pacheco, was appointed in 1875, not elected by the people.

Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the only other Latino candidate that ran for governor this year, spent much of his campaign blasting Becerra’s record and attempting to pull voters from the former Biden cabinet member.

Late Tuesday night, Villaraigosa endorsed Becerra saying he “ran a hard-fought campaign and persevered.” 

Tom Steyer, a billionaire climate activist who ultimately ended up in third place in the gubernatorial race, spent millions in Becerra attack ads in the weeks leading up to the primary. 

In a lengthy X post, Steyer included just one short sentence about Becerra: “It would be a travesty for [Hilton] to win the governorship, and Californians must unite behind [Becerra] to ensure he does not.”

Hilton’s personal connection with the president will certainly become front and center in Becerra’s pitch to voters. 

“This November, voters will choose between a governor who will fight for that future and one who would hand Sacramento to Donald Trump,” Becerra said in a statement. “California will not be his next casualty.”