Breaking: Xavier Becerra makes history as California’s first elected Latino governor

Xavier Becerra is making history as the first Latino to be elected governor of California.

Shortly after polls closed on election night, the Associated Press called the gubernatorial race for Becerra. With roughly 16% of the votes counted when AP called the race, the Democrat beat out his challenger, Republican Steve Hilton.

His win marks a historic feat for the state, making him the first Latino to lead the state since 1875, when Romualdo Pacheco became California’s first Mexican-American governor, though he was appointed, not elected. Becerra is the first Latino elected to the office.

At his election night event in Sacramento, Becerra addressed a crowd of supporters soon after the win was announced.

"As governor, my mission is straightforward but not simple: deliver a California we can afford and defend a California we can't afford to lose," he said.

Earlier in the day, Becerra spoke briefly about the historic win polls were anticipating and clarified that he wasn't running to make history; he was running to make a difference.

Voto Latino, a national civic advocacy organization focused on empowering Latinos, congratulated the governor-elect on his win.

"This victory belongs to the Latino voters who showed up in every corner of this state. California is home to the nation’s largest Latino population, and tonight is a reminder that when our community is engaged, informed, and counted, we shape what comes next. We congratulate Governor-Elect Becerra and look forward to working with him on behalf of all Californians," the organization said in a statement.

Becerra, 68, has had a more than 35-year career in politics. His public service began in the late 1980s when he served as the state deputy attorney general before being elected to the State Assembly in 1990 to represent parts of L.A. County.

He then ran and was successfully reelected for 12 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served until 2017. When then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate, Becerra was appointed to the office. In 2021, former President Joe Biden tapped Becerra to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Becerra had a slow rise to the top of the at-times chaotic and later sleepy gubernatorial race. At the beginning of the year, Becerra sat firmly at the bottom of the then nine-candidate race, often polling in the single digits.

The so-called “Becerra Era” began once former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell left the race after he was accused of sexual assault. Becerra’s social media presence began to explode and he shot to the top of the polls within weeks.

Becerra’s ultimate win, however, didn’t come as a surprise to many, as Democratic voters outnumber Republicans two-to-one in California.

A Public Policy Institute of California poll released exactly one week before Election Day showed Becerra leading with 61% of the vote.

The As the apparent frontrunner, Becerra spent much of his campaign avoiding “inflated promises,” instead leading with often vague policies and a general message about prioritizing working-class families and continuing California’s legacy as a leader in the fight against the Trump administration.