Xavier Becerra brushes off opponent attacks at campaign rally

“Tío Xavier” and “¡Sí se puede!” chants echoed throughout a gymnasium at Sacramento State University, where gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra held the latest stop on his “Fighting for the California Dream” tour Monday night.

Becerra, a former California attorney general and Joe Biden administration cabinet member, has been traveling and speaking to voters throughout the state in the final weeks leading up to the June 2 primary election. Lasting only about an hour in total, the first 30 minutes of the event were spent with various speakers expressing their support for Becerra and getting the crowd energized.

“This election is about far more than politics. It's about values. It's about the kind of leadership we want guiding California,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) said in his introduction for Becerra. “Because California needs a governor who understands the lives of Californians. We need someone who understands the pressures that families feel every single day.”

Rivas, a steadfast ally, told the crowd Becerra is “someone who never forgot where they came from,” and argued he is the candidate best situated to address the needs of working-class people in the state.

Also on the stage Monday were California Faculty Association President Margarita Berta-Ávila, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California President Jodi Hicks, Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisin City) and Becerra’s daughter Clarisa Reyes-Becerra.

“It’s not easy to speak truth to power,” Reyes-Becerra said. “To be there to fight for the hardest working and lowest paid. And that is his motto because that is who he is … and he is going to continue doing so as governor.”

Becerra himself was only on stage for 30 minutes to make a pitch to voters, most of whom have likely already decided who they will be voting for.

Received with cheers from the crowd, Becerra dismissed increased attacks from his opponents regarding the 30 years of experience on which his campaign hinges.

The punches have only become more frequent as the former Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary has been rising in the polls over the last few weeks.

“It’s gonna get ugly these last three weeks,” Becerra told voters. “They’re coming after me because they’re afraid of you.”

Becerra limited his engagement to just three questions during the event, which were all pre-screened by staff.

Responding to a question about homelessness, Becerra told the crowd he “was raised to believe we are our brothers and sisters keepers ... we don’t just leave folks on the street.”

He repeated previous talking points that it is less expensive to keep people in their homes than to get them off the street, and said cities and counties must be held accountable for delivering outcomes.

On U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the former attorney general said his administration would investigate, arrest and prosecute ICE agents who violate the law. “They’re like any other criminal, in my opinion,” Becerra said.

He also said he would work to reduce class sizes and increase teachers’ pay and echoed earlier calls for expanded down payment assistance for homebuyers.

The magic number of the night, Becerra also only took three questions from reporters following the rally.

When asked about fellow candidate Katie Porter’s claim on CNN that Becerra is “too big of a risk” given his former employee is being investigated for stealing campaign funds, Becerra said he is “moving forward” and was not involved in any way.

Another question Becerra can’t seem to escape surrounds a New York Times investigation that found Becerra’s HHS lost contact with tens of thousands of migrant children who were then severely exploited by employers.

“What employers did after they left our care, after they left our jurisdiction, where the exploitation of children may have occurred, was not on my watch,” Becerra said in response to a reporter’s question.
”While those kids were with us, they didn't get exploited … they were cared for, and we're very proud of what we did.”

Immediately after his response, Becerra’s team ushered the candidate out of the room.