Xavier Becerra Wins California Governorship by 63.9% to 36.1% Margin

Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra will succeed Gavin Newsom in Sacramento after winning a commanding victory in Tuesday's gubernatorial election and laying out a fiscal and energy roadmap for the state.

Becerra Defeats Steve Hilton 63.9% to 36.1% in Historic Victory

Democrat Xavier Becerra, 68, defeated Republican commentator and former British political adviser Steve Hilton, 56, by a 63.9% to 36.1% margin to become the first elected Latino governor in California history and the first Latino to hold the office since Romueldo Pacheco served an appointed term in 1875.

Becerra's path to the governorship accelerated sharply over the past eight months. After registering at 5% in a crowded March UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) poll of more than 5,000 registered voters, Becerra consolidated labor and Democratic establishment support to finish first in the June top-two primary with 28% of the vote, outpacing Hilton at 24.6% and billionaire climate investor Tom Steyer, who finished third despite spending more than $222 million. By September, UC Berkeley IGS polling showed Becerra leading Hilton with 58% support.

A "Pragmatic Progressive" Agenda on Taxes, Solar Power, and Road Funding

Describing his governing philosophy as that of a "pragmatic progressive," Governor-elect Becerra faces immediate decisions on tax policy, electric rates, transportation funding, and healthcare:

• Corporate Taxes Over Wealth Taxes: Becerra opposed the ballot measure to levy a one-time tax on billionaire assets—which voters rejected 55% to 45%—warning it could accelerate taxpayer flight. Instead, he has proposed studying higher corporate tax rates on large employers whose full-time workers still qualify for public assistance programs.
• Replacing a $31 Billion Gas-Tax Drop: With electric vehicle adoption projected to reduce California gasoline excise tax collections by $31 billion over the next decade, Becerra has expressed openness to studying a road-usage mileage charge while evaluating grid readiness ahead of California's scheduled 2030 ban on new gasoline-powered passenger car sales.
• Daytime Solar "Power Hour" and Medi-Cal: To ease utility bills and utilize midday renewable surpluses, Becerra has proposed a daytime "power hour" providing low-income households with 2 hours of free solar electricity each afternoon, alongside budgetary steps to restore Medi-Cal coverage and clinic access pinched by federal healthcare reductions.