Democrat Xavier Becerra wins California governor's race, defeating Republican Steve Hilton

Democrat Xavier Becerra won California's race for governor on Tuesday, defeating Republican Steve Hilton. Becerra is a former state attorney general and congressman who served as health secretary under President Joe Biden. He will succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was term-limited and could not seek another term.

He will be California's first Latino governor since Romualdo Pacheco, who took office in 1875. The Los Angeles Times adds that Becerra is the state's first directly elected Latino governor. Hilton is a former Fox News host endorsed by President Trump.

The race centered on the high cost of living, housing and relations with the federal government. Hilton proposed repealing the state gas tax and ending state income tax on the first $150,000 of income. He also pledged to cut gas prices to $3 a gallon.

Becerra said he would bring down everyday costs while keeping the state on its clean energy path, and would keep California a counterweight to Trump administration policies. He rose to the front after Eric Swalwell, a Democratic front-runner, left the race following sexual assault allegations, which Swalwell has denied. A late-October UC Berkeley poll of likely voters had Becerra at 61% and Hilton at 34%.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Becerra wants Medi-Cal coverage to continue without interruption, undocumented workers included, while federal cuts of as much as $30 billion loom. It also says he plans to declare a housing emergency and hasten construction. The New York Post says he proposed automating Medi-Cal renewals. It reports that he is scheduled to take office Jan. 4, 2027.