Democrat Xavier Becerra is running for California governor. The fight for second place remains open
Former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra will run for governor of California in November's general election, according to CNN projections. For now, it is not clear who will be his opponent.
Democrat Xavier Becerra is running for governor of California/PHOTO:X
Becerra's qualification guarantees a Democrat in the runoff after there were fears that the large number of Democratic candidates could split the vote and allow Republicans to monopolize the top two positions.
In a message posted after the screenings were announced, Becerra thanked his supporters and volunteers.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to be moving forward in the general election to become your next governor,” he said.
The fight for second place remains open
The race for the second position eligible for the November ballot is still too close to be decided. In the running are former Fox News anchor Steve Hilton and billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer.
As more votes were counted after Primary Election Day, Becerra consolidated his lead over both rivals, securing one of the top two positions.
If Steyer takes second place, a Democrat will be sure to succeed incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom, who can no longer run because of term limits. Still, a showdown between two Democrats could make for one of the costliest and toughest election campaigns in the state's recent history.
Steyer, who built his fortune in the hedge fund industry, has already poured more than $200 million into his campaign, including ads critical of Becerra's work in the Biden administration.
Should Hilton advance, the Republican would face a major challenge in a Democratic-dominated state. According to the most recent voter registration statistics, California has about 4.6 million more Democratic voters than Republicans. The state hasn't elected a Republican governor in two decades, since the re-election of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
A campaign marked by withdrawals and controversies
The primary elections took place in a context where many voters declared themselves dissatisfied with the electoral offer, especially in the democratic camp.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Alex Padilla, two major names in the Democratic Party, chose not to enter the race, and other candidates withdrew after failing to gain support.
Former congresswoman Katie Porter lost ground after controversial videos surfaced. Subsequently, Congressman Eric Swalwell's campaign also collapsed after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced, which he denied. Swalwell withdrew from the competition shortly after the allegations were published.
His retirement created a political vacuum that benefited Becerra, a former California attorney general and former congressman from the Los Angeles area.
Government experience, the main electoral argument
On the campaign trail, Becerra built his message around his experience in public administration, arguing that his handling of major crises qualifies him for California leadership.
However, his opponents used the same experience to criticize him. Among the criticisms made were the way he handled the crisis of migrant children and the authorities' response to the smallpox epidemic during the time he was in charge of the Department of Health.
Becerra has also been mired in controversy after his former chief of staff pleaded guilty in a fraud case related to misappropriation of funds from a campaign account. Authorities have not charged Becerra with any wrongdoing, however.
Another important competition in California
In another closely watched election race, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has already secured her qualification for the November ballot.
However, it is not clear who will be his opponent. TV star Spencer Pratt is currently in second place, but local councilor Nithya Raman has made significant gains in the post-election vote count, keeping the race for qualification open.
