Biden’s Leading Health Official Launches Campaign for California Governor
Xavier Becerra is entering a competitive race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, joining a roster of esteemed candidates.
On April 2, former Health Secretary under President Joe Biden, Xavier Becerra, declared his intention to run for the governorship of California.
“California has prevailed in these difficult battles, establishing itself as the economic powerhouse of the nation,” he stated. “We can achieve this again, but the state requires a resolute leader.”
Before his tenure managing Biden’s pandemic response, the seasoned politician, now 67, was a member of the state legislature from 1990 to 1992, served 24 years as a U.S. congressman from Los Angeles, and acted as California’s attorney general from 2017 to 2021.
Becerra emphasized the need for a “leader who can be tough.”
“I’ve engaged in these hard struggles, whether advocating for the Affordable Care Act as a congressional member, challenging the Trump administration during my time as attorney general, or taking on the pharmaceutical sector as Health and Human Services secretary to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare seniors,” Becerra remarked.
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Becerra has stated that he filed over 100 lawsuits against the initial Trump administration, as he mentioned in his Wednesday video.
“Genuine change requires our involvement,” Becerra asserted. “I look forward to connecting with you all, because, together, we will restore the California dream.”
He was the first in his family to achieve a bachelor’s degree, studying economics at Stanford University, and he also holds a law degree from a private university in Northern California.
Becerra is married to Carolina Reyes and is the father of three daughters.
COVID-19 Efforts
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden appointed Becerra to oversee the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Food and Drug Administration, among other key agencies.
Health Secretary Xavier Becerra speaks during a press conference at HHS headquarters in Washington on June 28, 2022. He promised to advocate for Californians in a video announcing his candidacy for governor on April 2, 2025. Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images
A lawsuit filed this January in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by Paul Brundage, who alleges he suffered an injury from a COVID-19 vaccine, claims Becerra neglected to include the vaccine in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program designed to compensate individuals injured by authorized vaccines.
A nurse prepares syringes in Waterford, Michigan, on April 8, 2022. Former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra endorsed federal mandates for the COVID-19 vaccine. Emily Elconin/Reuters
Crowded Race
Becerra is among a growing number of candidates aiming for the governorship in California. The top two candidates based on votes in the primary will advance to the general election in 2026, irrespective of their political affiliations.
Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) speaks at a rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on June 22, 2023. She is among the many candidates for governor of California in 2026. Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Notable Democrats in the race to succeed termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom include former Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), former state Sen. Toni Atkins, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state public school Superintendent Tony Thurmond, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former State Controller Betty Yee, and former deputy secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Michael Younger.
Sheriff Chad Bianco of Riverside County speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on May 15, 2024. Bianco, a Republican, is also running for California governor. Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
Speculation has also arisen regarding a potential candidacy from former Vice President Kamala Harris, though she has yet to make any official announcement.
