Xavier Becerra, whose family has deep roots in Mexico, has made history as California's first directly elected Latino governor, defeating Republican Steve Hilton, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump.
The 68-year-old Democrat was projected to win just 10 minutes after polls closed, according to reports from the Associated Press, NBC News, and CNN cited by the EFE news agency.
His victory marks a historic milestone for California's Latino community, which accounts for approximately 40% of the state's population of more than 39 million.
The election also marks Becerra's return to state leadership after a political career spanning the US House of Representatives, the California Attorney General's Office, and the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Xavier Becerra Wins California Governor Race, Becomes First Elected Latino Governor – Xavier Becerra celebrated his electoral victory in Sacramento accompanied by his wife, Carolina Reyes, and their three daughters, before supporters and Democratic Party leaders. Credit: EFE. During his victory celebration in Sacramento, Becerra took the stage and opened his speech with a greeting in Spanish: «Hermanos y hermanas» (Brothers and sisters).
Addressing supporters, family members, and Democratic leaders, the governor-elect proclaimed the beginning of a new chapter for California.
«Ladies and gentlemen, you have now entered the Becerra era,» he declared to applause, according to EFE.
Becerra expressed special gratitude to Latino voters and reflected on how the opportunities California offered his family inspired him to seek public office.
«I didn't run to make history. I ran to make a difference,» he said.
The governor-elect also pledged to represent all Californians, including those who did not vote for him, and to work toward improving families' economic circumstances.
Xavier Becerra was born in Sacramento, California, 68 years ago, into a working-class family with strong ties to Mexico.
His father, Manuel Becerra, was born in California but grew up in Mexico, while his mother, María Teresa, helped shape the family's story of perseverance that Becerra recalled throughout his campaign.
According to his victory speech, his parents arrived in California in the 1950s with just $12 in their pockets.
Manuel worked in construction, while María Teresa held an administrative job to help support their three children.
«They earned every dollar, saved every cent. They built their California dreams,» Becerra said, reflecting on his parents' sacrifices.
The family lived in a one-room apartment, and despite financial challenges, Becerra became the first member of his family to attend college.
The Democrat has also shared that his mother still clips coupons to save money when shopping.
Becerra studied law at Stanford University and went on to build a political career spanning more than three decades.
At 34, he was elected to the US House of Representatives, where he participated in legislative negotiations and developed relationships with lawmakers from both parties.
During his congressional career, he worked on the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.
He also served on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees matters involving taxation, federal revenue, and major spending programs.
In 2017, Becerra returned to California to become the state's first Latino attorney general, a position from which he challenged numerous policies of the Trump administration.
During his tenure, he filed more than 100 lawsuits challenging federal government decisions, according to information compiled by EFE.
President Joe Biden later appointed him secretary of health and human services, making Becerra the first Latino to lead the federal department.
Throughout his campaign, Becerra emphasized addressing the high cost of living, expanding access to healthcare, and improving educational opportunities.
He also pledged to protect undocumented immigrants, a significant community in California, which has the country's largest undocumented immigrant population.
In an interview with EFE, Becerra explained that he wants to restore the economic opportunities that helped his parents build a better life.
«I will work to offer today's working families, construction workers, and office employees the opportunities my parents had,» he said.
The governor-elect also identified homeownership and better living conditions for families as priorities.
During his victory speech, he criticized the first two years of the Trump administration, describing them as a period of «higher prices, more wars, corruption, and lack of law and order.»
The Latino community in California celebrated Xavier Becerra's victory, who remembered his Mexican roots and promised to work for families, immigrants, and economic opportunities. Credit: EFE. Becerra will become the first Latino elected governor of California through a direct popular vote.
The historical precedent is Romualdo Pacheco, a politician from a California family of Mexican descent who became governor in 1875 after succeeding the previous officeholder, rather than being directly elected to the position.
Members of the Mexican American community celebrated the victory, highlighting the significance of Latino representation in California's highest state office.
«It's an honor to be here and see that this man is going to make many changes for our Mexican people,» Arturo Vallejo, 64, told EFE. Vallejo has known Becerra since his youth.
Becerra's cousin, Mónica Becerra Rico, also emphasized his family heritage, describing the governor-elect as «Latino to the core.»
The celebration in Sacramento also featured a family moment when Becerra's wife of more than 30 years, Carolina Reyes, joined him onstage with their three daughters.
Reyes, a physician and activist, was introduced as California's future first lady and devoted part of her speech to the electoral participation of Latino communities.
«These elections showed that our voices matter, that every vote counts, and we learned that the vote is power,» Reyes said.
Becerra also publicly thanked his wife and kissed her during the celebration.
«Together we have built a life, a family, and now history,» he said.
Becerra's victory was far from certain at the beginning of the campaign, when more than 60 candidates were seeking the governorship.
Then-Representative Eric Swalwell led early polling, while Becerra registered between 3% and 5% support in some surveys.
However, Swalwell withdrew from the race amid allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault, which he denied.
His withdrawal reshaped the contest and helped Becerra gain ground among the leading Democratic candidates.
Becerra subsequently secured endorsements from prominent Democrats, including Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla.
Democratic Senator Adam Schiff celebrated Becerra's victory and emphasized the importance of California electing a Latino governor.
Schiff said Latino communities had borne «the heaviest burden of the cruel agenda» of the Trump administration, referring to its policies.
He also noted that Becerra would work with a Democratic-controlled state legislature to advance his policy priorities.
«It's huge,» Schiff told EFE.
The governor-elect concluded his celebration by invoking the well-known slogan associated with labor rights activist Dolores Huerta.
«Yes, we can. Yes, we did,» Becerra told his supporters.
As California's next governor, Becerra will lead the most populous state in the United States and face the task of turning his campaign promises into policies affecting millions of residents.
Sources: EFE news agency, Los Angeles and Sacramento, November 3, 2026. Reports by Mónica Rubalcava and Ana Milena Varón, including statements by Xavier Becerra, Carolina Reyes, Adam Schiff, and supporters, as well as election projections from the Associated Press, NBC News, and CNN cited by EFE.
