Former President Joe Biden's Health and Human Services secretary is running for governor in California.
Xavier Becerra made the announcement Wednesday with a post on X.
"I'm running to be the next Governor of California," Becerra posted with a short video. "As AG I took on [Donald] Trump – and won. As HHS Secretary, I took on Big Pharma – and won. It's time to do it again for California. Let's rebuild the California Dream for everyone."
Becerra will be trying to replace Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom, who's prevented from seeking reelection due to term limits.
"I watched my parents — a construction worker and a clerical worker — achieve the California dream," Becerra said in his video. "Can we do that today, with this affordability crisis? Very tough. But we've taken on these tough fights...We can do that, but you need a leader who can be tough."
Becerra, who would be the state's first Latino governor in 150 years, said he had been pondering running for some time and decided to jump into the race because of his experience fighting Trump as a congressman and managing disasters, the Los Angeles Times reported.
"Watching what's unfolding before our eyes made it clear this is not a time to sit on the sidelines," Becerra said in an interview, the Times reported.
As HHS secretary, Becerra was criticized over the administration's poor handling of sheltering an influx of migrant children and for having little influence in setting COVID policy, Politico reported.
Previous to serving in the Biden administration, Becerra served more than 30 years as a California public official, as both a state legislator and then as a longtime U.S. House member from downtown Los Angeles.
Vice President Kamala Harris also has been mentioned as a possible Democrat gubernatorial candidate in California. Politico reported early last month that Harris told a partygoer at a pre-Oscars party that she would decide about the race before the end of the summer.
Former Democrat U.S. House member Katie Porter last month announced she's entering the 2026 contest for California governor. Porter made an unsuccessful run for U.S. Senate last year.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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