Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was the first to gain votes in California’s gubernatorial primary election and presented himself to voters as the experienced choice.
The release of then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, ahead of the primary, created a void in the hotly contested race for Becerra, who also served as a U.S. congressman from the Los Angeles area and attorney general of California.
Becerra argued that he has already taken on many of the roles expected of the next governor, including balancing budgets and managing large, complex agencies as HHS secretary. As California’s attorney general, he sued President Donald Trump’s first administration more than 120 times.
Nominated by President Joe Biden in December 2020 as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Becerra faced a contentious confirmation process in the Senate because of his legal background rather than his traditional medical career. He was the first Latino to hold this position.
But during the Covid-19 pandemic, Becerra has been criticized for maintaining a lower profile.
As secretary, he also faced scrutiny over his department’s handling of a record surge of unaccompanied migrant minors arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border. The children were placed in HHS custody, with some languishing in emergency centers.
CNN’s Elise Hammond contributed to this report.
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