California Gubernatorial Race Advances to General Election

California’s Democratic candidate for governor, Xavier Becerra, has progressed to the general election scheduled for Friday night, as reported by The Associated Press.

The AP called the race for Becerra at 7:50 p.m. EDT, placing the former U.S. Health Secretary and California Attorney General in the running to succeed the term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom this coming November.

It looks like Becerra will face Republican Steve Hilton in the upcoming election. According to the latest tallies, Becerra received 26.7% of the votes, while Hilton was close behind with 26.4%. Democrat Tom Steyer secured third place with 21.0%.

After announcing his candidacy, Becerra framed the outcome as a win for working-class Californians and expressed his intention to carry this message into the fall campaign.

“The people of our great state spoke loud and proud,” Becerra remarked. “We will not be bought, bullied, or backed down. November is here.”

His campaign emphasized that this result represents a significant moment in California’s history, with Becerra becoming the first Latino candidate to move from the state’s gubernatorial primary to the general election. If elected, he would make history as California’s first Latino governor since Romualdo Pacheco, who held the position for a brief period in 1875.

“California needs our voices and values more than ever. To all Californians, this is your state. Este es tu estado,” Becerra shared in a post on social media following his campaign announcement.

Becerra, who previously served as California’s attorney general and as Secretary of Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden, is clearly enthusiastic about his chances.

Hilton, backed by former President Donald Trump and known for his work as a conservative commentator, has also made strides in the state’s unique top-two primary system, setting the stage for a notable battle in November.

The final results are still being confirmed.