Thirty years after entering the halls of Congress as a widely touted rising star, Xavier Becerra finds himself in the final weeks of a high-stakes gubernatorial race, poised to lead the most populous state in the country. An examination of his more than 25 years in Washington reveals a political operator who mastered the mechanics of Capitol Hill alliance-building while occasionally stumbling through high-profile executive assignments.
From Working-Class Roots to the Halls of Congress
Born in Sacramento to parents who spent their early years in Mexico, Becerra broke new ground early. He became the first in his family to graduate from college, earning a degree from Stanford University in 1980 before completing his law degree there four years later. After working for state Sen. Art Torres and running for the state Assembly in 1990, Becerra secured his path to federal office. With the endorsement of trailblazing Latino Rep. Edward Roybal, Becerra won the June 1992 Democratic primary in California’s 30th Congressional District against Los Angeles school board member Leticia Quezada, earning the 34-year-old candidate the descriptor of a rising star in The Times, according to reporting from the Los Angeles Times.
Becerra quickly established himself as a diligent consensus-builder within Democratic ranks. During his second term, he became the first Latino lawmaker appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and subsequently chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus from 1997 to 1999. Political scientists often categorized him as a workhorse rather than a show horse, though observers noted a harder edge beneath his affable exterior. Christian Grose, a political science professor at USC, observed that Becerra is an affable person who is not afraid to pull out a knife in politics while smiling.
Early Stumbles and Capitol Hill Ascent
That political ambition faced an early reckoning during the 2001 Los Angeles mayoral race. Running against former state Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, Becerra finished poorly with just 6% of the primary vote. His campaign drew heavy criticism for automated phone calls that attacked Villaraigosa using a voice mimicking county Supervisor Gloria Molina. Becerra also faced scrutiny for contacting White House staffers regarding the possible release of convicted cocaine dealer Carlos Vignali, whose father was a political contributor. Becerra maintained he was merely asking officials to review conviction details on behalf of a family, telling The Times in 2001 that he was not lobbying.
Following that electoral defeat, Becerra repaired relationships and climbed higher in Washington. He forged a close alliance with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, serving as her assistant from 2007 to 2009. John Lawrence, Pelosi’s former chief of staff, noted that Becerra’s standing within the California delegation and among Latino lawmakers was a major asset as leadership sought to elevate historically excluded groups. Later, as part of high-stakes negotiations, such as a 2013 bipartisan effort on comprehensive immigration reform, Becerra won praise from colleagues like former Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Ron Kind for his listening skills and ability to find common ground.
A Contentious Return to Washington
After serving four years as California’s attorney general—acting as a fierce defender against the Trump administration—Becerra returned to Washington in 2021 to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Despite having no healthcare background, he secured Senate confirmation amid significant Republican opposition. His tenure at HHS proved fraught. As the agency grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, critics faulted him for failing to hold regular press briefings and managing contradictory messaging from health officials regarding quarantine guidelines.
Further controversy touched his inner circle when his longtime chief of staff and advisor, Sean McCluskie, pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to use campaign funds from a dormant state political committee for travel expenses. Dana Williamson, a longtime political consultant and former chief of staff to Gov. Gavin Newsom, also pleaded guilty for her role in the scheme. While neither Becerra nor Newsom was accused of wrongdoing, the episode fueled criticisms regarding his administrative oversight. Reflecting on his federal executive tenure, Xochitl Hinojosa, a former Justice Department spokesperson in the Biden administration, stated on CNN that Becerra was not effective in government and that many in the administration recognized those shortcomings.
Becerra’s campaign declined to comment on his time in Washington as he looks toward the final stretch of the gubernatorial contest.
