Becerra Wins California Governor's Race
Democrat Xavier Becerra defeated Republican Steve Hilton to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom in preliminary results.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Democrat Xavier Becerra won California's governor's election, defeating Republican Steve Hilton with about 64% of the vote in preliminary results, compared with 36% for Hilton. The race was held to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Why it matters
The result determines who will lead California, the state's most populous, after Newsom's tenure. Becerra's margin in preliminary returns reflects the outcome of the statewide contest.
The figures come from preliminary returns showing Becerra at about 64% and Hilton at about 36%. Final certified totals were not available in the source extraction.
The players
Xavier Becerra
Xavier Becerra is a Democrat who won California's governor's election, succeeding Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Steve Hilton
Steve Hilton is a Republican who lost California's governor's election to Xavier Becerra.
The details
Becerra, a Democrat, defeated Republican Steve Hilton in the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom. The contest was decided on preliminary returns, with the final tally still pending official certification.
Timeline
Nov. 3, 2026: Becerra won the California governor's election.
Historical Parallel
Romualdo Pacheco became California's first Latino governor in 1875, serving about 10 months after Gov. Newton Booth resigned for the U.S. Senate. Becerra's election places the state's top office in a line of Latino leadership that Pacheco began, though the extraction does not state any direct connection between the two campaigns.
Becerra's win sets the direction for state policy that Californians will live under after Newsom leaves office. Residents affected by state government decisions will see the new administration's priorities shape those outcomes.
The takeaway
The race was decided on preliminary returns, so readers should watch for certified results from California's election officials to confirm the final margin before drawing firm conclusions about the outcome.
Further reading
Explore more in Elections coverage of California's governor's race.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Sacramento Bee.
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