Becerra defeats Hilton in California governor race

Xavier Becerra won California’s gubernatorial race, defeating Republican Steve Hilton after the Associated Press called the contest for the Democrat. Early returns cited by the AP showed Becerra with 4.98 million votes, or 64.1%, and Hilton with 2.8 million, or 36%, with about 59% of votes counted. The figures are preliminary, not a final certified tally. Hilton conceded and congratulated Becerra, according to a report of his concession speech. Becerra, a former U.S. secretary of health and human services under President Joe Biden, is scheduled to be sworn in on January 4, 2027, succeeding term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The result makes Becerra the first Latino elected governor of California, according to a report on the race. Romualdo Pacheco, who became governor after serving as lieutenant governor, was the last Latino to hold the office, in 1875. Housing was a central issue in Becerra’s campaign. He has proposed declaring a housing-shortage state of emergency on his first day in office and pursuing steps to accelerate construction, including 90-day deadlines for building-permit decisions, lower impact fees and changes to reviews for modular homes. The proposals...