As California continues counting votes from this week&#8217;s primary elections, the Department of Justice has launched multiple investigations into potential election fraud and plans to audit the state&#8217;s voter rolls.  
Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, announced the investigations Friday, saying his office is working with the FBI. 
“We will follow the evidence wherever it leads and prosecute any violations of federal election law to the fullest extent,” Essayli posted on X.
Essayli also said the Justice Department intends to audit California&#8217;s voter rolls. 
“The state has stonewalled every effort to verify that only eligible U.S. citizens are registered to vote,” he wrote. “This case is now before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Protecting the integrity of California’s elections is a top priority for my office.
California’s election system has serious structural vulnerabilities. Universal vote-by-mail with no voter ID requirements creates conditions where fraud can go undetected and unpunished, eroding…
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) <a href="https://x.com/USAttyEssayli/status/2062889608787161176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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A federal prosecutor also visited the Los Angeles County ballot processing center on Friday, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/doj-office-investigations-california-elections-trump-claims-cheating-rcna348746">according</a> to NBC News. A county spokesperson told the outlet the prosecutor participated in a walkthrough of ballot-processing operations, which are open to public observation.
The developments come as California election officials continue tabulating millions of outstanding ballots.
President Donald Trump accused California Democrats of attempting to “steal” elections multiple times this week, citing the state&#8217;s lengthy vote-counting process. Two big races remain unresolved: the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral elections. 
“Look what’s happening in California, the Dumocrats, right before our very eyes, are stealing the Vote,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116693025089379568">wrote</a> on Truth Social Thursday.
With 68% of the gubernatorial vote <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/california-governor-results">reported</a> as of Saturday morning, Democrat Xavier Becerra has advanced to the November runoff in the general election with 26.78% of the vote. His opponent is still unknown, but Republican Steve Hilton narrowly trails Becerra with 26.35% support. Both were ahead of Democrat billionaire Tom Steyer, who is at 21.05%. Under California&#8217;s top-two primary system, candidates from the same party can advance to the runoff if they finish in first and second in the primary.
In the Los Angeles mayoral election, incumbent Democrat Mayor Karen Bass has been projected to advance to a runoff in the general election. As of Saturday morning, Bass has received 35.0% of the vote, with 71% of the vote <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/los-angeles-mayor-results">counted</a>.
Republican challenger Spencer Pratt is still in second with 28.2%, ahead of far-left Democrat Nithya Raman, who has been <a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/la-mayor-election-spencer-pratt-nithya-raman/3900642/">closing in</a> on Pratt in recent days. She currently has 24.9% support.
In the L.A. mayoral race, two members of the same party can advance to the general election if neither receives more than 50% of the vote. Around three million votes have yet to be counted, and the state has 35 days for counties to process ballots, verify signatures, and let voters cure defective ballots.

U.S. DOJ Sends Observer To Watch California Primary Ballot Processing

DOJ Investigates California Election As Trump Warns Democrats Are Trying To ‘Steal’ It

California

Donald Trump

Election Fraud

Elections

Karen Bass

Nithya Raman

Politics

Spencer Pratt

steve hilton

Tom Steyer

Vote Fraud

Xavier Becerra

Xavier Becerra, a Democrat who served as Health and Human Services Secretary during the Biden administration, has advanced to the runoff in the California gubernatorial race in November&#8217;s general election, several media outlets projected on Friday.
His opponent is still unknown, but Republican Steve Hilton narrowly trails Becerra, according to the latest tally. Becerra overtook Hilton in the vote count over the past 24 hours.
With 66% of the votes in on Friday evening, Becerra leads with 26.7% support, ahead of Hilton at 26.4%. Both were ahead of billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer, who was at 21%. Under California&#8217;s top-two primary system, candidates from the same party can advance to the general election if they finish in the top two.
On Thursday evening, with 58% of the vote reported, Hilton led Becerra by more than a point, at 27.2%. Becerra was at 25.9%, while Steyer was third with 20.1%.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
JUST IN: 
Democrat Xavier Becerra officially advances to November&#8217;s election for California Governor.
Still waiting on more results to determine who his opponent will be officially. <a href="https://t.co/gl7k08SGJp">pic.twitter.com/gl7k08SGJp</a>
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) <a href="https://x.com/ZavalaA/status/2063047654813364466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
&#8220;More than ever, California needs our voices and our values,&#8221; Becerrra posted on social media Friday evening. &#8220;To all the people and the voters of California, this is your state.&#8221;
&#8220;We will not be bought. We will not be bullied. And we are never backing down,&#8221; he added.
President Donald Trump has commented on California&#8217;s lengthy ballot tallying process and accused Democrats of election fraud.
&#8220;Look what&#8217;s happening in California, the Dumocrats, right before our very eyes, are stealing the vote,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116693025089379568">posted</a> on Truth Social on Thursday.
In another post, Trump said, &#8220;There&#8217;s BIG cheating by the Dumocrats in California. Votes are all tied up. May not be in for weeks. Under investigation by the U.S. Attorney&#8217;s Office in Los Angeles. Why the vote counting DELAY???&#8221;
Becerra responded to Trump&#8217;s accusations, claiming the president is &#8220;trying to undermine confidence in our elections because he&#8217;s a repeat loser here.&#8221;
&#8220;Sorry Donald, the voters decide who leads California. Not you,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. He lost California by millions of votes in the 2024 election, and now he&#8217;s trying to undermine confidence in our elections because he’s a repeat loser here.
Sorry Donald, the voters decide who leads California. Not you. <a href="https://t.co/juhpYvJ0LP">pic.twitter.com/juhpYvJ0LP</a>
— Xavier Becerra (@XavierBecerra) <a href="https://x.com/XavierBecerra/status/2062615628268417265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Becerra served 12 terms in Congress and is a former California attorney general. He is considered more of an establishment, moderate Democrat than Steyer. He quickly rose in the polls after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out of the gubernatorial race amid sexual assault accusations.
Delayed results are routine in California because of the state’s extensive vote-by-mail system, signature verification, and procedures for resolving ballot errors.
The final tally of California’s races could take as long as three weeks. Unlike many states that require mail ballots to arrive by Election Day, California accepts ballots that arrive up to 7 days later if postmarked on time. Then, those ballots have up to 7 days to reach a processing center. Counties must verify signatures, count provisional ballots, and allow voters to cure certain ballot defects before results are certified.
&nbsp;

California Residents Vote In Primary Election

Becerra Overtakes Hilton, Advances To Runoff

Almost 24 hours after the polls closed in California, the results of the gubernatorial primary and the Los Angeles mayor&#8217;s race remain unresolved.
With just 55% of the vote reported on Wednesday evening, Republican Steve Hilton still leads the field of more than 60 candidates with 27.6% support, ahead of Democrat Xavier Becerra, who had 25.5%. Both were solidly ahead of billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer, who was at 19.7%.
Despite Hilton&#8217;s lead, millions of ballots remain uncounted, making it too early to determine the final order of finish. Under California&#8217;s top-two primary system, candidates from the same party can advance to a runoff in November&#8217;s general election if they finish in the top two.
In the Los Angeles mayoral race, 62% of the vote has been counted. Incumbent Democrat Mayor Karen Bass leads with 35% support, while Republican Spencer Pratt has received 29.9%. Far-left Councilmember Nithya Raman trailed with 22.8%. The top two votegetters in the mayoral primary, regardless of party, secure a place in the November 3 runoff if neither receives more than 50% of the vote. Bass has already secured a spot in the runoff, according to projections.
Bass would normally have a major advantage over other candidates, but discontent with her handling of the Palisades fire and the homeless crisis led Pratt to join the race, and he then resonated with many of the same sentiments felt by other Angelenos.
Delayed results are routine in California because of the state&#8217;s extensive vote-by-mail system, signature verification, and procedures for resolving ballot errors.
The final tally of California&#8217;s races could take as long as three weeks. Unlike many states that require mail ballots to arrive by Election Day, California accepts ballots that arrive up to 7 days later if postmarked on time. Then, those ballots have up to 7 days to reach a processing center. Counties must verify signatures, count provisional ballots, and allow voters to cure certain ballot defects before results are certified.
On Wednesday evening, CNN broadcast live shots from the Los Angeles County Registrar&#8217;s office, which handles 25% of the state&#8217;s votes. The large room appeared sparsely staffed at the time of the broadcast. A CNN reporter on the scene said they were on break.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-1108755" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/LACounty-576x576.jpeg" alt="" width="576" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/LACounty-576x576.jpeg 576w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/LACounty-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/LACounty-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/LACounty-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/LACounty-1536x1536.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/LACounty.jpeg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" /></div>

Nearly 24 Hours After The Polls Closed, California Is Still Counting Votes

Los Angeles

vote

All eyes turn to California on Tuesday as voters weigh the political future of Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass and choose two finalists who will compete to succeed Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate. 
Election Day marks the end of a rollercoaster primary season defined by wild twists and turns, scandals, and viral fumbles. 
The contest started with an unusually crowded and wide-open field after former Vice President Kamala Harris turned down the opportunity to lead the Golden State. Political analysts believed Democrats would have cleared the field as a goodwill gesture following her wipeout defeat against President Donald Trump.  
&nbsp;
One by one, Republicans and Democrats threw their hats into the ring, including Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, plus Democrats Tom Steyer, Eric Swalwell, Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Antonio Villaraigosa, Betty Yee, Tony Thurmond, and several others. 
The first major shakeup came when a leaked viral video showed former Rep. Porter (D-CA) berating a congressional staffer, a controversy that has significantly set back her campaign.
“<a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/1976054425685983327?s=20">Get out of my f*cking shot</a>,” Porter shouted at a staff member when making a video message for the Biden administration. The leftist, who made a name for herself by grilling billionaires with her whiteboard in Congress, has failed to catch any momentum since. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
&#8220;GET OUT OF MY FUCKING SHOT!&#8221;
Video shows Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) chastising staffer in newly leaked video
<a href="https://t.co/COKJSv3yQ7">pic.twitter.com/COKJSv3yQ7</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/1976054425685983327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
Eric Swalwell, the former Bay Area congressman, capitalized on Porter’s collapse in the polls. He quickly amassed key Democratic endorsements and was widely viewed as the race’s frontrunner.
But his hopes to lead California came crashing down following explosive allegations of sexual harassment and assault. Multiple campaign staffers accused their boss of sending sexually explicit social media messages and inappropriate behavior beyond the halls of Congress. Days later, he dropped his gubernatorial bid and resigned from Congress ahead of an expected expulsion vote. A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swalwell-accuser-claims-dem-drugged-choked-and-raped-her?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=99&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Swalwell+Accuser+Claims+Dem+Drugged%2C+Choked%2C+And+Raped+Her">fifth woman then accused Swalwell of rape</a> in 2018, alleging the lawmaker drugged and raped her in Southern California. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I am suspending my campaign for Governor.
To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.
I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.
— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) <a href="https://x.com/ericswalwell/status/2043488502327972096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
As polling showed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/even-after-shivving-swalwell-democrats-arent-home-free-in-california-governors-race?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=97&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Even+After+Shivving+Swalwell%2C+Democrats+Aren%E2%80%99t+Home+Free+In+California+Governor%E2%80%99s+Race">Republicans could lock out Democrats</a>, blue voters have appeared to consolidate behind two candidates: Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and billionaire Tom Steyer, who has poured nearly $200 million of his own money into the race, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-governor-tom-steyer-billionaire-advertising-ed00b8f4ef4fcfa3b30bc8864a7873bb">according to the Associated Press.</a> 
Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at USC and UC Berkeley, said Left-leaning voters appear spooked by the Swalwell scandal. 
“Becerra is this year&#8217;s version of the Biden 2020 campaign. He is a stable, reassuring presence, and that seems to have attracted voters, Democratic voters who are worried about less familiar objects,” Schnur told The Daily Wire. “Eric Swalwell was, it was a near-death experience for California Democrats.”
Biden&#8217;s former HHS chief went viral for demanding a glowing profile from a local television reporter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Awkward moment kicks off KTLA interview with Xavier Becerra. <a href="https://x.com/CaliforniaICP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CaliforniaICP</a> Full report: <a href="https://t.co/UcMXzidzrf">https://t.co/UcMXzidzrf</a> <a href="https://t.co/OViYkfTg3t">pic.twitter.com/OViYkfTg3t</a>
— KTLA (@KTLA) <a href="https://x.com/KTLA/status/2054225112979612081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
Trump-endorsed Steve Hilton, a businessman and former Fox News host, has consolidated much of the Republican vote. However, Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco still has a durable base of about 9-12%, according to most polls. 
Under California’s “jungle primary” system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election in November regardless of party.
“What he needs more than anything else is for Bianco voters to decide they should not let their perfect be the enemy of the good,” Schnur said. “There are a finite number of Republicans in California. The more they split their vote, the less likely either one of their candidates moves on to the general election.” 
In the Los Angeles mayoral race that has captured national attention, former reality television star and community advocate Spencer Pratt is challenging incumbent Mayor Bass and far-Left Councilmember Nithya Raman.
Pratt, a victim of the devastating January 2025 wildfires, has tapped into his savvy social media background to drive a message of change in a city plagued by chronic challenges, including homelessness, crime, and skyrocketing prices. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
They not like us <a href="https://t.co/78hducHDUE">pic.twitter.com/78hducHDUE</a>
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) <a href="https://x.com/spencerpratt/status/2049497051793412557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
Republicans <a href="https://tracker.politicaldata.com/?type=City&amp;value=CA+-+City+Of+Los+Angeles&amp;tab=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">make up only 15% of registered voters</a> in Los Angeles, but most polls suggest Pratt is exceeding that share. 
The top two will also advance to the November election. For months, Bass has stalled at or below 30% in most polls, putting the incumbent mayor in an “extraordinarily vulnerable place.” 
“It wouldn&#8217;t be that surprising to see her finish third and get left out,” Schnur said. “Angelenos made up their minds about her after the wildfires. Fairly or not, they decided that she wasn&#8217;t up to the job.” 
Polls in the Golden State close at 8 p.m. local time. Given the state’s notoriously slow vote-counting process, it remains unclear whether races with national implications will be called Tuesday night.
“California has become the leader of the resistance in a deeply divided country, so for voters in other parts of the country who want a sense of how the Democratic party will move forward in a post-Trump era, this could be very valuable of early indicators,” Schnur said.

Powerful Winds Fuel Multiple Fires Across Los Angeles Area

Scandals, Fumbles, And Millions: California’s Wild Primary Ends Tonight

Democrats

Gavin Newsom

Katie Porter

News

I assume that being a Democrat isn&#8217;t very fun right now, especially if you live in California.
Unless, of course, you&#8217;re a Democrat running to be the next governor of the once Golden State. In that case, you&#8217;re positively elated.
Already, one <a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/04/california-governor-race-swalwell-allegations/">Democratic</a> candidate had to drop out after multiple sexual assault cases were lodged against him, and the current front-runner, Xavier Becerra, is going viral again for <a href="https://x.com/i/status/2054290605044576578">losing</a> track of 85,000 <a href="https://www.public.news/p/fact-check-yes-xavier-becerra-lost?utm_source=podcast-email&amp;publication_id=279400&amp;post_id=197441552&amp;utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&amp;utm_content=watch_now_button&amp;r=294ts&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email">migrant children</a> during his time as President Joe Biden&#8217;s Health and Human Services Secretary. This is the guy California Democrats think will get them to the finish line.
What a time to be alive.
How did he lose all those kids? Starting in 2008, the United States allowed <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/25/us/unaccompanied-migrant-child-workers-exploitation.html">unaccompanied minors</a> to be released to sponsors while their immigration proceedings dragged on for years. The process really ramped up during President Obama&#8217;s second term in 2014, but it was under Joe Biden that the floodgates opened. In 2022 alone, more than 130,000 unaccompanied minors entered the U.S. — three times the number from five years earlier. From 2021 to 2023, the total exceeded 250,000. During this time, the Biden White House ramped up <a href="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/02/15/multimedia/00childlabor-detention-tbhl/00childlabor-detention-tbhl-superJumbo.jpg?quality=75&amp;auto=webp">demands</a> on staffers to move the children quickly out of shelters and haphazardly release them to adults, rushing through the vetting of sponsors in the process.
Xavier Becerra, being the dutiful “yes-man” he was to Joe Biden, was happy to oblige. His department threw out protections that had been in place for decades: background checks, assessments of children&#8217;s files, etc. According to former employees, he demanded that &#8220;twenty percent of kids have to be released every week or you get dinged,&#8221; and had the unnerving gall to ask why they could not discharge children with &#8220;machine-like efficiency.&#8221;
Oh, I don&#8217;t know, Xavier. Maybe because they&#8217;re children, not inventory?
According to a recording obtained by the New York Times, Becerra complained, &#8220;If Henry Ford had seen this in his plants, he would have never become famous and rich. This is not the way you do an assembly line.&#8221; He told the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement that if she couldn&#8217;t increase the number of discharges, he would find someone who could. She resigned a month later. He made a similar threat to her successor.
Here is what that exploitation actually looked like, so we are all clear on what we’re talking about. Young women having their <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/25/us/unaccompanied-migrant-child-workers-exploitation.html">scalps ripped off</a> in a Michigan Cheerios factory. Twelve-year-olds on overnight shifts. Children sleeping in <a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/records-hhs-sent-unaccompanied-minors-to-sponsors-with-ms-13-ties-potential-trafficking-rings">gang-controlled</a> sponsor homes. The Biden DHS&#8217;s own Inspector General <a href="https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2025-03/OIG-25-21-Mar25.pdf">found</a> at least 570 child placements tied directly to human trafficking, drug trafficking, and weapons trafficking, and noted that because the agency wasn&#8217;t even tracking trafficking victims, the real number was almost certainly higher. HHS, at the time, behaved as if the children who vanished into these dark labor arrangements were doing just fine. They weren&#8217;t. Democrats opened the border wide, crammed kids into the very facilities they once hysterically called &#8220;cages,&#8221; rushed them through with minimal oversight, and then looked the other way. When a fellow Democrat finally confronted Becerra about it at a May <a href="https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/se/date/2026-05-05/segment/02">debate</a>, he air-quoted the phrase &#8220;lost kids&#8221; and called the whole thing a Trump lie. The New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize for <a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/hannah-dreier-new-york-times">reporting</a> it. Twenty-six of Becerra’s own House Democrats wrote him a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/118/meeting/house/116285/documents/HMTG-118-IF02-20230726-SD016.pdf">letter</a> about it. But sure, it’s a Trump lie.
The hypocrisy, as we point out often in this column, is again too rich to stomach. Becerra, the child losing overlord, had zero public health experience when he was handed HHS in the middle of a pandemic. At the time, Democrats cheered the pick. Now, these same voices clutch their pearls and scream “incompetent” at Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., an odd bird perhaps, but a man who has spent years fighting corporate capture of public health and is actually making a difference at HHS. Plus, he didn’t lose 85,000 children. Becerra did.
Yet here Becerra is, in recent debates, bragging about his record and insisting, “We protected kids,” while pointing fingers at employers. Spare us. The same man who treated child welfare like a Ford assembly line now wants Californians to trust him with the entire state.
This is exactly why Becerra is leading in the <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5876037-becerra-california-governor-race-poll/">polls</a>. He will say yes to the Democrat machine in California and never make it answer for anything, but his lead also exposes just how bleak that bench has truly become. This is the party that gave California record homelessness despite billions spent, soft-on-crime policies that turned its cities into open-air drug markets, the highest gas prices and cost of living in the nation, failing public schools that trap poor kids in mediocrity, and an illegal immigration burden that strains every hospital, school, and housing market in the state. After all of that, their shining answer is the architect of the 85,000-lost-children scandal — not despite his record, but because of it. And he will keep the machine running and never once ask whether the machine should be stopped.
Progressives don&#8217;t actually care about protecting human beings. They care about advancing their radical Left, mass-migration agenda; consequences and scalp-ripping factories be damned. Human suffering is just the cost of doing business when your priority is importing a permanent underclass and growing the urban plantation. Accountability is for other people. Moral authority is for press releases.
The uncomfortable truth is that Democrats are not interested in fixing problems. They are interested in manufacturing them, moralizing about them for political gain, and then taking the people who made them and running them for higher office. They opened the border. They rushed vulnerable children through the system with minimal safeguards. They looked the other way when those children were exploited, and now they have the audacity to present one of the people most responsible as leadership material, because they hate Trump and Republicans just that much.
California has not elected a Republican governor since <a href="https://www.public.news/p/fact-check-yes-xavier-becerra-lost?utm_source=podcast-email&amp;publication_id=279400&amp;post_id=197441552&amp;utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&amp;utm_content=watch_now_button&amp;r=294ts&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email">2006</a>. Democrats have had nearly two decades to prove they could lead with competence and humanity. Xavier Becerra is neither competent nor humane, and the people of California — the few Republicans and common-sense voters still there — deserve far better than recycled failures.
So don&#8217;t give the keys to Sacramento to a man who lost 85,000 children. Don&#8217;t give them to a woman who reportedly threw <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/04/13/rep-katie-porter-scalded-ex-hubbys-scalp-with-potatoes/">scalding potatoes</a> at her ex-husband and, for some reason, hasn&#8217;t discovered GLP-1s. And don&#8217;t give them to a billionaire as insufferable as Kamala Harris before the vino kicks in. Tom Homan&#8217;s people found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BL6-g4mDp0">62,000</a> of those not-lost kids within months, which tells you everything about what competent, willing governance actually looks like. Maybe California tries a small-government conservative who doesn&#8217;t hate the people they serve. 
The children certainly deserved one.

CA Gubernatorial Candidates Join Debate At Pomona College

Failing Up: Xavier Becerra Wants To Be California’s Governor

DW Opinion

California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra was caught on camera demanding a glowing profile of his career from a television reporter before the interview even began.
KTLA, a local station based in Los Angeles, released a video Tuesday of what it described as an &#8220;awkward moment&#8221; between the Democrat and reporter Annie Rose Ramos ahead of their sit-down interview.
&#8220;By the way, this is a profile piece, this is not a gotcha piece, right?&#8221; Becerra asked with the cameras rolling. 
&#8220;Well, look, I think these questions are fair,&#8221; Ramos replied. &#8220;It&#8217;s in order to learn about you as a candidate.&#8221;
&#8220;So long, it&#8217;s about the profile,&#8221; Becerra interjected. 
Ramos, who joined KTLA in 2022, said she did not know how Becerra defined &#8220;profile&#8221; and insisted on starting the interview. Becerra wasn&#8217;t ready.  
&#8220;The way I describe profile is you talk about all the things that I’ve done, things I want to do, and along with some tough questions. But not only tough questions,&#8221; Becerra said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Awkward moment kicks off KTLA interview with Xavier Becerra. <a href="https://twitter.com/CaliforniaICP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CaliforniaICP</a> Full report: <a href="https://t.co/UcMXzidzrf">https://t.co/UcMXzidzrf</a> <a href="https://t.co/OViYkfTg3t">pic.twitter.com/OViYkfTg3t</a>
— KTLA (@KTLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/KTLA/status/2054225112979612081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
The bizarre, caught-on-camera exchange drew strong reactions across the political aisle. 
“This is why standard politicians are unbearable. Look at that entitlement complex! Establishment Democrats (and Republicans) expect the media to kiss their a**. To be fair to them, that is usually how it goes. Becerra isn’t going to do anything positive for CA with this attitude,” far-left commentator Cenk Uygur said on social media. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is why standard politicians are unbearable. Look at that entitlement complex! Establishment Democrats (and Republicans) expect the media to kiss their ass. To be fair to them, that is usually how it goes. Becerra isn’t going to do anything positive for CA with this attitude. <a href="https://t.co/2ZVkHPDbIh">https://t.co/2ZVkHPDbIh</a>
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) <a href="https://twitter.com/cenkuygur/status/2054263214238548358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
“All Democrats in California are unvetted and untested,” former Trump official <a href="https://x.com/RichardGrenell/status/2054236007667757425?s=20">Richard Grenell said.</a> “They’ve had nothing but cheerleaders from the legacy media.”
&#8220;If you can&#8217;t handle local tv, how are you going to be able to handle national media, much of which has an interest in pushing/pursuing narratives about how terrible you/your state are?&#8221; Semafor reporter Max Tani said.  
Becerra, the former Health and Human Services Secretary under former President Joe Biden, <a href="https://x.com/rpyers/status/2054228922372686251?s=20">lashed out at Ramos</a> for asking how his agency<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/25/us/unaccompanied-migrant-child-workers-exploitation.html"> reportedly lost track of 85,000 migrant children.</a>
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if you got your talking points from Donald Trump,&#8221; Becerra told the reporter.
&#8220;It&#8217;s from the New York Times article,&#8221; she replied. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if you got your talking points from Donald Trump&#8230;&#8221; 
&#8220;It&#8217;s from the New York Times article.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/l6sc4J2p7e">https://t.co/l6sc4J2p7e</a> <a href="https://t.co/l0c9NJ9LcJ">pic.twitter.com/l0c9NJ9LcJ</a>
— Rob Pyers (@rpyers) <a href="https://twitter.com/rpyers/status/2054228922372686251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
The testy exchange is not the first time a California Democrat resisted tough questions during an interview. 
Former Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) raised eyebrows with a contentious interview with CBS reporter Julie Watts, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-dem-flips-walks-out-on-reporter-for-asking-basic-questions?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=California+Dem+Flips%2C+Walks+Out+On+Reporter+For+Asking+Basic+Questions">The Daily Wire previously reported. </a>
Watts dared to ask pointed questions and follow-ups, sparking a contentious reaction from Porter. 
“What do you say to the 40% of California voters who you’ll need in order to win, who voted for Trump?” Watts asked.
Porter appeared genuinely taken aback by the question: “How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?”
“Well, unless you think you’re going to get 60% of the vote. You think you’ll get 60%? Everybody who did not vote for Trump will vote for you?” Watts clarified. “That’s what you’re saying?”
“In a general election, yes,” Porter insisted. “If it is me versus a Republican, I think that I will win the people who did not vote for Trump.”
“What if it’s you versus another Democrat?” Watts asked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Democrats are so used to media being their propagandists that they totally lose it when asked basic questions. Here’s California’s Katie Porter losing it during an interview. <a href="https://t.co/relSS2Ajpa">pic.twitter.com/relSS2Ajpa</a>
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClayTravis/status/1975773397524357603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
“I don’t intend that to be the case,” Porter said, becoming so frustrated she abruptly ended the interview. 
“I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it,” Porter said. 
“You’re not going to do the interview?” Watts asked, clearly baffled by Porter’s behavior.
“Nope, not like this I’m not,” Porter declared. “Not with seven follow-ups to every single question you ask.”
Watts protested, “Every other candidate has answered follow-ups.”
“I don’t care!” Porter clapped her hands together once to emphasize her point. “I want to have a pleasant, positive conversation in which you ask me about every issue on this list. And if every question, you’re going to make up a follow-up question, then we’re never going to get there … I have never had to do this before, ever!&#8221;
Matt Mahan, the San Jose Democratic mayor running for governor, cut the Becerra-Porter moments into a campaign ad.
&#8220;By the way, part of being Governor is answering tough questions,&#8221; Mahan&#8217;s campaign said on social media.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
By the way, part of being Governor is answering tough questions. <a href="https://t.co/y8z1FEE3xZ">pic.twitter.com/y8z1FEE3xZ</a>
— Mahan HQ (@MattMahanHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattMahanHQ/status/2054257912919601307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2026</a></blockquote>

Senate Finance Committee Considers Xavier Becerra For HHS Secretary

Democrat Crashes Out On Reporter Before She Can Even Ask A Question

The top Democrats running for California governor said they would not suspend the 61.2-cent gas tax, despite the Golden State consistently having one of the highest gas price averages in the nation.
Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, former Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), and former Biden-era Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra each oppose scrapping the tax, they explained during a CBS California debate on Tuesday night. The average price of gas in California is $5.98 a gallon as of Wednesday, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AAA</a>.
Becerra said he’s “not in favor of cutting the gas tax” and cited infrastructure funding concerns. Just days prior, the Democrat blamed Trump for the pain at the pump, even though the Biden administration also faced sharp criticism for expensive gas prices.
“Let’s make sure Donald Trump is not starting reckless wars to keep the prices of gasoline down. By up to $2 a gallon, we could reduce the price if that war in Iraq that Donald Trump started would go away,” Becerra said during the Nexstar Media Group debate last week, mistakenly referring to Operation Epic Fury in Iran as a conflict in Iraq.
During a lightning round question-and-answer session during the CBS debate, Porter simply said “no” to a suspension, and Steyer said he “wants a windfall profits tax on the oil companies.&#8221; Steyer did not follow the CBS moderator&#8217;s directions by answering either &#8220;yes or no,&#8221; but confirmed shortly after his &#8220;windfall&#8221; pitch that he is against a suspension of the tax.
Steyer echoed his stance during a Nexstar Media Group debate last week, and he also blamed the president.
“Let me say that the reason gasoline is so expensive that our president, Donald Trump, has started an insane war in Iran and driven up the cost of gasoline for everyone in California,” the Democrat said during the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKIUJua6iCI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nexstar debate</a>. “That has put $70 billion into the pockets of the oil companies who actually put him in the presidency.”
Both Republicans in the race, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, said they were in favor of suspending the tax.
Two non-leading Democrats also said they would give Californians some relief at the gas pump. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a Newsom critic and Democrat, said he would “suspend then reform the gas tax,” and he called it “the most regressive tax in California.”
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, a Democrat struggling in the polls, said he is a “yes” on suspending the tax.
The Golden State’s June 2 primary blew wide open earlier this month with the exit of Democratic frontrunner Eric Swalwell, who dropped out of the race and resigned from Congress after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Newsom has yet to endorse a candidate, whereas Hilton was endorsed by President Donald Trump.
A recent Emerson College <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/governor/general/2026/california/open_primary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> showed Hilton in first place, with Bianco and Steyer tied for the second-place spot, which still leaves a narrow possibility of a Republican lockout in the contest.

Top Democrats Could Instantly Lower Gas Prices. They Refuse To Do It.

The former chief of staff to California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom was charged Wednesday in connection with a complicated scheme to steal funds from a campaign account previously belonging to former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
The Justice Department unveiled a 23-count <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/media/1417121/dl?inline">indictment</a> against 53-year-old Democrat consultant Dana Williamson, charging her with bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct justice, subscribing to false tax returns, and making false statements. Williamson, who worked for Newsom between 2022 and 2024, is accused of participating in a scheme to divert $225,000 from Becerra’s dormant campaign account.
“This is a crucial step in an ongoing political corruption investigation that began more than three years ago,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “As it always has, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect the people of California from political corruption.”
The indictment alleges that Williamson worked with lobbyist Greg Campbell and former Becerra chief of staff Sean McCluskie to funnel funds from the dormant campaign account. Prosecutors say the scheme operated between February 2022 and September 2024.
<div id="attachment_1000185" style="width: 1549px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1000185" class="size-full wp-image-1000185" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-13-at-6.56.15-AM.png" alt="" width="1539" height="353" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-13-at-6.56.15-AM.png 1539w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-13-at-6.56.15-AM-300x69.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-13-at-6.56.15-AM-1024x235.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-13-at-6.56.15-AM-768x176.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/Screenshot-2025-11-13-at-6.56.15-AM-1536x352.png 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1539px) 100vw, 1539px" />Indictment</div>
Both McCluskie and Campbell accepted plea deals last month related to the scheme. 
“Mr. Campbell takes full accountability for his actions and is cooperating fully with the legal process,” Todd Pickles, a lawyer for Campbell, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/us/newsom-aide-corruption-charges.html">said</a> in a statement. He added that Campbell is “an honorable former public servant and a positive and respected member of the community who has conducted himself with integrity through this deeply challenging process.”
The indictment also alleged that Williamson claimed more than $1 million in fraudulent tax deductions. This includes claiming deductions for items like a $15,353 Chanel handbag and ring, a $5,818 Fendi handbag and wallet, a $19,498 heating and cooling system at her home, a $9,859 watch, a $6,324 couch for her home, a $21,175 private jet charter, a $15,662 luxury hotel stay on her birthday, and $156,302 for a luxury vacation in Mexico, according to the indictment. 
Williamson pleaded not guilty to the charges during an appearance in federal court on Wednesday. Footage shared online by California political reporter Ashley Zavala showed her exiting the courthouse without responding to questions from reporters.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Here’s what happened when Dana Williamson— Gov. Newsom’s former Chief of Staff— emerged from federal court.
She stayed pretty silent and said we could talk to her attorneys. Her attorney wouldn’t talk.
She had nothing to say when I asked for her message to Xavier Becerra: <a href="https://t.co/hbgOtvhLsp">pic.twitter.com/hbgOtvhLsp</a>
— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZavalaA/status/1988776317698076800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
McGregor Scott, Williamson’s lawyer, accused the Trump administration of showboating in its handling of the case. 
“They chose the grandstanding route,” he told the New York Times. “The only conclusion I can draw is this is the latest misstep taken down the wrong road by the Trump Justice Department.”
If convicted, Williamson could face decades in prison and penalties totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Becerra, who is running for governor of California, said he was cooperating with federal authorities. 
&#8220;The news today of formal accusations of impropriety by a long-serving trusted advisor are a gut punch,” he said. “As California’s former Attorney General, I fully comprehend the importance of allowing this investigation and legal process to run its course through our justice system.”

California Gov. Newsom Discusses Texas’ Redistricting Plan

Newsom Insider Busted: Top Dem Consultant Nabbed In Corruption Scandal

Corruption

Crime

Department of Justice

Scandals

Former Vice President Kamala Harris has faced significant resistance from California Democratic donors in recent weeks as she ramped up outreach for a potential gubernatorial run, with some major contributors still bitter about her role in what one called the &#8220;complete s*** storm&#8221; of her 2024 presidential run.
Harris has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-harris-hints-at-future-political-run-im-not-going-anywhere?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Kamala+Harris+Hints+At+Future+Political+Run%3A+%E2%80%98I%E2%80%99m+Not+Going+Anywhere%E2%80%99">testing</a> the waters with trusted supporters as she considers a gubernatorial run, but enthusiasm has noticeably waned among the Democratic donor class, according to a POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/27/california-donors-kamala-harris-governor-00428797">report</a>.
One California Democrat who contributed six figures to Harris&#8217;s presidential campaign bluntly stated that her candidacy would only remind voters of the &#8220;traumatizing&#8221; 2024 election when Donald Trump regained power.
“Kamala just reminds you we are in this complete s*** storm. With Biden, we got bamboozled … I think she did the best she could in that situation, but obviously she knew about the cognitive decline too,” the unidentified donor reportedly said. “I’ve written so many checks because I knew the Trump administration would be horrible, but we’re living in a nightmare because of the Democrats. I’m furious at them, truly.”
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/26/california-republicans-kamala-harris-governor-run-00368028">reports</a> that many GOP candidates, eager to face Harris given her damaged reputation, would consider throwing their hat in the ring should the former vice president enter the race.
Democratic fundraisers note that Harris has yet to address accusations from former Los Angeles mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa, who alleges both she and Biden&#8217;s Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, another Democrat who has already entered the gubernatorial race, were &#8220;complicit in a cover-up&#8221; regarding Biden&#8217;s condition.
“Voters deserve to know the truth, what did Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra know, when did they know it, and most importantly, why didn’t either of them speak out?” Villaraigosa <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/20/fellow-democrat-tears-into-harris-becerra-bidens-fitness-00361106">said</a> in a statement. “This cover up directly led to a second Donald Trump term — and as a result, all Californians are paying the price.”
Harris has set a late-summer deadline for her decision. She is exploring multiple options beyond the governor&#8217;s race, including a potential 2028 presidential run or establishing &#8220;a philanthropic venture&#8221; outside of elected office, per POLITICO.
“It’s very fair to say there’s not an overwhelming clamor” for a Harris gubernatorial bid, said Scott Drexel, a Bay Area-based donor adviser. “It’s very hard for there to be one if it’s not 100 percent clear if she really wants to do it.”
“She’s going to have to work for the nomination,” Drexel said, “Every day that passes, there’s less of a sense of inevitability about her candidacy.”
Harris has made some quiet outreach, including multiple private meetings in the Bay Area during her visit to headline a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in early June.
These intimate gatherings in supporters&#8217; homes were officially billed as social events but carried &#8220;an unmistakable subtext&#8221; regarding her political future, POLITICO reported.
&#8220;The donors that are here, that have been with her know that this is her home state. She can win &#8230; but they also don&#8217;t want her to find herself in a spot of vulnerability, particularly if someone like a Rick Caruso comes into the race,&#8221; said Todd Hawkins, a Harris bundler dating back to her tenure as California attorney general.
Caruso, a billionaire developer and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate, has been mentioned as a potential centrist challenger who could complicate Harris&#8217;s path to the nomination. Caruso is a former Republican who changed his party registration several times before running as a Democrat in the 2022 L.A. mayoral race, when he lost to Karen Bass. 
One Southern California fundraiser, speaking anonymously, said donors &#8220;realize it&#8217;s just going to bring up the whole pathetic last presidential, which no one wants to hear about again. And then it&#8217;s the whole &#8216;Did you know Joe Biden?&#8217; thing. She still would probably lead, but honestly, no one is incredibly pumped.&#8221;

Former Vice President Kamala Harris

Liberal Donors Trash Kamala: ‘Just Reminds You We Are in This Complete S*** Storm’

2024 Election

gubernatorial race

Joe Biden

Kamala Harris

Rick Caruso

Former California Attorney General and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra announced his bid for California governor on Wednesday, becoming just the second high-profile Democrat to enter the 2026 race.
Becerra, who <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-playbook/2025/04/02/xavier-becerra-jumps-into-field-to-succeed-newsom-00265467">sued</a> President Donald Trump more than 120 times during his first administration, said in an announcement post on X, &#8220;It&#8217;s time to do it again for California.&#8221; The Democrat is a career politician who served in the California State House and the U.S. House before being tapped as California&#8217;s attorney general. Becerra was then nominated by former President Joe Biden to serve as HHS secretary, a position he held for the entire Biden administration.
&#8220;As AG I took on Trump – and won. As HHS Secretary, I took on Big Pharma – and won,&#8221; Becerra wrote. &#8220;It’s time to do it again for California. Let’s rebuild the California Dream for everyone.&#8221;
Becerra said he is running for governor &#8220;because I watched my parents, a construction worker and a clerical worker, achieve the California dream.&#8221;
&#8220;Can we do that today, with this affordability crisis? Very tough,&#8221; Becerra added. &#8220;But we&#8217;ve taken on these tough fights. California has succeeded in those tough fights and become the economic engine of this country.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I’m running to be the next Governor of California. 
As AG I took on Trump – and won. As HHS Secretary, I took on Big Pharma – and won. It’s time to do it again for California. Let’s rebuild the California Dream for everyone.
Join our team: <a href="https://t.co/pZsqE35Iku">https://t.co/pZsqE35Iku</a> <a href="https://t.co/G4ZRVRGHek">pic.twitter.com/G4ZRVRGHek</a>
&mdash; Xavier Becerra (@XavierBecerra) <a href="https://twitter.com/XavierBecerra/status/1907423148472942897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In his first TV interview since announcing his campaign, Becerra said he believes everyone in California, including illegal immigrants, &#8220;should have access to the health care they need,&#8221; but added that the state first &#8220;needs a balanced budget.&#8221; He also downplayed the issue of trans-identifying men playing in women&#8217;s sports, an issue addressed by the state&#8217;s legislature this week, where Daily Wire host Matt Walsh <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/matt-walsh-to-testify-before-california-assembly-on-bill-to-ban-boys-from-girls-sports-bathrooms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> on Tuesday.
&#8220;There are probably more lightning strikes that hit people than there are transgender athletes who are trying to play in women&#8217;s sports, so this has been blown way out of proportion,&#8221; he said. &#8220;What does your school or what does the athletic program or the athletic body say? They&#8217;re the ones that govern. If they say you should play, then I&#8217;m not going to get in the way. If they say you shouldn&#8217;t play, then you don&#8217;t have a right under the Constitution to play.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/XavierBecerra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@XavierBecerra</a> is running for California Governor. 
He gave his first TV interview to <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXLA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FOXLA</a>&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/TheIssueIsShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheIssueIsShow</a>. 
&quot;Elex, if all goes well I&#39;ll be the next Governor of our great state&#8230;yes, I am running!&quot;
Why is he running?
Becerra mentioned the story of his… <a href="https://t.co/FX7kjNF6wG">pic.twitter.com/FX7kjNF6wG</a>
&mdash; Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Elex_Michaelson/status/1907425531743854934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Becerra has faced criticism for targeting pro-life activists and a Catholic charity during his time as California AG. In 2017, Becerra brought felony charges against pro-lifers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-finally-drops-prosecution-of-journo-who-exposed-planned-parenthood-with-damning-videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Daleiden</a> and Sandra Merritt for their role in exposing Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of aborted baby parts. California&#8217;s prosecution of Daleiden and Merritt finally <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-finally-drops-prosecution-of-journo-who-exposed-planned-parenthood-with-damning-videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ended</a> in January when a plea agreement was reached. In 2017, Becerra sued the Trump administration over religious liberty exemptions in the Affordable Care Act for Christian charities, such as the Little Sisters of the Poor.
Becerra joins former California Democratic Rep. Katie Porter in the field of gubernatorial candidates. Current California Gov. Gavin Newsom cannot run again since he is term-limited, but he has been floated as a potential presidential candidate for 2028. Lesser-known Democrats in the race include former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former State Controller Betty Yee, former state legislator Toni Atkins, and state schools Superintendent Tony Thurmond, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/us/becerra-california-governor-harris.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. So far, only one prominent Republican, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, has thrown his hat in the ring.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly considering a run for California governor as well. Harris and Becerra have crossed paths multiple times as Becerra took Harris&#8217; place as AG after Harris was elected to the Senate. The former vice president also swore in Becerra after he was confirmed as HHS secretary.

Biden’s HHS Secretary Jumps Into California Governor’s Race

Four Republican senators are pressing the Biden administration for answers over <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/slap-in-the-face-biden-blasted-after-giving-certain-illegal-immigrants-access-to-gov-health-care" target="_blank" rel="noopener">its announcement</a> that it would make some immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally eligible for government-backed health care coverage.
In a <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/services/files/017C5FB5-7DB1-4197-AB41-BEE951E25AB4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Wednesday, Sens. Marsha Blackburn (TN), Kevin Cramer (ND), Mike Lee (UT), and J.D. Vance (OH) demanded that Becerra provide more details about a plan announced on Friday to allow immigrants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status to enroll in Obamacare. The Biden administration estimated that the coverage could impact around 100,000 DACA recipients. 
“At a time when our nation has endured record numbers of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border, this announcement sends a clear message: fixing the manufactured border crisis is the last thing that the Biden administration wants to do,” the Republicans wrote. “In Biden’s economy, inflation is on the rise while job growth is slowing down. Unemployment is at a two-year high, and foreign born workers are flooding the workforce.”
“When America’s borders are open and our citizens’ wallets are hurting, the last thing this administration should be doing is providing free health care coverage to immigrants,” the letter added. “The American people deserve answers on such a disastrous policy.”
The decision was made possible by a Biden administration rule changing the definition of “lawfully present” to include DACA recipients, who were given special status after their parents brought them to the United States as children illegally. The rule will go into effect just before the presidential election, as DACA recipients will be able to register for coverage on November 1.
The Senators asked Becerra to provide the legal justification for expanding Obamacare eligibility without congressional authorization and for the Biden administration to estimate the expansion&#8217;s cost. Additionally, the Republicans asked if coverage would only apply to DACA recipients or include their family members. 
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In September last year, a federal judge in Texas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-rules-daca-is-illegal-says-biden-admin-cannot-usurp-congressional-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that the DACA program was unconstitutional because the executive branch had to “usurp” congressional authority to enact the policy.
“While sympathetic to the predicament of DACA recipients and their families, this court has expressed concerns about the legality of the program for some time. The solution for these deficiencies lies with the legislature, not the executive or judicial branches. Congress, for any number of reasons, decided not to pass DACA-like legislation,” Judge Andrew Hanen wrote. 
The case is currently being reviewed at the appeals court level and could eventually reach the Supreme Court.

HHS Secretary Becerra Visits Alabama After IVF Ruling

GOP Senators Push Biden Admin Over New Rule Giving DACA Recipients Access To Obamacare

Biden Administration

Congress

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Illegal Immigration

JD Vance

Marsha Blackburn

Mike Lee

Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) grilled Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/xavier-becerra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xavier Becerra</a> over his position on abortion, asking whether there was any case in which he would support imposing restrictions on women seeking to terminate their pregnancies.
During a Tuesday hearing, Kennedy posed a hypothetical scenario — a healthy baby and a healthy mother, one day before the due date — and Becerra repeatedly refused to say whether he&#8217;d support banning abortion even in that case.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Why are you embarrassed to answer?
&quot;Would you support making it illegal to abort a baby, if the mother is healthy, and the baby is healthy, on the day before that baby is scheduled to be born?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnKennedy</a> presses <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBecerra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecBecerra</a> on his support for no-limits abortion <a href="https://t.co/K2mkoSGW0i">pic.twitter.com/K2mkoSGW0i</a>
&mdash; SBA Pro-Life America (@sbaprolife) <a href="https://twitter.com/sbaprolife/status/1780275185125392535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
After thanking Secretary Becerra for his time, Kennedy jumped straight to the heart of his questions.
&#8220;Mr. Secretary, if the mother is healthy and the baby is healthy, do you really support abortion of the baby up to the moment of birth?&#8221; he asked.
&#8220;Senator, let me make sure — to the moment of birth? You&#8217;re saying after gestation, the 40 weeks —&#8221; Becerra attempted to clarify the question.
Kennedy obliged, saying, &#8220;Let&#8217;s suppose — suppose it&#8217;s the day before the due date, and the baby is fully formed and the baby is healthy and the mother is healthy, do you support aborting — the right to abort the baby then?&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ve heard no one say that,&#8221; Becerra protested, claiming that &#8220;reproductive rights&#8221; advocates were only saying that they supported the provisions of the recently-overturned 1973 case Roe v. Wade.
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Kennedy responded by reading a 2020 statement from Becerra himself, who said at the time, &#8220;No government, state or federal, has the right to make decisions for a woman about her body or her health care.&#8221;
&#8220;Your words, not mine,&#8221; Kennedy added. &#8220;I ask you again, up to the moment of birth, if the mother&#8217;s healthy and the baby&#8217;s healthy, do you believe that there should be the right to abort that baby? Up to the moment of birth.&#8221;
Becerra again claimed that he had &#8220;always supported Roe v, Wade, which doesn&#8217;t do what you just said,&#8221; and said that he did not know of anyone who was arguing in favor of abortion until the moment of birth. He went on to say that it should still be a decision left entirely up to a woman and her doctor.
Kennedy tried once more, asking Becerra directly whether he would support any restrictions on abortion in cases where both mother and baby were healthy and the baby was full term. The HHS Secretary would only answer that he would support bringing back Roe.
&#8220;I want your answer,&#8221; Kennedy pressed again. &#8220;Roe v. Wade has been overturned. I want your answer.&#8221;
But even as Kennedy repeated the direct question several more times, Becerra refused to give a straight answer.

Sen. John Kennedy

‘Your Words, Not Mine’: GOP Senator Grills Biden Health Secretary Over No-Limits Abortion

'Your Words, Not Mine': GOP Senator Grills Biden Health Secretary Over No-Limits Abortion

Abortion

John Kennedy

Pro-Abortion

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