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After Xavier Becerra announced Wednesday he is running for California governor, former Biden administration Health Secretary said he joined the already crowded field of candidates to protect the rights of every Californian, including those of trans people, taking a different position than the current Governor has taken.
After his candidacy was made public, Becerra spoke with NBC Los Angeles to make a case for the 2026 gubernatorial election and discussed the issue of trans athletes after outgoing Governor Gavin Newsom suggested on his podcast it’s unfair for transgender athletes to participate in girls sports.
“Trans folks are people, and we owe them the ability to protect them and their rights,” Becerra said, emphasizing that there are “probably more Americans getting hit by lightning than trans Americans wanting to play in girls sports.”
He suggested that Californians have already spoken on the transgender issue in sports after state lawmakers rejected bills to ban trans athlete’s participation in girls sports.
“Does the sports federation, does the school district say it’s possible? If they say it’s possible, that means the community has said yes,” Becerra said while reminding Californian’s his background in fighting for marginalized communities long before it was a popular idea.
“in 1996, 30 years ago, I stood up when congress wanted to pass a bill that said two people of the same sex should not have the right to marry,” Becerra, who represented the downtown LA and Boyle Heights area in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than two decades, recalled what happened when the Defense of Marriage Act was proposed. “Of the 435 members in the House of Representatives, only 67 of us in 1996 stood up and said that’s discriminatory, that’s wrong.”
Becerra also said he’s not afraid to be labeled as an “establishment candidate” as he and possibly former Vice President Kamala Harris would be the ex-members of the Biden administration among the gubernatorial candidates.
“(My) record is going to hopefully show those folks who really want to see dramatic change,” he said. “I’m going to execute because I’ve learned as the CEO of the Department of Justice in California as the CEO of the Department of Health and Human Services at the federal level that you’ve got to know how to produce results.”
The Sacramento native and Stanford Law School alumnus touted his accomplishment with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, saying he helped lower drug prices against the pharmaceutical companies.
On the issue of housing affordability, Becerra pledged to work with all cities and jurisdictions to build more and faster.
“If you’re a teacher, a firefighter, a police officer or a nurse, you know working class, if you want to live close to where you work, I want to make that possible,” he said.
There are already several contenders vying to become the next governor, including former Congresswoman Katie Porter, former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly considering a run as she is expected to announce her decision by summer 2025.
The next California gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, with the top-two primary election set for June 2, 2026.
The full interview with Becerra will air on NewsConference on NBC Los Angeles at 9 a.m. on Sunday, April 6.
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