Xavier Becerra's path to likely becoming California's first elected Latino governor is marked by a series of fortunate breaks he capitalized on. - In high school, he picked up a discarded Stanford application, leading to a degree and law career.
- A chance meeting with Jerry Brown's aide led to his appointment as attorney general, where he sued the Trump administration 123 times. - His defense of Obamacare earned him a role as U.S.
Health Secretary under Biden. - In the 2026 gubernatorial race, front-runner Eric Swalwell's scandal allowed Becerra to surge from a flatlining campaign to the top two.
Becerra's likability and stable image, rather than flashy spending, have been key to his success.