Does Anyone Have a Clue Who Would Run CA With Becerra as Governor?

ALPERN AT LARGE - I’m quite aware that many Californians, and perhaps many reading this, just absolutely haaaaaaaaaaaaate Republicans more than they want their state, cities, family, or even personal situation to thrive.

Because Republicans are bad. Because the worst Democrat is always better than the most reasonable GOP politician (who probably loves Trump more than he/she will ever admit, right?).

Best to not just scream “you’re MAGA!” as much as “you’re a Socialist!”.

Because show me a large group of people, and I’d argue that to lump them all into the same person or figure is just bigoted, racist, classist, and just downright inaccurate…and probably self-defeating.

Is a balanced budget classist?

Is transparent government racist?

Is demanding crime go down bigoted?

But right now we’ve got a man who’s not a Republican (perhaps the only thing we know for sure about him) in the lead (if one believes the polls) in the California governor’s race: Xavier Becerra.

Not a Republican. Definitely (as the name implies) Latino.

We’ve also got former-Democrat and still-Latina Gloria Romero running as a sort of running mate to GOP Governor-Wannabe Steve Hilton…

…which may mean that being a Latino Democrat or a Latina Democrat-turned-Republican should be addressed as to who that individual is rather than a given demographic.

Some of us still believe in race-based politics, while I hope that most of us (certainly yours truly) pulled away from that nonsense long ago—no use enslaving oneself to the GOP or Democratic Party because you’re white, black, male, female, gay, straight, whatever.

So has Governor-Wannabe Xavier Becerra (fresh from a primary race where a handful of Democratic embarassments were exposed and shoved out of the race) done anything to prove he deserves our vote?

Will fight for us?

Will make himself there for us?

If a recent KTLA interview is any evidence (LINK: https://ktla.com/news/california/becerra-governor-poll-ktla-interview/), the answer is…

…NO…

Becerra will be remote, aloof, without ideas and plans, and without any idea of what to do about running the Golden State after Governor “I’ve got great hair and nothing below it” Newsom departs from office.

His previous tenure in the Biden administration? Lackluster and somewhat an embarrassment to those familiar with and serving with former President Biden.

And the aforementioned interview was pilloried by those who advised and served Biden (and perhaps want to be those running California with Becerra as figurehead, if one might venture a guess).

Everyone felt Becerra was avoiding tough questions, and made it doggone clear he preferred not to answer tough questions and come up with innovative new ideas for our state, and his being forced into a debate (he’s been avoiding Steve Hilton for months now since the runoff) shows Becerra really does NOT want to be a leader.

Figurehead, perhaps, but definitely not leader.

Steve Hilton, in contrast, has stated he wants affordable housing, infrastructure, building industrial/energy complexes in the empty portions of our huge state, more water/reservoirs for cheaper and drought-proof situations, and will kill the High-Speed Rail money pit/boondoggle on Day 1 of his term if he’s elected.

Becerra will do…what, now?

There WILL be a single gubernatorial debate between Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton on CNN on Wednesday, September 30th, at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST.

The CNN debate (LINK: https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/08/politics/cnn-to-host-california-gubernatorial-debate-september-30) will be one hour, and what a damned shame we’ll only have one debate.

I want to know who will run this state, and how, after Governor Newsom is out of office.

Am I aware that people hate Trump and the GOP so very much that they’ll take ANY Democratic pol to “lead” the state with the usual suspects running rampant behind Becerra’s “phone it in” approach to running Sacramento?

Sure—but we’ve had one party rule so long, and with results so goshdarnawful that SOME sort of change is needed.

And it’s hard to know if Becerra will be same ol’, same ol’, or something else.

We deserve elaborations of competing visions from Becerra and Hilton.

And with Hilton wanting us to know MORE of what he wants to do, and Becerra wanting us to know LESS of what he wants to do, with our state, it should be pretty obvious for those insisting on open-minded, nonpartisan critical thinking to demand more of both candidates before a very, very big election this November.

(Kenneth S. Alpern, M.D, is a dermatologist who has served in clinics in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties, and is a proud husband and father. He was active for 20 years on the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC) as a Board Member focused on Planning and Transportation, and helped lead the grassroots efforts of the Expo Line as well as connecting LAX to MetroRail. His latest project is his fictional online book entitled The Unforgotten Tales of Middle-Earth, and can be reached at [email protected]. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Dr. Alpern.)