Xavier Becerra has seen his poll numbers surge in the weeks since then-frontrunner Eric Swalwell abruptly ended his bid to become California’s next governor.
The former California attorney general and former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary recently sat down with KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos to discuss the key issues weighing on voters’ minds. The interview got off to an awkward start, even before Ramos asked her first question.
Becerra: By the way, this is a profile piece, this is not a gotcha piece, right?
Ramos : Well, look, I think these questions are fair. It’s in order to learn about you as a candidate.
Becerra: So long it’s about the profile.
Ramos: I don’t know how you define profile, but I’d like to begin the interview.
Becerra: 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
Homelessness
Ramos: I want to begin with homelessness. We could not find a plan on your website when it comes to tackling this issue. So can you explain what your plan is.
Becerra: Making sure we address the issue of accountability. If we’re sending billions of dollars into cities and counties from the state taxpayer dollars, we have to make sure that people see the results.
Ramos: So who is delivering results? In your mind, what city in California is doing this right?
Becerra: I don’t know if there’s any city I would tell you that’s doing it right. There are cities that are trying to do it, but when you still see that there are people living on the streets, you wonder, what can we do better?
Gas Prices
Ramos: Let’s move on to gas tax. Mayor Matt Mahan is saying he’d suspend it.
Becerra: So did Mr. Mahan explain how we would try to fix those roads and bridges if he’s going to suspend the gas tax.
Ramos: But experts we spoke to this morning say California is on the verge of a gas crisis because the state’s largest refineries are shutting their operations. What is your plan to bring down gas prices? Would you try and get any of these oil refineries to reopen?
Becerra: Those refineries do something very important; they make it possible for California drivers to have access to the gasoline we need.
Ramos: What are you doing here? Are you taking away regulations? Are you asking them to come back?
Becerra: I want to work with them so they can continue to provide the gasoline.
Xavier Becerra talks with KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos in May 2026.
Affordability
Ramos: Want to move on to affordability. As Governor, you say you will declare a state of emergency that would then allow you to quote, freeze utility rates, which continue to increase because these private investor utility companies are making profit.
Becerra: You’re paying a lot of money. I bet you couldn’t explain why, and that’s why I’m saying it’s time to freeze the rates right now. Let’s get behind the curtain. Figure out why, and if the companies have a great explanation, we’ll accept it. I think people will accept that.
Housing & Human Services Secretary Tenure
Ramos: Want to move on to your time as HHS Secretary. Some critics called you the quote invisible secretary.
Becerra: I came in during the height of the COVID pandemic, when we left after 700 million covid vaccine shots in the arms of Americans, never once people having to pay a penny so they could be safe and not die
Ramos: During your time as HHS Secretary, a New York Times investigation found the health department couldn’t find some 85,000 children it had released.
Becerra: That’s not accurate. What you just read is not accurate. First, that’s what I’ll say, because it was never the case that we could not find kids. You’re essentially, I don’t know if you got those talking points, from Donald Trump.
Ramos: It’s from a New York Times article.
Becerra: That’s not what the New York Times article said, The New York Times said that individuals, the children and their sponsors, did not respond to calls. They didn’t say we couldn’t find kids
Ramos: Working overnight in slaughterhouses, replacing roofs, operating machineries and factories children as young as 14 years old.
Becerra: That part occurred after these children had left the care of Department of Health and Human Services.
Ramos: Do you let these children go into those individual sponsors in their responsibilities?
Becerra: Some of these kids, probably because they needed to earn some money, started working in places that were very exploitive.
The Trump Administration
Ramos: You’ve said, We need a governor who is going to quote fight Donald Trump. Not agree with him. So how will you work with the president, Donald Trump.
Becerra: The way I did it when I was attorney general.
Ramos: So you’re going to continue to take them to the courts as governor.
Becerra: What we’ll also do is work on the other side, because it’s not just about attack, attack, attack. We will defend ourselves as we must, but also work with them.
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