![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/US-NEWS-CALIFGOV-BECERRA-FILEPIC-LA.JPG\" "\\"Former")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Former HHS Secretary and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra speaks during a June 2 primary election night event in downtown Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
Eric Thayer<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Times\/TNS<\/p>\n
Many of the special interests doing business in Sacramento watched this year\u2019s chaotic primary for governor from the sidelines, wary of picking a losing candidate in an unpredictable race.<\/p>\n
Now that the dust has settled, they have a clear favorite: Democrat Xavier Becerra.<\/p>\n
Becerra\u2019s campaign has taken in more than $2.6 million since the June 2 primary, driven by large donations from industry and business groups. The records show the former state attorney general is also amassing support from California tribes, tech companies and their executives, labor groups and longtime Democratic donors.<\/p>\n
Since the primary, Becerra collected about four times more large donations (over $5,000) than his opponent this November, Republican Steve Hilton. Voters will get a more complete picture of the candidates\u2019 fundraising after the campaigns file paperwork due at the end of this month.<\/p>\n
Industry groups representing dentists, doctors, debt settlement firms, health insurers and car dealers all cut maximum $39,200 checks to Becerra in recent weeks. Major business donors like Comcast, Uber and Doordash all maxed out their donations. Labor allies representing construction workers, firefighters, university faculty and Los Angeles police officers also boosted Becerra.<\/p>\n
Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California-San Diego, said Becerra couldn\u2019t take the November election for granted despite Republicans\u2019 long statewide losing streak, and would need resources to run his campaign.<\/p>\n
For donors, Kousser said contributions offered the hope of currying favor with a possible future governor.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat contributions mostly do is help ensure access,\u201d Kousser said. \u201cThey don\u2019t guarantee influence. They give groups the chance to access a politician\u2014to have that person take their calls, and have their staff listen to their policy arguments.\u201d<\/p>\n
Becerra\u2019s donors include some high-profile individual donors, including filmmaker J.J. Abrams and a trio of tech figures who\u2019d previously backed San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan in the primary: Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel, Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan and venture capitalist Ron Conway.<\/p>\n
Their shift is notable in part because Mahan ran as a business-friendly disruptor to the Sacramento status quo, a system he argued was embodied by veteran, labor-friendly politicians like Becerra.<\/p>\n
Tan, a pugnacious \u201cradical centrist\u201d who has worked to moderate San Francisco politics, said in a statement that he identified with Becerra\u2019s roots as the child of immigrants.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe understands what California is supposed to be for, and he\u2019s shown a genuine commitment to building housing and growing an economy where the next generation gets the same shot we did,\u201d Tan said.<\/p>\n
Hilton, a former Fox News host, raised at least $685,000 since June 2, almost entirely from individual donors. Many of Hilton\u2019s donors are retirees. He picked up another primary-day donation from Palmer Luckey, the outspoken founder<\/a> of the defense company Andruil.<\/p>\n Hilton has attacked the business community<\/a> for backing Becerra rather than his own campaign, which focuses heavily on cutting regulations, arguing they\u2019re vying for \u201cscraps\u201d from the perceived frontrunner.<\/p>\n This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 9:53 AM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/SAC_9987_BenPaviour_HA_260224.jpg\")