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After Xavier Beterra announced Wednesday that he was running for California governor, the former Biden administration’s health secretary said he has joined the already crowded field of candidates to protect all California rights, including trans people, and takes a different position from the current governor.
After his candidacy was made public, Becerra spoke with NBC Los Angeles to make a claim for the 2026 gubernatorial election, suggesting that it was unfair on the podcast for trans athletes to participate in women’s sports.
“Trans people are people, and we owe them the ability to protect them and their rights,” Becerra said.
He suggested that Californians have already spoken about the transgender issues in sports after state lawmakers rejected a bill that would ban trans athletes from participating in women’s sports.
“The sports federation says the school district can do it? If it says it is possible, that means the community said yes,” Becerra said, reminiscing about his background in fighting for marginalized communities long before it became a popular idea.
“I stood up in 1996, 30 years ago when Congress wanted to pass a bill that said two people of the same sex had no right to marry,” Becerra, who has represented the downtown and Boyle Heights area for more than 20 years, recalled what happened when the marriage law was proposed. “Of the 435 members of the House of Representatives, only 67 of us in 1996 stood up and said it was discriminatory, that’s wrong.”
Veterra also said he is not afraid of being labelled as an “established candidate” as he and possibly former vice president Kamala Harris become a former member of the Biden administration between gubernatorial candidates.
“I hope (my) records show those who really want to see dramatic changes,” he said. “As CEO of California’s Department of Justice and as CEO of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, I’ve learned that I need to know how to produce results, so I’m going to execute them.”
The Sacramento native and graduate of Stanford University Law School said he touted his achievements with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and helped drug prices lower the drug companies.
On the issue of housing affordability, Becerra has committed to working with all cities and jurisdictions to build faster.
“If you’re a teacher, firefighter, police officer or nurse, if you know the working class, and want to live near where you work, I want to make it possible,” he said.
There are already several candidates competing for becoming the next governor, including former Councilman Katie Porter, former La Mayor Antonio Villaraigoza and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly considering a run as she plans to announce her decision by the summer of 2025.
The next California gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, with the top of the primary election being set on June 2, 2026.
A full interview with Becerra will air the news conference at NBC Los Angeles on Sunday, April 6th at 9am.
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