Democrat Xavier Becerra elected California's first Latino governor, NPR reports
The gist
NPR reports Democrat Xavier Becerra won California's governor race, making him the state's first Latino governor.
Democrats claimed two of three uncalled swing House seats; ballots still being counted.
How it unfolded
- Oct 23, 2026Overall California turnout stood at 11%, with Democrats returning 1,295,501 ballots (12%), Republicans 743,618 (13%) and other voters 537,177 (8%).
- Nov 3, 2026California's midterm election was held, deciding the governor, 14 statewide propositions and several congressional races; polls closed at 8 p.m. with 23 million registered voters having received a mail ballot.
- Nov 3, 2026At his Garden Grove election night party, Republican Steve Hilton acknowledged an uphill fight against Xavier Becerra.
Key terms
- swing House seats
- A constituency held by a small majority, where the seat could change hands.
- propositions
- A direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue, either binding or advisory.
- redistricting
- The process of drawing electoral district boundaries, done after each ten-year census in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia