Becerra wins governorship with 64.1% of the vote as 17 Black candidates lead

Xavier Becerra secured the governor's mansion on Wednesday evening with 64.1% of the vote, according to semi-official counts released at midnight. The Associated Press called the race at 8 p.m., when polls closed. His Republican challenger, Steve Hilton, received 35.9%. Becerra, who previously served as state attorney general and U.S. secretary of health and human services, will be the first Latino elected to the governorship in California. Romualdo Pacheco is the only other Latino to hold the office, serving briefly in 1875 after the elected governor departed for the U.S. Senate.

Black candidates are leading in 17 of the 24 state and federal contests in which they appeared on the ballot. The AP has declared 10 of these candidates winners. Every Black incumbent on the ballot is currently ahead. Secretary of State Shirley Weber, the state's first Black holder of that office, leads Don Wagner 64.8% to 35.2%. Controller Malia Cohen leads Herb Morgan 63.9% to 36.1%. When Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond leaves office in January, Weber and Cohen will be the only Black statewide officeholders. Black candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, insurance commissioner, and superintendent were eliminated in the June primary.

In the U.S. House, Rep. Maxine Waters won reelection in Congressional District 43 with 82% of the vote. The district covers South Los Angeles and Inglewood. Rep. Lateefah Simon won in Oakland-based District 12 with 80.1%. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove defeated Samantha Mota in District 37 with 65.4%, a race covering Southwest Los Angeles and Culver City. Waters told supporters at a victory speech that the group had strengthened democracy against the President of the United States. She stated they would restore food stamps for children, Medicare, and pass a major housing bill.

Rep. Adam Gray held his seat in the Central Valley's District 13 against former Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln. Gray leads 61.6% to 38.4%. A Lincoln victory would have added a fourth Black member to California's congressional delegation. Proposition 50 redrew the district to include more Democratic voters before this election. Gray originally won the seat in 2024 by 187 votes. In San Diego County's District 52, Jeff Belle trails Rep. Juan Vargas 31.6% to 68.4%.

Assemblymember Mike Gipson is leaving the Legislature after his term ends. He leads Samuel Sukaton 60.8% to 39.2% in the open Board of Equalization District 3 seat. In Gipson's former Assembly District 65, Ayanna Davis leads Lydia Gutiérrez 81.6% to 18.4%. Davis is a school board member. If results hold, Davis will replace Gipson in the California Legislative Black Caucus. Elward, who leads in District 12, will also join the caucus, growing it from 12 to 13 members.

All eight Black Assembly incumbents on the ballot are leading. The AP has called the races for Lori Wilson, Mia Bonta, Sade Elhawary, and Tina McKinnor. Wilson leads in Solano County's District 11. Bonta leads in Oakland's District 18. Elhawary leads in South Los Angeles' District 57. McKinnor leads in District 61. Four other Black incumbents lead in Districts 12, 13, 55, and 60. Three of these races feature two Black finalists, making the election of a Black legislator certain regardless of the winner.

The closest race involving a Black candidate is in Assembly District 70. Democrat Paula Swift trails Republican Tri Ta 48.9% to 51.1%. The district includes Westminster, Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, and Los Alamitos. Ta has held the seat since 2022. A Swift victory would expand the Legislative Black Caucus to 14 members.

In local races, Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman holds a narrow lead over Mayor Karen Bass, 50.16% to 49.84%. Bass trailed in 2022 but ultimately won by nearly 10 points. In Oakland, Mayor Barbara Lee leads three challengers with 84.7% of the vote. Lee won a special election for the role in 2025.

Counties will continue processing vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by Election Day and received by Nov. 10. Officials will also count provisional, conditional registration, and damaged ballots. County elections officials must report final results to the Secretary of State by Dec. 4. The Secretary of State will certify the election by Dec. 11.