Former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday sidestepped a question about endorsing former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in the California governor's race, saying he is staying neutral for now.
Speaking at Politico's Security Summit in Washington, D.C., Mayorkas told reporter Alex Burns, “I am agnostic with respect to the California gubernatorial race right now.” He added that his Washington residency makes him an unlikely source for political opinions, noting there are “many qualified individuals in the California race,” including his former Biden administration colleague.
Mayorkas, a Cuban-born former official who grew up in Los Angeles, declined to pick sides as Becerra’s campaign gains traction. Becerra’s profile rose after former Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his bid last month, leaving the former HHS secretary as a leading Democratic contender. Swalwell exited the race amid sexual assault allegations, clearing a path for Becerra.
Becerra currently sits in third place with 13 percent support, according to a CBS News/YouGov poll from last month. Republican Steve Hilton leads with 16 percent, followed by billionaire Tom Steyer at 15 percent. But Becerra’s rise has drawn sharp attacks from both parties, particularly over his health care policies and record under President Biden.
During a recent debate, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan accused Becerra of failing to improve outcomes. “The experience we hear from Secretary Becerra didn’t lead to better outcomes,” Mahan said. “It led to 85,000 migrant children who were lost, more fraud in our health care system.” Mahan also claimed Becerra did “nothing” to lower health care costs in California. Becerra called that “totally untrue” and fired back, “Man, that sounds like a MAGA talking point.”
Becerra, who served as California’s attorney general under former Gov. Jerry Brown and current Gov. Gavin Newsom, also faced tense moments in media interviews. In a recent sit-down with KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos, he objected to her line of questioning, saying, “By the way, this is a profile piece, this is not a gotcha piece, right?” Ramos defended her questions as fair and aimed at learning about him as a candidate.
Democratic strategist David Axelrod praised Becerra’s emergence in the race, calling him “a familiar figure to Californians who, if they want the status quo within the Democratic ranks, he is a pillar of the Democratic establishment.” Axelrod’s comments came as Becerra’s campaign faces scrutiny over his health care proposals and Biden-era record.
Becerra has also had to navigate a chaotic debate environment. For more on the heated exchanges, see our coverage of the debate that descended into shouting. Meanwhile, the race continues to shift as candidates jockey for position ahead of the primary.
Mayorkas’s non-endorsement underscores the delicate dynamics within the Democratic Party, as Becerra seeks to consolidate support while fending off attacks from all sides. The former health secretary has leaned into his experience, but critics argue it’s a liability.
