Xavier Becerra faces pushback from Biden-era colleagues as he rises in California

2026 ElectionXavier Becerra faces pushback from Biden-era colleagues as he rises in CaliforniaAs Becerra’s gubernatorial campaign touts his decades of experience, he’s drawn criticism for his tenure at the Department of Health and Human Services. Former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is polling at the top of the crowded California governor's race.Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 15, 2026, 11:16 AM EDTBy Adam EdelmanIn California’s crowded race for governor, Xavier Becerra has quickly risen in the polls, capitalizing on a message centered on his extensive experience in government, including stints as U.S. health and human services secretary, the state’s attorney general and a member of Congress.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.“I’ll make sure as governor I tackle these crises because I’ve been through these crises before and had to handle them,” Becerra said at a gubernatorial debate last month. “We need someone with experience, someone who doesn’t need on-the-job training.”But that argument has drawn an onslaught of criticism from Becerra’s fellow alumni of the Biden administration, including some who worked closely with him, over his leadership of HHS and how he handled multiple crises during his tenure.The line of attack presents a major test for Becerra, who’s risen to the top of the polls in the final stretch of California’s turbulent gubernatorial contest, as he seeks to prove to voters he is best suited for the task of managing the most populated state in the country. “In moments of real challenge, that’s kind of when you mark: Are you able to step up? He did not have the grasp of the agency or the role that I think you want in an executive,” said a former White House official under then-President Joe Biden who worked closely with matters involving the Department of Health and Human Services. “HHS is one of the most challenging bureaucra...