Donors have put $48.8 million behind Xavier Becerra’s run for California governor, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis of contributions through Sept. 3. The total covers his campaign committee and the outside groups working to elect him. His Republican opponent, Steve Hilton, has raised $18.8 million, including $90,100 of his own money.
Becerra’s own committee has taken in at least $30 million. Most of the rest went to independent committees, which are barred from coordinating with the candidate, though the Times noted that campaigns often find ways around that.
Eight donors wrote seven-figure checks. The Laborers’ International Union of North America and its local affiliates and political arms gave nearly $3.2 million. A committee tied to the California Association of Realtors spent nearly $2.8 million. The Pechanga Band of Indians put in more than $2.3 million, the California Medical Association nearly $1.5 million, and Meta nearly $1.2 million. Chevron and its affiliated groups and employees spent more than $1.1 million. Uber and an affiliated political action committee spent $1,039,200.
Meta’s check arrives as the company faces scrutiny from lawmakers and courts. It recently agreed to a $17.1 billion settlement of multi-state claims that its apps endanger children. In August, the Legislature passed a bill barring social media platforms from using an “addictive feature” to lure children, plus bills on artificial intelligence and data centers. Gov. Gavin Newsom has those measures on his desk. The next governor may be asked to sign stricter ones. Meta declined to comment.
Former state Sen. Steve Glazer, a Democrat who ran Jerry Brown’s 2010 campaign for governor, was not surprised. “Look, millions and billions of dollars are at stake, and the governor is the central point for all of that in California,” he said. “It’s not a gamble anymore. You’re not picking a winner or a loser, right? So the floodgates open up for a runaway winner like Xavier Becerra.”
A Becerra spokesman said the campaign welcomes support from any donor but that he would not weigh contributions when making policy decisions as governor. “Xavier Becerra is laser-focused on making California work for working people,” said spokesman Jonathan Underland, citing lower costs, new housing and affordability. “Anyone willing to stand with us in that fight is welcome to join it, and we won’t hesitate to challenge anyone who gets in the way of that goal.”
Hilton called the donations “legalized bribery.” In an interview he said businesses and organizations “assume he’s going to be the next governor, so they’re trying to bribe him,” and blamed one-party rule in Sacramento.
Hilton’s own donors include Silicon Valley billionaire Tim Draper, former Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Los Angeles real estate magnate Geoffrey Palmer, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and manufacturer Donald Friese and his wife Andrea. Executives and employees of Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions, which makes contamination monitoring systems, gave more than $474,000. A few donors backed both men. Robinhood founder Vlad Tenev gave $289,000 to Becerra and $15,000 to Hilton.
The medical association says its money follows from federal healthcare cuts. Its president, Dr. René Bravo, said the group represents more than 50,000 physicians and sees Becerra, a former U.S. health secretary, as the best candidate to face them. “The next governor will make critical decisions on MediCal, the physician workforce, affordability and access to care,” Bravo said. Pechanga Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro said Becerra “has stood with Indian Country for decades,” adding that the experience “comes from a lifetime of public service, not a checkbook.” The Realtors and the laborers’ union did not respond to requests for comment.
Chevron’s money drew fire before the primary. Becerra’s Democratic rivals and critics such as climate activist Jane Fonda went after it, and billionaire Tom Steyer sent out mobile billboards reading “You need Chevron, I need Chevron,” a clip from a longer remark about Californians who do not drive electric cars. Chevron did not respond to a request for comment.
Asked about the Realtors’ donations, Becerra said most of the money went to committees he does not control. He pointed to his record. “I was pretty clear in the primary, where I wasn’t getting as much support from a lot of different folks,” he said Friday at a news conference in north Long Beach, where he backed Proposition 1, an $11.25 billion housing bond on the November ballot. Laborers’ union members in orange safety vests stood behind him. He told them he had worn one himself as a laborer with Local 185.
Becerra, 68, was a single-digit afterthought in polls earlier this year. His rise followed the withdrawal of Rep. Eric Swalwell, then a potential front-runner, amid allegations of rape and sexual assault. Becerra finished first in the June primary, with Hilton, endorsed by President Trump, taking the other spot in the Nov. 3 runoff. Democrats outnumber Republicans in California nearly 2 to 1.
Big donors are nothing new to him. During his 24 years in Congress, supporters spent roughly $11 million on his behalf, and nearly $9.4 million more during his four years as attorney general, the Times found with Open Secrets data.
Sources
- Becerra backers with business in Sacramento spend tens of millions boosting his gubernatorial bid
- 2026 California gubernatorial election
