Former health secretary Xavier Becerra wins California governor’s race, becoming state’s first Latino governorThe Washington Post reports that former health secretary Xavier Becerra defeated Republican Steve Hilton to win California's governor's race, becoming the state's first Latino governor and succeeding Gavin Newsom, who cannot run for a third term. Becerra surged after front-runner Eric Swalwell, who denied misconduct allegations, dropped out, and his win extends Democratic dominance in California.