Xavier Becerra’s tenure as secretary of health and human services under the Biden administration was marked by significant challenges, largely because of the ongoing COVID pandemic. Remarkably, on Biden’s inauguration day, a grim comparison was drawn as it was said that the equivalent of ’10 jumbo jets of Americans’ had been lost. However, Becerra’s efforts at the Department of Health and Human Services appear to have been dismantled in less than half a year since his departure by his successor, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Becerra is now setting his sights on the California governor’s seat, a high-profile role layered with its own intricacies and challenges. Prior to serving in the health department, he was the attorney general of California, and has a two-decade-long record of representing Downtown Los Angeles in the House of Representatives.
The Sacramento native is relying heavily on his legislative track record and his stint of administrating a mammoth organization like the HHS to differentiate himself in the gathering crowd of eager candidates. However, with Kamala Harris rumored to be interested in the same role, and allegations of the Biden administration attempting to gloss over Biden’s waning health during his term in office, Becerra’s aspirations may face significant hurdles.
Becerra voiced his concern regarding the current administration supposedly undermining the importance of the vaccination drive, even making utterly surprising assertions like pregnant women and children no longer needing vaccination. These vaccine stances were unfamiliar to Becerra from his time in administration.
Becerra’s role as the Californian attorney general saw him frequently locking horns with the Trump administration in court. Being critical of what he perceived as the previous administration’s stringent immigration stance, Becerra sees his potential role as the governor of California crucial in safeguarding the rights of immigrants.
As the son of immigrants himself, Becerra believes in fiercely defending immigrants, arguing that citizenship should not be a prerequisite to having constitutional rights, including the right to due process. His attitudes towards immigrants appear to be a cornerstone of his political outlook and propose future policies.
While in his previous roles, Becerra made significant headlines due to his administration’s way of addressing key issues. However, the rapid unravelling of his policies under his successor raises questions about the effectiveness and longevity of his decisions. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. taking over the reins at HHS essentially led to Becerra’s work being undone.
In the rapidly changing landscape of American politics, Becerra’s move from Washington to California to run for governor indicates a shifting focus. His achievements on national platforms are being leveraged as significant strengths in his campaign, particularly his experience in running a gargantuan department like the HHS.
Despite the weightage of his past roles, Becerra’s journey to the governorship is far from guaranteed. An investigator of the accusations of the Biden administration covering up Biden’s declining health while he was in office could pose a threat to his campaign. His association with a declining Biden administration might pit him against the voters.
The whispers of Kamala Harris potentially vying for the governor’s seat add an additional layer of complexity. As Harris is another heavyweight with a significant political background, her candidature might overshadow Becerra’s bid and make his campaign a more uphill task than initially anticipated.
Criticisms keep mounting on the way the current administration is dealing with the pandemic. Becerra’s comments on the downplaying of the importance of vaccinations, particularly among pregnant women and children, reflect the broad dissatisfaction with the handling of the public health situation.
During his time as the Californian attorney general, Becerra was no stranger to taking on the Trump administration regarding a multitude of issues. Now, he is hinting at applying the same combative approach towards the Biden administration’s actions, if elected as governor.
Ironically, Becerra’s positions on immigration under the Trump administration seem increasingly relevant in the current political climate. With the Biden administration following worryingly similiar stringent immigration policies, Becerra’s role as governor could mean an increased focus on immigrant protection.
Becerra’s policies appear to be influenced greatly by his immigrant background. He consistently signals his readiness to protect immigrants’ rights, a stance that underpins much of his political ideology and strategy. Navigating this space could be crucial for him, given the divisive nature of immigration policies in US politics.
By emphasizing the importance of due process, regardless of a person’s citizenship status, Becerra appends a compelling note to the debate on immigration. If elected governor, it remains to be seen how his positions on such critical issues influence his leadership and the perception of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s administration which he was a part of.