Despite a tense exchange with a reporter this week, along with recent criticism from colleagues, gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra is now in the lead in a new poll and continues to rise in the primary race.
Xavier Becerra, now the frontrunner in the governor’s primary race in one poll, marking the first time a Democrat has polled ahead of Republican Steve Hilton, sparked backlash earlier this week after clashing with a reporter during what was supposed to be a routine interview — a similar blunder that hurt fellow candidate Katie Porter last fall. But unlike Porter, Becerra is now at the top.
Becerra was about to begin an interview with KTLA reporter Annie Rose Ramos the other day when he quipped nervously, “By the way, this is a profile piece, this is not a gotcha piece, right?”
Ramos responded, “Well, look, I think these questions are fair. It’s in order to learn about you as a candidate.”
Becerra reinforced again that the interview was a “profile,” to which Ramos said, “I don’t know how you define profile, but I’d like to begin the interview.” Becerra then continued to harp on what constituted a “profile” before letting the actual interview begin.
Both Becerra’s and Porter’s clashes seemed to come out of left field for the reporters, as they each said they asked other candidates the same questions who reportedly answered without hesitation.
The criticism in both cases has been that if candidates can’t handle basic questions about their campaigns, how will they be able to handle Trump?
According to Emerson College Polling, Becerra was at the top of the pack this week at 19% — 2% ahead of other frontrunners Tom Steyer and Republican Steve Hilton, who tied at 17%. Porter was at 10%. A different poll from Kreate Strategies released Monday had Hilton with 22% and Becerra with 20%.
Ramos told KTLA anchors Frank Buckley and Jessica Holmes about the contrast between her interviews with Becerra and the other candidates she’s interviewed.
“I was caught off guard because it was so dramatically different from any of the other candidates that we had approached and sat down with,” she said.
As SFist reported last week, Becerra’s former colleagues who worked with him during the Biden administration expressed bewilderment over his continual rise in the polls, and Becerra's latest blunder has likely added fuel to the fire as far as the group chat goes.
“As HHS Secy during COVID, Becerra rarely was the administration’s point person in communicating to the American people on the pandemic,” David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, wrote on social media. “This may be the reason why.”
As HHS Secy during COVID, Becerra rarely was the administration's point person in communicating to the American people on the pandemic. This may be the reason why. https://t.co/WWy09M26Et
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) May 12, 2026
As NBC Bay Area reports, Hilton has been in the lead in other polls, including a statewide Kreate Strategies survey earlier this week, which showed Hilton at 22%, Becerra at 20%, and Steyer at 14%.
Only an estimated 3% of ballots have reportedly been submitted throughout the state so far.
The outlet reports that with recent polling pointing toward a likely Democrat-versus-Republican matchup in November, political analysts say the real battle will happen in the June 2 primary, when Democrats compete for a lone spot in the general election, where a Democrat will be overwhelmingly favored to win.
Previously: Becerra’s Unlikely Rise In Governor’s Race Features Heavily In Former Colleagues’ Group Chat
Image: California gubernatorial candidate former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra looks on during a CNN California Governor Primary Debate at East Los Angeles College on May 05, 2026 in Monterey Park, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
