On Nov. 3, The Associated Press (The AP) called the California Governor’s race for Democrat Xavier Becerra, who defeated Republican Steve Hilton. On the same day, California voters rejected Proposition 40, a proposed billionaire wealth tax that would have allocated billions of dollars to health care, education and food assistance programs.
Becerra’s win
According to the early data released by The AP, Hilton received 35.6% of the vote, while Becerra garnered about 64.4%. Gov. Gavin Newsom will be replaced in January 2027 by Becerra, a former California attorney general, congressman and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Becerra is California’s first elected Latino governor. His campaign centered around affordability, housing, healthcare and shielding California from federal policies under President Donald Trump.
These concerns go beyond state politics for college students. Those who are getting ready for their career may be directly impacted by housing expenses, access to reasonably priced healthcare, job possibilities and financial aid.
USD junior Ryan Canton said daily needs and groceries are major financial obstacles for undergraduates.
“A lot of college students are pretty poor most of the time,” Canton said. “So I think the general affordability of the basic necessities are pretty big.”
Canton also said he hopes that the new government will expand affordable housing and reduce living expenses. However, he shared he did not vote in the election.
Evan Crawford, Ph.D., is an associate professor, an advisor for USD Votes and teaches the class Campaigns and Elections. He explained the broader shift toward Democratic candidates in House races nationwide.
“The biggest takeaway is not the governor’s race, because… it went exactly how everyone assumed it would go,” Crawford said. “It’s the huge shift toward Democratic candidates. That was pretty uniform across all the states, including California, which is already a Democratic state.”
According to Becerra’s campaign website, Becerra has prioritized housing development by working to remove obstacles that limit affordable housing.
Proposition 40
Ballot Proposition 40, which called for a one-time 5% tax on specific assets owned by billionaires, was rejected statewide by many Californians.
If approved, most of the money would have gone to global healthcare services, with the remainder going to food aid and education programs.
Opponents, such as Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, cautioned that the tax could push wealthy Californians out of the state and lower tax income. Supporters, such as SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, claimed it would shield essential services from federal funding cuts.
Proposition 40 caught the attention of Damaryz Chavez, a USD junior with employer-provided health insurance.
“I thought [Proposition 40] was impactful… because that one-time tax on the individuals that had a higher income would have funded healthcare for more people,” Chavez said.
USD sophomore Emily Gray shared the same opinion: California residents would have benefited from the law.
“I think that would have been good, just because taxing more wealthy people… would have made more of a positive impact,” Gray said. “In the future, hopefully, there’ll be a proposition passed.”
Students differ in levels of political engagement on campus. Chavez and Gray acknowledged that campus ballot drop-off, voter information tables and USD Votes helped students understand and participate in the election.
As Becerra prepares to take office in January, many Californians are hopeful that campaign promises will lead to tangible change in institutional systems.
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