Former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra advances to California governor general election, AP projects

California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra advanced to the state's general election Friday night, according to an Associated Press race call.

The AP called the race for Becerra at 7:50 p.m. EDT, sending the former U.S. health secretary and ex-California attorney general into the November contest to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Becerra, a longtime Democratic figure in California politics, served as President Joe Biden's secretary of Health and Human Services before launching his bid for governor.

California's gubernatorial race is expected to be among the most closely watched contests of the 2026 election cycle, with Democrats seeking to maintain control of the governor's office in the heavily Democratic state.

Additional details on Becerra's general election opponent were not immediately available.

This is a developing story; check back later for updates.