California gubernatorial frontrunner Xavier Becerra has adopted a strategy of playing it safe by deliberately avoiding sweeping promises and specific policy details in his campaign. Becerra, a Democrat, revealed that this cautious approach stems from a vote he regretted more than three decades ago.
In 1993, during his first term as a congressman representing the Los Angeles area, Becerra campaigned against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He was eventually persuaded to vote for the agreement, believing that labor protections and a domestic lending program would shield American workers. However, he later stated that American jobs were displaced regardless.
"No one gets my vote unless I know what I’m voting for completely," Becerra told CalMatters, referencing this experience as a "pivotal lesson" that now guides his gubernatorial campaign. He is committed to not over-promising.
For instance, while Becerra advocates for speeding up housing construction to address California's housing crisis, he has not specified a target number of houses to be built during his potential tenure. When pressed by reporters for specific positions, he has offered guarded responses, such as suggesting there is "a lot of room to expand" on AI regulation. At a recent Politico event, when asked what voters should expect him to do as governor, Becerra did not mention a single policy commitment, stating, "I would prefer not to run on inflated promises. I will run on my record."
Political science professor Melissa Michelson of Menlo College told CalMatters that Becerra's vagueness is understandable given his strong position as the Democratic frontrunner in a heavily Democratic state. "He doesn’t have an incentive to go out on a limb. You don’t want to mess up, you don’t want to do anything crazy," Michelson said.
In contrast, GOP candidate Steve Hilton has presented a platform with bold policy proposals, including a recent pledge to dismantle the California Energy Commission over its ban on non-environmentally friendly tires. Such promises, however, would likely face significant opposition in a Democrat-controlled state legislature.
Hilton has criticized Becerra's cautious campaign tactics, including instances of evading reporters and the absence of a debate, characterizing them as an insult to voters and the democratic process. Hilton stated, "He is obviously running away from debating his disqualifying record."
Becerra maintains that he can be decisive and bold when necessary, citing his tenure as state attorney general where he sued the Trump administration over immigration protections. Nevertheless, he continues to limit his campaign promises to those he believes are realistic and achievable, even if it means moderating policy ambitions. "Is it realistic? Can I make it into a promise? I probably can, because I’ve limited it," Becerra told CalMatters.