Former Biden administration Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra’s campaign said he will begin posting on TikTok to reach Hispanic voters in his bid for California governor — but, at least for now, only in Spanish.
The campaign plans a mix of direct-to-camera remarks, policy explainers, behind-the-scenes footage and collaborations with influencers, all in Spanish. It also intends to amplify videos produced by supporters. "I am the only candidate in this race who will speak to you in Spanish on this platform," Becerra said in an introductory video, adding that he wants the account to be "a two-way conversation" to learn what worries voters most.
Becerra’s campaign and outside surveys point to a demographic rationale for the decision. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found nearly half of Hispanic adults reported using TikTok, compared with 39% of Black adults and 28% of white adults. Democratic strategists said the party hopes early outreach on the platform can help lock in a key voting bloc where former President Donald Trump improved his standing in 2024.
"It’s critical to communicate in the language and on the platforms where voters spend their time and get their information," Becerra said in a statement. José Muñoz, a Democratic strategist advising the campaign, said the approach is aimed at reaching working-class Latinos who may not go to Spanish-language websites but do spend leisure time on vertical video platforms.
The move comes as Democrats nationwide adapt messaging to recapture Latino voters after gains by Republicans last year in states across the political map. Candidates in New Jersey and Virginia have already integrated Spanish-language outreach into their campaigns. In New Jersey, both major-party gubernatorial candidates participated in Spanish-language town halls on Univision. In Virginia, Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger recorded a Spanish-language radio ad highlighting her experience as a mother of children in public schools.
Becerra will face a competitive Democratic primary in the 2026 California governor’s race. One of his rivals, U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, has built a substantial social media following, including more than half a million followers on TikTok and sizable followings on other platforms. Porter’s existing presence underscores how candidates are experimenting with short-form video to reach voters.
The campaign’s platform choice also intersects with a broader national debate over TikTok. Congress passed a ban on the app, and President Joe Biden signed the bill into law. Before leaving office, Biden announced he would not enforce the measure. The Supreme Court later ruled the ban constitutional, and President Donald Trump suspended it on his first day in office to give the China-based parent company, ByteDance, time to find a buyer. The administration has repeatedly extended the deadline for ByteDance to finalize a sale. Trump, who had pursued TikTok restrictions during his first term, joined the platform last year and has millions of followers. The White House established its own TikTok account last month.
Becerra’s campaign framed the Spanish-only strategy as an initial phase rather than a permanent limitation, saying it will pursue other outreach tactics alongside its TikTok push. The campaign listed housing affordability and reducing health care costs as top priorities in its introductory content.
Democratic strategists argue that multilingual engagement and platform-specific outreach are necessary to rebuild support among Latino voters, who in some places either stayed home or shifted toward Republicans in recent elections. Analysts caution that Latino political behavior is not monolithic and that whether the trend toward conservative-leaning choices will persist remains uncertain.
The campaign’s early emphasis on Spanish-language TikTok content reflects a broader effort by Democrats to meet voters where they spend time online and to tailor messaging to linguistic and cultural preferences as the 2026 California governor’s race begins to take shape.