Xavier Becerra scored a major boost in California’s governor’s race this week after securing the endorsement of the California Chamber of Commerce, marking the first time the influential business organization has backed a Democrat for the state’s top office.
The CalChamber board voted Thursday to support Becerra over Republican challenger Steve Hilton, saying the former health secretary is best equipped to provide the stability and predictability California businesses are seeking.
“California needs collaboration, not conflict. Secretary Becerra represents the best candidate to embrace that style of leadership,” CalChamber President and CEO Jennifer Barrera said in a statement to the NY Post.
Both candidates made their cases directly to the organization during their quarterly meeting before the board reached its decision.
The endorsement is a notable departure for the business group, which has traditionally favored Republican candidates. According to reporting by the New York Post, CalChamber previously backed former eBay executive Meg Whitman in her unsuccessful 2010 gubernatorial campaign and supported Arnold Schwarzenegger’s reelection effort in 2006.
Hilton quickly criticized the endorsement, posting a video on social media in which he labeled Becerra a “corporate stooge.”
The endorsement comes as polling shows Becerra with a commanding advantage. A recent Berkeley IGS survey found the Democrat leading Hilton by 21 percentage points, 52% to 31%, with 17% of voters still undecided.
The poll, conducted online between May 19 and May 24, surveyed more than 8,500 registered voters. Veteran pollster Mark DiCamillo oversaw the investigation, which was funded in part by the Los Angeles Times.
Those numbers suggest Becerra enters the race with significant momentum. But with months remaining before voters cast their ballots—and a sizable pad of undecided voters still in play—the question is whether the early lead reflects a durable advantage or simply a snapshot of a race that has yet to fully take shape.
