Ex-Biden DOJ Spokeswoman Says She Does Not Trust Becerra to Lead California Against Trump

Former Biden DOJ spokesperson Xochitl Hinojosa said Tuesday she lacks confidence in Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services secretary under President Joe Biden, to serve as California's governor.

Hinojosa made the remarks on CNN's "Newsnight" after the state's gubernatorial debate. She told the panel that the next governor must confront President Donald Trump. "Whoever is going to be governor will have to stand up to Donald Trump," she said. "Can I tell you, after working in Joe Biden's administration? I do not trust Xavier Becerra to do that."

Her comments drew surprise from panelists Scott Jennings and Van Jones. One panelist reacted, "Whoa!"

Hinojosa added, "I don't trust that he would be able to do that because I don't trust that he would be able to stand up to Trump and lead."

Host Abby Phillip asked why. "Because when I saw him in the administration, and I think a lot of people did, and people understand this," Hinojosa replied. "He was not effective in governing. And I think that a lot of people in the Biden Administration are talking about this because they realize that he was not an effective HHS secretary."

"If you ask any cabinet secretary, they would tell you the same thing," she continued. "And so I think people recognize this. And I think this is why Tom Steyer has gone to the top."

Phillip noted she had heard similar criticism before. "What she's talking about is the real thing," the host said. She added that attacks on Becerra focused on his Biden administration record, character and leadership, which could hurt him. Phillip said the Joe Biden brand carries risks nationwide and that Becerra's HHS tenure poses problems.

Politico described Becerra as the "Joe Biden of the California governor's race."

The Becerra campaign pointed Fox News Digital to a statement from Ron Klain, former White House chief of staff to Biden. Klain said, "Secretary Becerra was among the most valued and highest performing members of the President's cabinet. His leadership on the migrant issues and health care coverage were unmatched, and he achieved a historic win for the American people on lowering prices of prescription drugs."

The Tuesday CNN debate featured Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco, and Democrats Katie Porter, Matt Mahan, Antonio Villaraigosa and Becerra.

The New York Times reported that many Democrats hoped former Vice President Kamala Harris would run. Former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped his campaign and resigned from Congress over sexual misconduct allegations, shaking up the field. Rusty Hicks, California Democratic Party chairman, urged candidates to assess their viability.

Democratic strategist David Axelrod compared the race to a "high-stakes NASCAR race where the cars aren’t going very fast, but running each other off the road before one rushes to the front at the end."