Democratic former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra easily won the race to become California’s next governor, defeating Republican businessman and former Fox News host Steve Hilton in a contest that was called by the Associated Press shortly after the polls closed at 8 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday.

Like many candidates across the country, Becerra framed his campaign on affordability as a crisis touching every part of the economy, including agriculture. At a spring candidates’ forum hosted by farm groups in Fresno, Becerra leaned heavily on executive authority, saying he would declare a state of emergency to fast-track housing development and freeze utility and insurance rates while the state investigates price drivers.

In a postdebate interview, Becerra said he would “sit down and resolve” water conflicts between state and federal officials.

Source: Agri-Pulse