The Democratic frontrunner to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom isn’t sold on California’s plan to phase out new gas car sales.
Xavier Becerra, the former Health and Human Services secretary who’s leading in the pollsahead of the June 2 primary, would not commit to the state’s goal of banning purchases of new gas and hybrid vehicles starting in 2035, in a recent POLITICO survey.
“California should transition from gas-powered vehicles when it makes sense — when infrastructure and affordability are there for California families,” he wrote in response to a question about whether California should maintain the strategy.
Becerra reiterated that position in an interview this week, arguing that the pace of the shift away from fossil fuels is dependent on support from the federal government, car manufacturers and the state’s own budget — all of which are in flux.
“We’re not going to live in a world that’s make-believe,” Becerra said. “If you could tell me where those things are, I could give you a much more precise answer. And if anyone says they can give you that answer, then they’re just making a lot of inflated promises.”
Becerra’s position represents a significant departure from one of Newsom’s most ambitious policies during his tenure as governor. In 2020, the governor issued an executive order directing air quality regulators to develop the nation’s strongest vehicle emissions standards, and create a swift timetable for automakers to ramp up production of electric vehicles.
It’s the latest sign of Becerra’s skepticism toward an aggressive climate agenda that Newsom staked out in the years prior to President Donald Trump’s return to office. Trump’s win ushered in an era of affordability politics, and the resurgence of moderate Democrats in Sacramento who’ve voiced concerns about the impact of environmental policies on residents’ wallets.
Becerra has embraced that wing of the affordability movement during his campaign, eschewing calls to reject donations from oil companies and arguing that gasoline will continue to be needed for the foreseeable future, going as far as to say “you need Chevron, I need Chevron,” during an April candidate forum.
“It seems like Becerra is trying to make sure he has wiggle room on these affordability issues,” said Andrew Acosta, a veteran Democratic campaign consultant. “Because if you do a hard phase out of gas cars, there are a lot of people who can't afford to buy an EV tomorrow.”
While the Newsom administration has softened some of its climate positions — the California Air Resources Board moved Friday to weaken the state’s emissions trading program in an effort to reduce costs for oil refineries — the governor hasn’t backed away from his 2035 EV target. Instead, he’s trained his focus on supporting electric vehicle adoption during his last year in office, making the establishment of a new $200 million rebate program a top budget priority.
That incentive promise came after EV sales declined sharply over the final three months of 2025, in the wake of the Trump administration’s decision to cancel a $7,500 federal tax credit.
“We won’t let this illegal action by Trump and Republicans in the pockets of polluters stand in the way of commonsense policy to clean our air, protect the health of our kids and compete on the global stage,” Newsom said last year, after issuing an executive order reaffirming the state’s commitment to EVs following Trump’s revocation of the state’s emissions standards.
Under a Becerra governorship, though, California could shift its position on some of its signature climate policies, and potentially adopt a friendlier stance toward the oil industry.
Becerra’s main Democratic rival, billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, has seized on the contrast in the final days of the primary campaign. Steyer has labeled the former state attorney general as “Big Oil Becerra” in recent press releases, and slammed his oil donations in campaign ads.
“Tom is committed to California’s ambitious climate goals, and will work to overcome hurdles to the state’s 2035 target,” Steyer campaign spokesperson Kevin Liao said in a statement. “As governor, Tom will triple the state’s EV tax credit, ensuring working and middle-class households can actually afford the transition to the latest electric vehicle technology.”
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a centrist candidate polling in the single-digits, said he would keep the 2035 goal in place, but also left wiggle room in his survey response — noting that he would “reassess the target for feasibility.”
Former Rep. Katie Porter didn’t provide answers for the survey, and her campaign didn’t respond to follow-up questions about her position on the ban.
Becerra’s answer has raised alarms among some clean transportation advocates, who say pressing the brakes on California’s EV ambitions would lead to increased pollution and put the state out of step with car markets around the world that are rapidly adopting electric technology.
Dan Sperling, director emeritus of the University of California, Davis’ Institute for Transportation Studies and a former CARB board member, said the state’s EV policies have been emulated domestically and overseas, and rolling them back could hurt California’s standing as a global leader. And he argued that while electric vehicles have a higher sticker price, they are often cheaper to own in the long run than gas models that require more maintenance.
“I think that’s all part of why it’s disconcerting and disappointing,” Sperling said of Becerra’s reluctance to embrace the 2035 goal.
But not all environmental leaders disagree with Becerra’s concerns about whether California is ready to fully transition to EVs.
Katelyn Roedner Sutter, the California state director of the Environmental Defense Fund, said that whoever wins the race will face questions about how they’re going to fund climate progress and work with groups with a wide range of positions, including an auto industry that lobbied Trump to dismantle the state’s regulations.
“I think it’s really important to have a goal, but a goal doesn’t magically make things happen,” she said. “If anything, it’s the easiest step, and now we have to actually do the funding work, the policy work, and the coalition building to make it happen. And that goes for whoever the next governor is.”
Noah Baustin contributed to this report.
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