Xavier Becerra may not appreciate his new nickname, but Steve Hilton is determined to make it stick.
During Wednesday night’s CNN debate, Hilton’s campaign transformed a reported White House insult from 2024 into a political attack. The Republican candidate also launched a website branding his Democratic opponent “Bitch–ass Becerra.”
Hilton arrived ready for a fight, invoking the notorious Washington insult and reminding California voters that a former Biden administration official had once described Becerra as “Bitch-ass.” The remark set a combative tone from the opening moments of California’s only scheduled gubernatorial debate, as Becerra defended his record.
The Republican challenger repeatedly targeted Becerra over taxes, government bureaucracy and his tenure as California attorney general. Becerra responded by criticizing Hilton’s tax proposal and highlighting his relationship with President Donald Trump.
“Thank you to CNN for bringing Xavier Becerra out of hiding,” Hilton said.
Former White House adviser Susan Rice reportedly used the nickname to disparage Becerra while the two were serving in the Biden administration.
Hilton’s new website attacks Becerra’s record as California attorney general and US health secretary, drawing extensively on reported criticism from former Democratic colleagues.
The California Post reported Tuesday that former Biden administration officials had questioned whether Becerra was fit to become governor. One former colleague alleged that Becerra referred to migrant children as “little Juanitos and Juanitas.”
“I do not think he is qualified to be the governor,” Becerra’s former colleague told The Post.
“I don’t think he’s qualified to be the boss of anything.”
The former official also described Becerra as having “dead-fish eyes” during an emotional meeting about migrant children held in crowded detention facilities.
“No emotion. No response. Nothing there,” the official said.
Becerra’s campaign called the allegation about his comments on migrant children “an outright fabrication.” His spokesperson, Jonathan Underland, dismissed the criticism from former colleagues as motivated by “jealousy.”
Hilton’s website shows Becerra wearing a jacket covered with corporate and labor-union logos, including those of Chevron, Pacific Gas & Electric and the California Teachers Association.
“Chaos. Fraud. Child trafficking. Gender extremism. Higher costs for you,” the website says. “Empty Suit Becerra stood by and did nothing. He enabled it all.”
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In an earlier interview, Hilton told The Post that Becerra lacked the mental acuity required to serve as governor.
“California needs to wake up before it’s too late and we put the world’s fourth largest economy in the hands of a complete idiot,” Hilton said. “That’s not my word for him — that’s the word of people who worked side by side with him for years.”
Other sections of the site accuse Becerra of weakening protections for migrant children, presiding over fraud and contributing to rising gas and electricity costs. One headline reads: “Even Democrats ripped Becerra.”
Among those cited is Xochitl Hinojosa, a former Biden administration official whose criticism of Becerra during a CNN appearance in May surprised other Democrats.
“I don’t think that he will be able to stand up to Trump and lead,” Hinojosa said.
“He was not effective in governing. He was not an effective HHS secretary. And if you ask any cabinet secretary, they would tell you the same thing.”
Axios reported in 2024 that Rice called Becerra “bitch-ass” and “idiot.”A spokesperson for Rice ‘categorically’ denied the reporting about her relationship with Becerra and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Post’s most recent report quoted an ex-Biden official saying Rice berated Becerra during meetings about the migrant crisis “at least once a week.”
Becerra also was getting burned on social media this week for an awkward interview with the San Francisco Standard’s comedy correspondent, Sophia Garrow, who asked him to name companies whose donations he would reject.
Becerra, who is seeking to follow in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s lofty fundraising footsteps, left open the door to accept money from Purdue Pharma, which he had sued over its role in the opioid crisis, saying he believed in “redemption” for companies.
Garrow repeatedly used the name “David” when talking about San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, echoing an error on Becerra’s endorsement page. Becerra did not correct her.
“What’s your relationship like with David?” she asked.
“Growing,” Becerra replied, without correcting the name. “He’s done a number of important things, amazing things.”
Becerra held a substantial lead heading into the campaign’s only debate, with a recent PPIC poll having him at 60% to Hilton’s 38%.
But a few stumbles on the CNN debate stage and Hilton is betting the nickname will outlast tonight’s debate.
