California’s two leading Democratic candidates for governor have escalated their rivalry into a legal and political battle over campaign advertising just days before voters head to the polls.
Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, who is attempting a late push against Democratic frontrunner Xavier Becerra, has come under fire for a new campaign commercial that directly attacks the former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. In response, both campaigns are threatening legal action and accusing each other of misleading voters.
The controversy centers on a Steyer advertisement titled “Risky,” released Saturday. The commercial focuses on a federal corruption case involving two former top Becerra aides and suggests that Becerra himself could face legal consequences.
The ad highlights the criminal convictions of Dana Williamson, Becerra’s former campaign manager, and Sean McCluskie, his former chief of staff. Prosecutors alleged that Williamson, McCluskie, and lobbyist Greg Campbell diverted $225,000 from a dormant Becerra campaign account to McCluskie. All three eventually pleaded guilty to charges related to the scheme, including fraud-related offenses.
After detailing those convictions, the commercial claims Becerra “knew and did nothing” and warns that he “could be indicted next.”
That allegation triggered an immediate response from the Becerra campaign, which accused Steyer of knowingly spreading false information.
In a cease-and-desist letter sent Saturday, attorney Nicholas Sanders argued that the advertisement improperly links Becerra to crimes committed by others despite federal prosecutors previously identifying him as a victim rather than a participant in the scheme. Sanders described the commercial as “textbook defamation” and demanded that Steyer’s campaign remove it from circulation.
The letter also warned that legal action could follow if the ad remains on the air.
“Someone should tell Tom that voters have a word for what he’s doing: it’s lying,” Becerra campaign spokesperson Jonathan Underland said. “And it’s not a quality Californians are looking for in their next governor.”
Despite the sharp rhetoric, the campaign has not yet filed a lawsuit.
Steyer’s team quickly pushed back and showed little interest in backing down. Campaign attorney Ryan Hughes rejected the accusations and openly challenged Becerra’s camp to pursue legal action.
“By all means, proceed with legal action. It would make our day,” Hughes wrote in a response letter. “We’ll make sure to do depositions of Mr. McCluskie, Ms. Williamson and Mr. Becerra on video. As you say, voters deserve to know the truth.”
The exchange has added another layer of drama to an already competitive race. California’s top-two primary system means candidates from all parties compete on the same ballot, with the two highest vote-getters advancing to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
For Steyer, the ad represents an effort to gain ground in the final stretch of the campaign. Although the commercial is only one part of a much larger strategy, the billionaire has already spent more than $200 million of his own money on advertising and campaign operations, according to finance records.
Recent polling suggests the race remains fluid. An Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics survey released Saturday showed Becerra leading the field with 28% support. Steyer followed at 22%, while Trump-endorsed Republican Steve Hilton was close behind at 21%.
Further down the field, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco polled at 12%, while Democrats Katie Porter, Matt Mahan, and Antonio Villaraigosa remained in single digits.
