Xavier Becerra, a leading Democratic candidate for California governor, said he needs Chevron after the oil company contributed to his campaign. The comments have drawn criticism from rivals in the race ahead of the June 2 primary.
Becerra, the former state attorney general and Biden-era health secretary, defended the donation during an interview last month. “Chevron, that’s the problem with politics. They’re not the bad guy. Does everybody here drive an electric vehicle? You need Chevron. I need Chevron,” he said. The company gave the maximum $39,200 to his campaign, its first such contribution in a decade, and added $500,000 last week to a supporting committee. California Resources Corporation also contributed $500,000 to a Becerra committee.
