Xavier Becerra attacks Tom Steyer over PG&E ties in California governor race
California Democratic candidate for governor Xavier Becerra has intensified his campaign by publicly accusing billionaire rival Tom Steyer of hypocrisy regarding his relationship with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). On the Memorial Day weekend, Becerra’s promotional account “Friends of XB” highlighted a July 2025 Instagram post in which Steyer said it was a pleasure to discuss AI‑driven energy needs with PG&E CEO Patricia Poppe, and a LinkedIn post where Poppe expressed enthusiasm about meeting Steyer at an event run by an investment firm Steyer co‑founded. The same account noted that PG&E has created a $10 million political action committee aimed at opposing Steyer’s candidacy, while Steyer himself has denounced the utility as an adversary in campaign advertisements.
Recent polling shows Becerra’s support rising to roughly 13 percent, placing him among the top three contenders and suggesting he may be overtaking Steyer as the California gubernatorial primary approaches on June 2.