That President-elect Joe Biden wants Xavier Becerra to be part of his administration is not surprising, but choosing California’s top law enforcement official to be his health secretary raised a few eyebrows.
Becerra, the 62-year-old son of immigrants from Mexico, was rumored to be on Biden’s short list for attorney general. But it wasn’t until recent days that he emerged as a serious contender to head up the Department of Health and Human Services — a massive bureaucracy whose portfolio includes overseeing Medicare, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Neither Biden nor Becerra have commented on reports that the attorney general is the choice for health secretary, but NPR and many other news organizations have confirmed it, and Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted his congratulations to Becerra.