Mayorkas declines to endorse Becerra in Califor...

Alejandro Mayorkas declined to endorse his former Biden Cabinet colleague Xavier Becerra for governor on Tuesday, saying “there are many qualified individuals in the California race.” Mayorkas, who was Homeland Security secretary when Becerra headed the Department of Health and Human Services, said during POLITICO’s Security Summit in Washington, “I am agnostic with respect to the California gubernatorial race right now.” “My residence is in Washington D.C., so you will not find me to answer your political questions in a satisfactory way,” he told POLITICO’s Alex Burns. Mayorkas’ lukewarm comments on his former colleague and fellow Californian come as some Biden administration alumni express surprise at Becerra’s surge in the governor’s contest. Becerra is now the polling frontrunner in the race with just weeks until the June 2 primary, even as his opponents rail against his performance as Health secretary. One common point of criticism has been his handling of a migrant child crisis, which produced one of the most negative headlines of his tenure from the New York Times. Asked about the opponents’ criticism, Mayorkas again punted. “It’s very difficult for me to judge the competency or performance of another Cabinet secretary, because one has to be in that position, understand the opportunities for success, the challenges that one confronts,” Mayorkas said. “And I don’t think it’s fair for me to judge over the fence.”

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Mayorkas declines to endorse Becerra in California governor’s race