# California Gubernatorial Race Escalates Over Campaign Ad

**Published:** 2026-04-11T07:00:00.000Z  
**Topic:** A Billionaires Chief Of Staff  
**Sentiment:** neutral  
**Publisher:** TrendWatcher — https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/e786db07-9a0f-4197-bc5f-12808fc5d788

Billionaire Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra trade legal threats over a campaign advertisement regarding a federal corruption case involving former aides.

The California gubernatorial race has intensified as billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer and Democratic frontrunner Xavier Becerra engage in a public dispute over campaign advertising [2]. The conflict centers on a television commercial released by Steyer that attempts to link Becerra to the criminal convictions of his former senior staff members [2].

**Key takeaways**
* Billionaire Tom Steyer released an advertisement titled "Risky" that suggests Xavier Becerra could face legal jeopardy due to his former aides' criminal convictions [2].
* Federal prosecutors have stated that Becerra was a victim in the corruption case involving his former campaign manager and chief of staff [2].
* Three individuals, including Becerra’s former chief of staff Sean McCluskie, pleaded guilty to fraud-related offenses involving the diversion of $225,000 [2].
* Attorneys for both campaigns have exchanged cease-and-desist letters, with Steyer’s team challenging the Becerra campaign to follow through on legal threats [2].

## Dispute Over Campaign Conduct
The advertisement released by Steyer focuses on a federal corruption case involving former Becerra campaign manager Dana Williamson and former chief of staff Sean McCluskie [2]. Prosecutors alleged that these individuals, along with lobbyist Greg Campbell, diverted $225,000 from a dormant campaign account to McCluskie [2]. While all three defendants pleaded guilty to charges including fraud, federal prosecutors have previously stated that Becerra was not implicated in the charging documents [2].

In response to the ad, which claims Becerra "knew and did nothing," the Becerra campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter through attorney Nicholas Sanders [2]. Sanders characterized the commercial as "textbook defamation" and demanded its removal from circulation [2]. A spokesperson for the Becerra campaign, Jonathan Underland, accused Steyer of lying, stating that such behavior is not a quality voters desire in a governor [2].

## Escalation of Legal Threats
Steyer’s campaign has shown no intention of pulling the advertisement, with attorney Ryan Hughes issuing a response that dismissed the defamation allegations [2]. Hughes effectively challenged the Becerra campaign to proceed with a lawsuit, stating that such an action would "make our day" [2]. While the Becerra campaign has threatened legal action, it has not yet indicated whether it intends to formally file a suit [2]. The confrontation marks a significant escalation in the 2026 California gubernatorial contest, occurring alongside other campaign developments such as reports of low attendance at candidate events [2].

## Why it matters
The public feud highlights the increasingly aggressive nature of the 2026 California gubernatorial race as candidates compete for the frontrunner position [2]. By leveraging the criminal history of former aides, the Steyer campaign is attempting to create a narrative of political liability for Becerra, despite the candidate’s status as a victim in the federal case [2]. The willingness of both sides to threaten litigation suggests that legal and reputational battles may continue to play a central role in the campaign as the election approaches [2].

## Sources
1. BBC — [Here's who is in Trump cabinet and other top staff positions](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx24gze60yzo)
2. New York Post — [Toxic Dem civil war breaks out between governor frontrunners Tom Steyer and...](https://nypost.com/2026/06/01/us-news/xavier-becerra-and-tom-steyer-political-ad-feud-heats-up/)

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Cite as: TrendWatcher, "California Gubernatorial Race Escalates Over Campaign Ad", https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/e786db07-9a0f-4197-bc5f-12808fc5d788