A Democratic candidate for California governor, Xavier Becerra, is launching a new strategy to reach Hispanic voters by posting exclusively in Spanish on TikTok. Becerra, who served as Health Secretary under President Joe Biden, aims to connect with Spanish-speaking users on the platform, citing data that shows higher usage among Hispanic adults compared to other groups.
Becerra’s campaign highlights that this approach comes at a time when Democrats are seeking to regain ground with Latino voters after recent gains by Republicans in states like Texas, Florida, and even traditionally Democratic strongholds such as California and New York. According to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, almost half of Hispanic adults reported using TikTok, while the figures were lower for Black and white adults.
“It’s critical to communicate in the language and on the platforms where voters spend their time and get their information,” Becerra said.
Congress passed legislation last year banning TikTok due to national security concerns. Although then-President Biden signed it into law, he later announced it would not be enforced during his administration. The Supreme Court upheld the ban’s constitutionality, but President Donald Trump suspended its enforcement when he took office again. Trump has also joined TikTok himself and amassed millions of followers while repeatedly extending deadlines for ByteDance—the app’s China-based owner—to sell its U.S. operations.
Becerra’s campaign plans include videos featuring direct messages from him, policy explanations, behind-the-scenes content from his campaign trail activities, collaborations with influencers, and supporter-created material—all delivered in Spanish.
“The working-class Latinos Democrats need to win back aren’t necessarily going to a Spanish-language website, but they are scrolling and watching vertical video in their free time,” said José Muñoz, a Democratic strategist advising Becerra’s campaign.
Other candidates across the country are making similar moves. In New Jersey’s gubernatorial race this year, both major party candidates are participating in Spanish-language town halls broadcast by Univision. In Virginia’s race for governor, Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger is running radio ads in Spanish discussing family issues.
One of Becerra’s rivals in California’s 2026 governor’s race is Katie Porter. She has already built a large audience on TikTok with more than 500,000 followers—outpacing her presence on Instagram or Facebook.
In his first video on the platform, Becerra identified affordable housing and health care costs as top priorities.
