US-Wahlen: Demokraten siegen in Kalifornien – und die Milliardäre?

California Democrats secured victory in the gubernatorial race, with Xavier Becerra emerging as the winner over Republican Steve Hilton, according to the Associated Press. Becerra, a son of Mexican immigrants, will become the first Latino to lead the most populous state. Previously, Governor Gavin Newsom, who served two terms, will not run again and is seen as a potential presidential candidate.

Becerra, a former Health and Human Services Secretary, had to establish himself within his own party, overcoming recent accusations of abuse against Democratic leader Eric Swalwell. The Democratic Party rallied behind Becerra after Newsom's allegations. During the campaign, Hilton campaigned with full backing from former US President Donald Trump, creating misleading ads using AI-generated content.

However, this tactic proved unsuccessful, as California has not elected a Republican to a high political office in two decades. In addition to the gubernatorial election, California held a statewide vote on "Proposition 40," a tax on billionaires. Supporters aimed to achieve higher tax fairness, but critics warned about potential capital flight.

The proposal, which would levy a one-time 5% tax on assets exceeding $1 billion, received 38% of the votes, with two opposing initiatives canceling its effect. The initiative targeted around 250 billionaires and aimed to replace funds lost due to the Trump administration's budget cuts, which could leave up to two million Californians without Medi-Cal health insurance.

The opposition, led by tech billionaires such as Google co-founder Sergey Brin, raised over $300 million against the proposal. The irony of the night was that while the rest of the country saw California's tech industry as a setback for Republicans, the state's tech billionaires prevailed. The California Democratic Party and its left-wing Senator Bernie Sanders had advocated for the tax, while Newsom and Becerra opposed it.

Former Governor Newsom even supported one of Brin's financed initiatives. The dispute over the billionaire tax ended a year-long division within the Democratic Party. Sanders questioned whether the country still had democracy or if the billionaires held the reins. For future Governor Newsom, a presidential contender for 2028, the night posed challenges, as his stance beside the billionaires came under scrutiny.

Despite the tax failure, Newsom faces accusations of aligning with the wealthy. The fate of Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi's replacement remained undecided in the night, with California's new congressional districts set to provide up to five additional seats for Democrats.