Meet California's first Latino governor. No, not Xavier Becerra
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Set us as preferred The brand-new governor-elect, Xavier Becerra, will not be the first Latino governor of the state of California.The asterisk is a teeny one: He’ll be the first elected Latino governor of California.The first Latino governor of the state was a swashbuckling old-school Californio who stepped up from being lieutenant governor into the governorship in 1875, after the governor at the time was elected to the U.S.Senate.Romualdo Pacheco’s term lasted just a shade over nine months, and his person and heritage left a more durable impression than any politics he espoused during his short tenure.For one thing, he was the first governor of the state of California to be born in California, in 1831, when it was still part of Mexico, but he served after California joined the union.He was also a legendary hunter and sailor and — so said the Los Angeles Examiner — the “handsomest man in California.”Los Angeles is a complex place.
Luckily, there's someone who can provide context, history and culture.By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver.
You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy such as personalizing your experience and ads.Throughout a life in politics, he racked up offices and distinctions: state treasurer, judge, state senator and Assembly member, and the first Latino that California sent to Congress, after his governorship.He bestrode both the old California and the new.
His mother was a member of the august Carrillo family, and his father was a captain in the Mexican army, killed in the Cahuenga Pass when his namesake son was just a few weeks old.The senior Pacheco rode in the service of Manuel V...