California's high-speed rail project has been a political football for years, and the 2026 gubernatorial race is giving it another good kick. Xavier Becerra, who served as Health Secretary under former President Joe Biden, is now running for governor — and he's promising to scrap the current version of the project.

Speaking to supporters in Fresno on Saturday, Becerra didn't mince words. "I'm going to scrap the current configuration," he said, according to KMPH Fox26 News. He argued that the plan "has not worked" and stressed that the state needs to "complete" high-speed rail — just not the way it's being done now. Becerra pledged that as governor, he would finish the project "on budget and on time," noting that it has "already blew past" those targets. "We need high-speed rail in California," he added.

The project, which aims to connect Los Angeles with San Francisco, has been a pet initiative of outgoing Governor Gavin Newsom. Newsom says 463 miles of the 494-mile project are ready for construction. But his Transportation Secretary, Adetokunbo "Toks" Omishakin, has acknowledged that more money is needed to get it done.

The high-speed rail vision has drawn criticism from some heavy hitters. Tesla Inc. (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk has alleged fraudulent activities in the project, and the Trump administration isn't a fan either. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called it a "train to nowhere," noting that "not a single high-speed track" has been installed.

Becerra's stance puts him at odds with Newsom, but the two aren't competing directly — Newsom is term-limited and can't run again. The Democratic primary field includes billionaire Tom Steyer and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, among others. Voting kicks off in the coming weeks.

There's also a financial angle worth noting: Chevron Corp (CVX) recently donated over $500,000 to a Political Action Committee (PAC) associated with Becerra. That's interesting because Newsom has been critical of Chevron, opposing President Trump's move to restart the Sable Offshore Corp. (SOC) pipeline in California, which would supply oil to Chevron. So Becerra's rail plan might be part of a broader political realignment.

For now, the high-speed rail project remains a symbol of California's ambitious — and often frustrating — infrastructure dreams. Becerra is betting that voters want a more pragmatic approach. We'll see if that bet pays off at the ballot box.