2026 California gubernatorial election
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The 2026 California gubernatorial election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the next governor of California. The statewide top-two primary election will take place on June 2, 2026. Incumbent Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom will be term-limited and ineligible to seek reelection.
Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, incumbent superintendent of public instruction Tony Thurmond, former California Senate president pro tempore Toni Atkins, former controller Betty Yee, and former mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa have declared their candidacies. The field of high-profile candidates is expected to expand in the coming years and become extremely competitive.
Candidates
[edit]Democratic Party
[edit]Declared
[edit]- Toni Atkins, former President pro tempore of the California State Senate (2018–2024) from the 39th district (2016–2024) and former Speaker of the California State Assembly (2012–2016) from the 78th district (2010–2016)[1]
- Stephen Cloobeck, founder of Diamond Resorts[2]
- Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California (2019–present) and former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary (2010–2013)[3]
- Tony Thurmond, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction (2019–present)[4]
- Antonio Villaraigosa, former Mayor of Los Angeles (2005–2013) and candidate for governor in 2018[5]
- Betty Yee, California Democratic Party vice chair (2021–present) and former California State Controller (2015–2023)[6]
- Michael Younger, vice president of Calbright College (2022–present) and former deputy secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency[7]
Publicly expressed interest
[edit]- Rob Bonta, Attorney General of California (2021–present)[8]
- Katie Porter, U.S. representative from California's 47th congressional district (2018–present) and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024[8]
Potential
[edit]- Xavier Becerra, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2021–present), former attorney general of California (2017–2021), and former U.S. representative (1993–2017)[9][8]
- Rick Caruso, real estate developer and runner-up for mayor of Los Angeles in 2022[10]
- Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States (2021–present), former U.S. senator (2017–2021), and nominee for President in 2024[11][8]
Withdrew
[edit]- Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer (2019–present) (running for lieutenant governor)[6]
Declined
[edit]- Laphonza Butler, former U.S. senator (2023–2024)[12]
Republican Party
[edit]Declared
[edit]- Sharifah Hardie, business consultant[13]
- Leo Zacky, vice president of Zacky Farms and candidate for governor in 2021 and 2022[14]
Publicly expressed interest
[edit]- Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner (2019–present) (decision expected in early 2025)[8]
- Grant Cardone, private equity fund manager[15]
- Brian Dahle, former state senator (2019–2024) and runner-up for governor in 2022[8]
- Steve Hilton, political commentator and former adviser to UK prime minister David Cameron (2010–2012)[8]
- Caitlyn Jenner, media personality and candidate for governor in 2021[16]
Potential
[edit]- Lanhee Chen, policy advisor and runner-up for state controller in 2022[17][18]
Declined
[edit]- Kevin McCarthy, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (2023) from California's 20th congressional district (2007–2023)[19]
Green Party
[edit]Declared
[edit]- Butch Ware, associate professor and nominee for Vice President in 2024[20]
No party preference
[edit]Publicly expressed interest
[edit]- Nicole Shanahan, attorney and running mate of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the 2024 presidential election[21]
Primary election
[edit]Endorsements
[edit]Toni Atkins (D)
State officials
- Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State (2021–present)[1]
State senators
- Catherine Blakespear, state senator from the 38th district (2022–present)[22]
- Christine Kehoe, former state senator from the 39th district (2004–2012)[1]
- Steve Padilla, state senator from the 18th district (2022–present)[22]
- Akilah Weber, state senator from the 39th district (2024–present)[22]
State assemblymembers
- David Alvarez, state assemblymember from the 80th district (2020–present)[22]
- Tasha Boerner, state assemblymember from the 77th district (2018–present)[22]
- Brian Maienschein, former state assemblymember from the 76th district (2012–2024)[22]
- Chris Ward, state assemblymember from the 78th district (2020–present)[22]
Labor unions
Organizations
Eleni Kounalakis (D)
Federal officials
- Hillary Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State (2009–2013), former U.S. senator from New York (2001–2009), and Democratic nominee for president in 2016[25]
U.S. senators
- Barbara Boxer, former U.S. senator from California (1993–2017)[26]
U.S. representatives
- Luz Rivas, U.S. representative-elect from California's 29th congressional district[25]
- Mike Thompson, U.S. representative from California's 4th congressional district (1999–present)[25]
State senators
- Bill Dodd, former state senator from the 3rd district (2016–2024)[25]
State assemblymembers
- Diane Papan, state assemblymember from the 21st district (2022–present)[25]
Local officials
- Art Agnos, former mayor of San Francisco (1988–1992)[27]
- Kevin McCarty, mayor of Sacramento (2024–present)[25]
Notable individuals
- Markos Kounalakis, journalist and Second Gentleman of California (2019–present) (her husband)[28]
- Angelo Tsakopoulos, real estate developer (her father)[26]
Polling
[edit]Hypothetical polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Chad Bianco (R) |
Brian Dahle (R) |
Steve Garvey (R) |
Steve Hilton (R) |
Rob Bonta (D) |
Rick Caruso (D) |
Eleni Kounalakis (D) |
Katie Porter (D) |
Antonio Villaraigosa (D) |
Betty Yee (D) |
Others | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakthrough Campaigns[29] | November 22–26, 2024 | 1,228 (LV) | ± 2.8% | 6% | 9% | 18% | – | 6% | 5% | 8% | 21% | 3% | 3% | 9%[b] | 12% |
| 14% | – | 21% | – | – | 6% | 9% | 24% | 3% | 6% | 6%[c] | 11% | ||||
| California Elections and Policy Poll[30] | September 12–25, 2024 | 1,685 (LV) | ± 2.4% | 5% | 5% | – | 4% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 14% | 3% | 3% | 7%[d] | 50% |
| Tulchin Research[31][A] | August 8–12, 2024 | 800 (LV) | ± 3.5% | – | 13% | – | 10% | – | – | 10% | – | 13% | 7% | 8%[e] | 40% |
Debates
[edit]| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key: P Participant A Absent N Not invited I Invited W Withdrawn |
||||||||
| Atkins | Kounalakis | Thurmond | Yee | |||||
| 1 | Sep. 29, 2024 | National Union of Healthcare Workers Los Angeles Times, The Associated Press, Politico |
Laurel Rosenhall Lisa Matthews Melanie Mason |
YouTube | P | P | P | P |
Notes
[edit]- ^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear - ^ Laphonza Butler (D) and Tony Thurmond (D) with 3%; Xavier Becerra (D) with 2%; Toni Atkins with 1%; Stephen Cloobeck (D) with 0%
- ^ Toni Atkins (D) with 3%; Tony Thurmond (D) with 2%; Stephen Cloobeck (D) with 1%
- ^ Xavier Becerra (D) with 3%; Lanhee Chen (R) with 2%; Toni Atkins (D) and Tony Thurmond (D) with 1%
- ^ Toni Atkins (D) and Tony Thurmond (D) with 4%
Partisan clients
- ^ Poll sponsored by Villaraigosa's campaign
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Mason, Melanie (January 19, 2024). "California Senate leader aims to be the state's first woman and LGBTQ+ governor". Politico. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
- ^ Schallhorn, Kaitlyn (November 5, 2024). "Hospitality businessman Stephen Cloobeck launches California governor bid". The Orange County Register. Archived from the original on November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
- ^ Cadelago, Christopher (April 24, 2023). "Eleni Kounalakis first to launch campaign for California governor in 2026". Politico. Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ Flores, Hilda (September 26, 2023). "State Superintendent Tony Thurmond officially announces run for governor". KCRA. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
- ^ Gans, Jared (July 23, 2024). "Former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa again running for California governor". The Hill. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Bollag, Sophia (April 24, 2023). "Former California Controller Betty Yee says she will run to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2026". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ "Alumni Profile: Michael Younger '02". Stevenson School. April 15, 2024. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bollag, Sophia (December 9, 2024). "The California governors race is already crowded. Will these heavy hitters jump in?". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
- ^ Cadelego, Christopher; Lippman, Daniel (April 23, 2024). "Becerra plots political future after Biden administration". Politico. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Dakota (June 1, 2024). "Rick Caruso stokes talk about his political ambitions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Cadelago, Christopher (November 25, 2024). "Harris is telling her advisers and allies to keep her political options open". Politico. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Mehta, Seema (November 17, 2024). "Laphonza Butler reflects on her brief Senate career, the presidential race and her future". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ "Sharifah Hardie Introduces 'California Forward' Plan as DNC Commences, Offering New Solutions for Economic Growth". Ask Sharifah (Press release). August 18, 2024. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024 – via EIN Presswire.
- ^ Medina, Alex (July 23, 2024). "Antonio Villaraigosa announces another run for California governor". Boyle Heights Beat. Archived from the original on July 24, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ Hall, Phil (November 18, 2024). "Grant Cardone Considers Run for California Governor". Weekly Real Estate News. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- ^ Sforza, Lauren (November 25, 2024). "Trump ally Caitlyn Jenner taunts Kamala Harris". NJ.com. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Willon, Phil (August 9, 2024). "Who is running for California governor in 2026? Meet the potential candidates". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
- ^ Nelson, Laura (November 13, 2024). "California Gov. Kamala Harris? New poll finds she'd have a clear advantage". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- ^ Solender, Andrew (February 13, 2024). "McCarthy floats future run for office in rare Capitol Hill visit". Axios. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
McCarthy dismissed a run for California governor in 2026
- ^ "Butch Ware, former Green Party VP nominee, announces next run for office". Green Party of the United States (Press release). November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
- ^ Waddick, Karissa (August 20, 2024). "RFK Jr.'s campaign weighing whether to drop out, 'join forces' with Trump". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 6, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
As for her own political future, Shanahan alluded to a potential 2026 campaign for governor in California.
- ^ a b c d e f g Tefu, Bo (August 6, 2024). "Asm. Akilah Weber Endorses Sen. Toni Atkins for Governor". Post News Group. Archived from the original on August 29, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "IBEW 569 Endorses Toni Atkins for Governor!". IBEW 569. May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
- ^ Bajko, Matthew S. (June 17, 2024). "LPAC early endorses lesbian 2026 CA governor candidate Atkins". The Bay Area Reporter. San Francisco, CA. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Rosenhall, Lauren (May 25, 2023). "Hillary Clinton backs Eleni Kounalakis for California governor". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ a b White, Jeremy B.; Korte, Lara; Brown, Matthew; Castanos, Ramon (May 25, 2023). "Kounalakis, Clinton and California clout". Politico. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ Koehn, Josh (April 24, 2023). "Eleni Kounalakis Running for California Governor. Will Kamala Harris Join Her?". The San Francisco Standard. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
- ^ Porter, Jacque (April 26, 2023). "Who is California gubernatorial candidate Eleni Kounalakis?". Fox 40 News Los Angeles. Archived from the original on May 24, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ State of the California Governor Race
- ^ California Elections and Policy Poll
- ^ Tulchin Research
External links
[edit]Official campaign websites
- Toni Atkins (D) for Governor
- Stephen Cloobeck (D) for Governor
- Sharifah Hardie (R) for Governor
- Eleni Kounalakis (D) for Governor
- Raji Rab (D) for Governor
- Nicholas Thompson (L) for Governor
- Tony Thurmond (D) for Governor
- Antionio Villaraigosa (D) for Governor
- Betty Yee (D) for Governor
- Michael Younger (D) for Governor
- Leo Zacky (R) for Governor