It’s more than two years until Californians will vote for their next governor, but the race has already begun in earnest with a half-dozen official candidates — with campaign coffers that are racking up millions in these early days.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s two-term governorship will end in 2026, opening the door to the first open race for the office in eight years. Though the Golden State has a Democratic super-majority, the primaries are shaping up to be highly competitive, as many of California’s most well-known political names and power players throw their hats in the ring.
The latest entrant into the race is former Los Angeles Mayor and Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa. The 71-year-old Democrat lost to Newsom in 2018 and has not held public office in a decade, though he retains support and significant name recognition in Southern California and among the state’s increasingly powerful Latino voters. He announced his campaign raised more than $1.5 million since late July.
He joins a crowded list of Democrats vying for the state’s top job.