# 2026 California gubernatorial election

Elections in California :
Federal governmentU.S. President
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2026 :
State governmentExecutive Governor
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Lieutenant governor
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Attorney general
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Secretary of state
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Treasurer
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Controller
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Insurance commissioner
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Superintendent
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Board of equalization
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Legislature Senate
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Special
Assembly
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Special
Judiciary Court of appeals
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Elections by year
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2024 :
State propositions1910–1919
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Full list :
Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County Board of supervisors
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2024
Ballot measures
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A
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R
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J
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M
2024
G
Elections
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2024
Los Angeles Mayor
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City attorney
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Ballot measures
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U
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S
Elections
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2011
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2017
2019 (sp)
2020
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2024
Long Beach Mayor
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1998
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2006
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2022 :
Orange CountyOrange County Board of supervisors
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2024
District attorney
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Anaheim Mayor
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Irvine Mayor
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Costa Mesa Municipal
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SacramentoMayor
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2024 :
San Diego CountySan Diego County Board of supervisors
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San Diego Mayor
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City attorney
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City council
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Special :
San FranciscoMayor
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District attorney
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Board of supervisors
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Board of education
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2022 (recall)
Ballot measures
2024
G
Elections
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Mar
Nov
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2006
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Nov
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2008
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Feb :
San JoseMayor
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Other localities
Bakersfield
Mayoral elections:
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Fresno
Mayoral elections:
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Oakland
Mayoral elections:
1994
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2010
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2018
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2025
Riverside
Mayoral elections:
1997
2001
2005
2009
2012
2016
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2024
San Bernardino
Mayoral elections:
2005
2009
2014
2018
2022
Stockton
Mayoral elections:
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
vte :
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.
Over a dozen candidates have already declared a campaign, with the field of candidates expected to expand.

## Candidates
### Democratic Party
#### Declared

* Toni Atkins, former President pro tempore of the California 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)
* Stephen Cloobeck, founder of Diamond Resorts
* Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California (2019–present) (will withdraw if Harris runs)
* Katie Porter, former U.S. representative from California's 47th congressional district (2019–2025) and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024 (will withdraw if Harris runs)
* Tony Thurmond, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction (2019–present)
* Antonio Villaraigosa, former Mayor of Los Angeles (2005–2013) and candidate for governor in 2018
* Betty Yee, California Democratic Party vice chair (2021–present) and former California State Controller (2015–2023)
* Michael Younger, vice president of Calbright College (2022–present) and former deputy secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency

#### Publicly expressed interest

* Rick Caruso, CEO of Caruso and runner-up for mayor of Los Angeles in 2022

#### Potential

* Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (2021–2025) and former Attorney General of California (2017–2021)
* Kamala Harris, former vice president of the United States (2021–2025), former U.S. senator (2017–2021), and nominee for president in 2024 (decision expected in summer 2025)

#### Withdrew

* Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer (2019–present) (running for lieutenant governor)

#### Declined

* Rob Bonta, California Attorney General (2021–present) (running for re-election, endorsed Harris)
* Laphonza Butler, former U.S. senator (2023–2024)

### Republican Party
#### Declared

* Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner (2019–present)
* Brandon Jones, marketing agency founder
* Sharifah Hardie, business consultant
* Jimmy Parker, former judge
* Leo Zacky, vice president of Zacky Farms and candidate for governor in 2021 and 2022

#### Publicly expressed interest

* Grant Cardone, private equity fund manager
* Brian Dahle, former state senator (2019–2024) and runner-up for governor in 2022
* Richard Grenell, Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions (2025–present) and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany (2018–2020) (if Harris runs)
* Steve Hilton, political commentator and former adviser to UK prime minister David Cameron (2010–2012)
* Caitlyn Jenner, media personality and candidate for governor in 2021

#### Potential

* Lanhee Chen, policy advisor and runner-up for state controller in 2022
* Mel Gibson, actor and filmmaker

#### Declined

* Kevin McCarthy, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (2023) from California's 20th congressional district (2007–2023)

### Green Party
#### Declared

* Butch Ware, associate professor and nominee for Vice President in 2024

### No party preference
#### Declared

* Javen Allen, actor

#### Publicly expressed interest

* Nicole Shanahan, attorney and running mate of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the 2024 presidential election

## Primary election
### Endorsements

Statewide officials
* Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State (2021–present)
State senators
* Catherine Blakespear, SD-38 (2022–present)
* Christine Kehoe, SD-39 (2004–2012)
* Steve Padilla, SD-18 (2022–present)
* Akilah Weber, SD-39 (2024–present)
State assemblymembers
* David Alvarez, AD-80 (2020–present)
* Tasha Boerner, AD-77 (2018–present)
* Brian Maienschein, AD-76 (2012–2024)
* Chris Ward, AD-78 (2020–present)
Local officials
* Todd Gloria, mayor of San Diego (2020–present)
* Terra Lawson-Remer, San Diego County supervisor (2020–present)
Labor unions
* International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569
Organizations
* LPAC
U.S. representatives
* Ken Calvert, CA-41 (1993–present)
* Darrell Issa, CA-48 (2021–present)
State senators
* Dennis Hollingsworth, SD-36 (2002–2010)
* Kelly Seyarto, SD-32 (2022–present)
* Scott Wilk, SD-21 (2016–2024)
State assemblymembers
* Juan Alanis, AD–22 (2022-present)
* Leticia Castillo, AD-58 (2024–present)
* Phillip Chen, AD-59 (2016–present)
* Jordan Cunningham, AD-35 (2016–2022)
* Diane Dixon, AD-72 (2022–present)
* Bill Essayli, AD-63 (2022–present)
* Heath Flora, AD-09 (2022–present)
* Jeff Gonzalez, AD-36 (2024–present)
* Tom Lackey, AD-34 (2014–present)
* Devon Mathis, AD-33 (2014-2024)
* Joe Patterson, AD-05 (2022–present)
* Kate Sanchez, AD-71 (2022–present)
* Greg Wallis, AD-47 (2022–present)
Local officials
* Don Barnes, Orange County Sheriff-Coroner (2019–present)
* Paul Miyamoto, San Francisco Sheriff (2020–present) (Democratic)
* 36 other county sheriffs
* 2 county district attorneys
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
U.S. senators
* Barbara Boxer, California (1993–2017)
U.S. representatives
* Luz Rivas, CA-29 (2025–present)
* Mike Thompson, CA-04 (1999–present)
State senators
* Bill Dodd, SD-03 (2016–2024)
State assemblymembers
* Evan Low, AD-26 (2014–2024)
* Diane Papan, AD-21 (2022–present)
Local officials
* Art Agnos, former mayor of San Francisco (1988–1992)
* Kevin McCarty, mayor of Sacramento (2024–present)
* Roberta Achtenberg, former San Francisco supervisor (1991–1993)
Notable individuals
* Markos Kounalakis, journalist and Second Gentleman of California (2019–present) (her husband)
* Angelo Tsakopoulos, real estate developer (her father)
State senators
* Sabrina Cervantes, SD-31 (2024–present)

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Chad Bianco (R) | Rick Caruso (D) | John Cox (R) | Brian Dahle (R) | Steve Garvey (R) | Kamala Harris (D) | Eleni Kounalakis (D) | Katie Porter (D) | Antonio Villaraigosa (D) | Betty Yee (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Emerson College | February 10–11, 2025 | 469 (RV) | ± 4.5% | – | – | – | – | – | 57% | 4% | 9% | 4% | 2% | 9% | 15% |
| Emerson College | February 10–11, 2025 | 469 (RV) | ± 4.5% | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5% | 21% | 9% | 3% | 18% | 44% |
| Capitol Weekly | February 3–7, 2025 | 1,200 (RV) | – | – | 8% | 21% | – | – | 23% | 2% | 16% | 2% | 2% | 26% | – |
| Capitol Weekly | February 3–7, 2025 | 1,200 (RV) | – | – | 8% | 21% | – | – | – | 5% | 26% | 3% | 3% | 32% | – |
| Breakthrough Campaigns | November 22–26, 2024 | 1,228 (LV) | ± 2.8% | 6% | 5% | – | 9% | 18% | – | 8% | 21% | 3% | 3% | 15% | 12% |
| Breakthrough Campaigns | November 22–26, 2024 | 1,228 (LV) | ± 2.8% | 14% | 6% | – | – | 21% | – | 9% | 24% | 3% | 6% | 6% | 11% |
| University of Southern California/CSU Long Beach/Cal Poly Pomona | September 12–25, 2024 | 1,685 (LV) | ± 2.4% | 5% | – | – | 5% | – | 3% | 2% | 14% | 3% | 3% | 15% | 50% |
| Tulchin Research (D) | August 8–12, 2024 | 800 (LV) | ± 3.5% | – | – | – | 13% | – | – | 10% | – | 13% | 7% | 18% | 40% |

### Debates

2026 California gubernatorial primary debate :
| No. | Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic | Democratic |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | | | | |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited W Withdrawn | 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 |

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid D | January 23, 2025 |
| Inside Elections | Solid D | February 6, 2025 |