CA Governor Race: Who is running to replace Newsom

LOS ANGELES - California will elect a new governor in 2026, which will replace Gavin Newsom. The current governor is unable to run due to term limits. 

Several candidates have already thrown their name into the hat. 

Meet some of the candidates who have officially announced their candidacy.

Chad Bianco (R)

The Riverside County Sheriff officially announced his run for governor on Presidents' Day.  

He said he promises to bring change and common sense back to government and fix the "broken state." During his campaign announcement, Bianco said democratic elected officials are responsible for the decline of California and blamed them for the rise in crime, homelessness, high taxes, and high cost of living.

Bianco, who moved to California in 1989, was first elected sheriff in 2018. He has been in law enforcement for over three decades. He has a tough-on-crime stance and endorsed Trump in 2024. 

READ MORE: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco announces run for governor; "Californians deserve better"

Antonio Villaraigosa (D)

The former mayor of Los Angeles is now running for the state's top position. 

The 71-year-old ran for governor in 2018, ultimately losing to Gavin Newsom, who was then the lieutenant governor.

Villaraigosa served as Los Angeles mayor from 2005-2013. He previously served on the City Council and in the state Assembly from 1994-2000. He was Assembly Speaker from 1998-2000. He briefly considered a run for governor in 2010, but opted to remain mayor -- particularly with Jerry Brown grabbing top billing as a Democratic candidate. 

Most recently he served as an infrastructure advisor for the state of California.

READ MORE: Former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to run for California governor

Toni Atkins (D)

Toni Atkins is the former Speaker of the California State Assembly.

She was elected to the state Assembly in 2010, where she served for six years. In 2014, she was selected as Speaker of the Assembly, becoming the first openly gay person to hold the position. In 2016, San Diego voters elected her to the State Senate — and after just one year, she was selected to serve as Senate President pro Tempore, becoming the first woman and the first openly LGBTQ person to lead the Legislature’s upper house.

Eleni Kounalakis (D)

Eleni Kounalakis is California's current Lieutenant Governor, serving as second in command to Gavin Newsom sinc 2019. She is the first female to hold that position. From 2010 to 2013, she served as President Barack Obama’s Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary. After that, then-Governor Jerry Brown appointed Kounalakis to chair the California Advisory Council for International Trade and Investment in 2014. 

Tony Thurmond (D)

Tony Thurmond currently serves as the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

"I'm running for Governor to be a voice for those who need one — because California may be working for millionaires and billionaires but for the rest of California — we need real change," he said on X when he announced his run. 

He said as governor he wants to address income inequality, ensure schools are better funded and speed up the state's transition to renewable energy.

Before Thurmond became the state's superintendent in 2019, he served on the West Contra Costa School Board, on the Richmond City Council and in the state Assembly.

Betty Yee (D)

Betty Yee is the former state Controller. She was elected to the position in 2014. Piror to that, she served on the California State Board of Equalization in 2006 and served as the state’s budget director.

She said one of her main goals as governor is to make California affordable again. She also plans to bring accountability and transparency to Sacramento, and help address the state's climate crisis. 

"We have the power to make California add up for all of us again—for our youth, our families, our communities, for our democracy, and our planet," Yee stated on her website. 

Leo Zacky (R)

Leo Zacky is the Vice President of Zacky Farms and was a board member of the California Poultry Federation.

On his website, Zacky said he's a ‘capitalist who believes in free markets, not socialism’ and wants to clean up the corruption, mismanagement, and wasteful spending.

His top issues include ending the homeless crisis, ending the drought, exposing corruption, improving education, and lowering taxes.

"It’s clear that the people of this state and this nation do not want any more career politicians in government. We want people who truly know this state and have experience in what makes our state the world’s fifth largest economy," his website read. 

With decades of experience in the agricultural industry, Zacky said he has dealt with the state’s excessive regulations, high taxes, mismanagement of natural resources and wasteful spending. One of his goals is to bring businesses back to California and stop residents from fleeing to other states.

Stephen Cloobeck (D)

Stephen Cloobeck is a businessman, philanthropist, and the founder and former CEO of Diamond Resorts. He has over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry and appeared on the hit TV show, Under Cover Boss.

His goals include making California more business friendly, more affordable, livable, workable, and safe.

Cloobeck's other experiences include being chairman of the board of Brand USA Inc. and serving on the Standing Committee on Judicial Ethics and Election Practices in 2004.

"California is the greatest state in the USA. It breaks my heart that the state I thrived in—people can't afford to live and dream here like I did. My party... our party... let this happen to the people who we gave trust to, to fight for us. My customers are single moms. The graduates who can't pay their student loans, let alone save for a house. The teachers who have to pay for school supplies. None of this had to happen," he wrote on his campaign website. 

Katie Porter (D)

Former Democratic U.S. House member Katie Porter announced her candidacy on March 11. 

In her campaign launch video, Porter emphasized her commitment to challenging Trump’s administration, particularly on issues affecting Californians, such as disaster relief and immigrant rights. 

Porter is a former consumer protection attorney. She first entered Congress in 2018 with a focus on holding Trump accountable.

She has since become known for her rigorous questioning of business leaders and her ability to simplify complex issues.

After losing the 2024 Senate race, Porter returned to teaching at the University of California, Irvine, School of Law.

California Politics