Canidates Running for CA Governor
Angelica Hennessy | OPINIONS EDITOR
April 09, 2026
With California Governor Gavin Newsom leaving office this year, it is important for Californians to be aware of the politicians who will potentially be replacing him.
While the certified list of candidates will not be released until March 26, ten notable politicians have already declared that they will be running for governor.
On June 2, California will be holding the primary election to choose which two of these candidates will be going up against each other in the official election on Nov. 3.
There are currently eight Democrats campaigning for the position: Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, Ian Calderon, Tom Steyer, Eric Swalwell, Tony Thurmond, Antonio Villaraigosa and Betty Yee.
Congresswoman Porter has outlined the six priorities of her campaign: defending access to healthcare, especially in the midst of U.S. President Donald Trump’s cuts to Medicare; lowering the cost of living; creating affordable housing initiatives; improving the economy by creating better-paying union jobs; improving government response to natural disasters; and expanding clean energy.
Similarly, former California Attorney General Becerra is primarily campaigning on tackling the affordability crisis and protecting Californians’ access to quality, affordable healthcare.
U.S. House Representative Swalwell has centered his campaign around lowering costs and improving California’s economy.
Porter, Becerra and Swalwell’s campaigns have also all greatly emphasized the importance of standing against President Trump’s policies and challenging his unconstitutional decisions in a court setting.
While addressing affordable housing and healthcare, former California Assemblymember Calderon’s campaign notably emphasizes eliminating regulations put on small businesses, housing, transportation and the selling of food in order to drive down the cost of living.
Billionaire Steyer’s campaign has focused on increasing taxes on large corporations, funding public education, building affordable housing and lowering the cost of electricity.
California’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Thurmond, campaigns on fully funding public education, increasing the minimum wage, building more housing and making rent affordable.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa has built his campaign on protecting immigrant communities and reforming clean energy policies to make them more affordable and productive, as well as promoting the government’s utilization of cryptocurrency.
Former California State Controller Yee has also focused on clean air policies, particularly investing in low-cost renewable energy generation as well as a new water conservation system, which she believes will create new jobs.
Yee has promised to defend access to Medi-Cal, create affordable housing and fund the implementation of Proposition 36, which intends to increase prison sentences for drug- and theft-related crimes.
Despite the lineup being primarily Democratic, there are also two Republican candidates in the running: Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton.
Riverside County Sheriff Bianco is campaigning on increasing funding for law enforcement, strengthening penalties to keep criminals off the streets, cutting taxes for businesses, decreasing economic regulations, lowering gas prices, securing the border and abolishing sanctuary state policies.
Meanwhile, former Fox News host Hilton’s campaign has been dedicated to reducing taxes, ending regulations on businesses and housing, protecting parental rights and cracking down on crime, homelessness and illegal immigration.
Hilton has also emphasized parental control over the information children are exposed to in schools as part of his campaign.
According to recent polls by Emerson College, Republican Bianco is currently the most popular choice among voters with a 13 percent approval rating.
Among Democrats, Swalwell and Hilton are both in the lead with 12 percent. However, Porter is only one percentage point below them.
Most notably, 31 percent of participants marked their choice as undecided.
Although the basics of these politicians’ campaign priorities have been outlined above, it is essential for voters to do their own research on candidates, especially as we grow closer to both the primary and official elections.