From Washington Examiner: After former Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Wednesday that she wouldn’t run for California governor, the field opened up for various candidates.
California will elect a new governor in 2026, as incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) will be termed out. In such a deep blue state, the winner of the Democratic primary is nearly certain to win the general election.
Harris was a favorite, polling at 57% among California Democrats.
Now, the top contenders to replace Newsom include the following:
- Katie Porter: A former Democratic Representative, she’s the front-runner in the race.Porter was a vocal critic of former President Trump and served as California’s independent monitor of a national mortgage settlement. Porter lost in the Democratic primary for the 2024 Senate election to Sen. Adam Schiff.
- Xavier Becerra: He has over 30 years of experience representing California, including serving as a U.S. Representative and as the Health and Human Services Secretary. Former Gov. Jerry Brown chose him as California’s attorney general after Kamala Harris was elected to the Senate in 2017. After Harris announced that she wouldn’t run, Becerra was quick to say he was “proud of our shared record.”
- Eleni Kounalakis: Elected Lieutenant Governor of California after a grassroots campaign. She is known for her progressive stances.
- Antonio Villaraigosa: Former Los Angeles mayor (2005-2013) and 2018 gubernatorial candidate, focusing on affordability and economic growth in the 2026 race.
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