Antonio Villaraigosa
The crowded field to replace Governor Gavin Newson in 2028 expanded again on Tuesday when Antonio Villaraigosa, the Democratic former Los Angeles mayor who unsuccessfully sought the governorship in 2018, announced that he would make another run for the job in 2026.
Villaraigosa, a groundbreaking Latino politician who also served as Assembly speaker from 1998 to 2000, positioned himself as a more moderate alternative to future Gov. Gavin Newsom in the open 2018 primary, where he finished a distant third.
Ina campaign video released Tuesday, Villaraigosa touted himself as a "problem solver" who worked with Republicans to balance the state budget and, as Los Angeles mayor, raised high school graduation rates and hired more police officers to tackle crime.
Villaraigosa, to CalMatters: "In every job I've ever had, I've made a difference. I think people are looking not just for experience, but for a track record. Because the best way to know what you're going to do is to look at what you've done."
Villaraigosa said that he would focus on public safety, housing and homelessness as governor, but did not share any specific policy proposals.
He now faces the challenge of reintroducing himself to California voters after more than a decade out of public office, though he was named an infrastructure advisor to Newsom in 2022. Villaraigosa most recently joined cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase in April as a paid advisor.
The 71-year-old, who would potentially leave the governorship in his eighties, also must distinguish himself from younger rivals at a time when concerns over age and fitness have ended the political aspirations of no less than the president.
With nearly two years until the next gubernatorial primary in June 2026, four other prominent Democrats have already jumped into the race: Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins and Controller Betty Yee. Two more - Attorney General Rob Bonta and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra - are reportedly weighing campaigns.
Villaraigosa told CalMatters he has "the energy of a teenager. I'm in the gym every day, my friend."
"We're going to focus our campaign on the future, not the past," he said.
As for this year's election: Tuesday, the Secretary of State published its draft voter guide for November. It includes summaries and analyses of all 10 statewide ballot measures, as well as candidate statements, and is available in 10 languages. The public can review the guide through Aug. 12 and challenge any portion of it in Sacramento Superior Court.
After the 20-day public examination period ends, the guide will be mailed to every voting household in the state. If you want to opt out of the paper version (and save the state some money perhaps) you can receive an online link instead. And to stay even more informed, check out CalMatters' ballot measure explainer and 2024 Voter Guide.
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