Kamala Harris will not run for California governor in 2026, leaving the contest without a clear frontrunner. Gavin Newsom's second term ends in 2026, creating an opening for new leadership. A large and diverse field of Democratic and Republican candidates has emerged, including several well-known state figures and many lesser-known hopefuls. Democratic contenders include Katie Porter, a former congresswoman and law professor; Stephen Cloobeck, a businessman and political donor; Antonio Villaraigosa, a former Los Angeles mayor; Xavier Becerra, a former California attorney general and HHS secretary; and state leaders Toni Atkins, Betty Yee, and Tony Thurmond.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris' announcement Wednesday that she will not run for California governor next year has left the race wide open without a clear frontrunner. For the past eight years, Gavin Newsom has served as governor, and with his second term up, 2026 presents an opportunity for a fresh face to lead the state. There's a large field running of Republicans and Democrats, which includes some well-known figures in the state, but many who voters are not familiar with.
Porter is a former congresswoman from Orange County who served in Washington, D.C. from 2019 to 2025, leaving to run for Senate and losing in the primary to Adam Schiff. Porter has a long career as a law professor and is a tenured professor at UCI's law school. Stephen Cloobeck Cloobeck is an American businessman who founded Diamond Resorts, a timeshare company. Cloobeck has long donated to Democratic causes. He also appeared on the TV show Undercover Boss.
Antonio Villaraigosa served as Los Angeles Mayor from 2005 to 2013. Villaraigosa also served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign and chair of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Villaraigosa ran for governor back in 2018, the year Newsom was elected. Xavier Becerra Becerra served as the Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Biden -- the first Latino in that role. Becerra also served as California Attorney General from 2017 to 2021, and before that was in Congress. Toni Atkins Atkins is a longtime California representative who served as the President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate from 2018 to 2024. Atkins also served as the speaker of the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2016. Betty Yee Yee served as California's State Controller from 2015 to 2023 and was on the state board of equalization from 2004 to 2015. Tony Thurmond Thurmond is California's State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Thurmond served in the state assembly fr
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