Villaraigosa and Bass, both Democrats, have known each other for 52 years and often crossed paths while working on advocacy issues in Los Angeles before either held elected office. The longtime allies have a history of endorsing each other when running for office. Calling Villaraigosa her brother from another mother, Bass on Tuesday, Sept. 9, said she decided to endorse him the minute Antonio Villaraigosa decided to step in the race for governor in July 2024.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass plans to endorse Antonio Villaraigosa, a longtime compatriot and the city's former mayor, in the 2026 governor's race on Tuesday. "Antonio and I have known and worked together our entire adult life," Bass said in a statement. "I have seen up close the impact he has made not just for our city but for our entire state. Our country is at a crossroads and it's vital that our state have a leader who will lead California into the future."