Who's running for California governor in 2026? A look at the crowded field
California’s primary election for governor is months away, and no significant frontrunner has emerged, although prominent national Democrats Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, and Eric Swalwell have thrown their hats into the ring. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, also a Democrat, is the newest high-profile politician in the field, announcing his candidacy on Jan. 29.
Meanwhile, possible would-be candidates Rick Caruso, a Los Angeles billionaire, and Attorney General Rob Bonta have said in recent weeks they will not run for the job.
At the beginning of the year, outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom scheduled the primary for June 2, 2026. Due to California’s top-two primary system, the top two vote-getters, regardless of party preference, move on to the general election, in November. The wide pool of Democratic candidates could split the Blue vote, giving more weight to the two Republican candidates who have joined the race.
On April 12, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat, dropped out of the governor’s race following allegations he had raped a woman twice, including while she was on his staff. The woman’s account was followed by other allegations of sexual misconduct by the married father of three. Swalwell denied reported allegations of sexual assault, but acknowledged previous mistakes in judgment.
Here are the most well-known candidates in the gubernatorial field, listed in alphabetical order. Candidates have until early March to file nominating papers, when a complete picture of the field will be known:
- Xavier Becerra (D): With stints as the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and California attorney general under his belt, Becerra, 67, an attorney, entered the 2026 governor’s race in April 2025, saying he wanted to address high prices, ensure public safety and grow “the economic pie” for Californians. He is a Sacramento native and served as a representative in Congress for 20 years. In the fall, his longtime chief of staff, Sean McCluskie, pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to siphon campaign funds from Becerra’s dormant campaign account, a scheme Becerra denied knowledge of. Becerra has not been implicated.
- Chad Bianco (R): Riverside County sheriff since 2018, Bianco, 59, earned praise from conservatives for refusing to enforce the state’s pandemic stay-at-home orders and, later, a vaccine mandate for law enforcement officers. He is an ardent Donald Trump supporter and launched his campaign in Feb. 2025, hoping Californians would bet on a Republican for governor for the first time in 20 years.
- Ian Calderon (D): (Note: Calderon dropped out of the race March 5th and endorsed Eric Swalwell.) At 40 years old, Calderon is the youngest candidate in the race. The former California assemblymember was elected when he was 27 and served for four years as Majority Leader in the Assembly. He comes from a long-time political family, with his father, stepmother and uncles having served in the Legislature. Calderon has positioned himself as an advocate for working families, and has tried to distance himself from the existing Democratic establishment. He is currently the founder and CEO of the political strategy firm Majority Advisors.
- Steve Hilton (R): A former Fox News host and conservative commentator, Hilton, 56 ,entered the race saying he would take on what he calls the “Democrat industrial complex” and cut down on the state’s layers of regulations for business. Hilton previously worked in conservative politics in the United Kingdom, including as a senior adviser to former Prime Minister David Cameron. With a Donald Trump-inspired slogan of “Make California Golden Again,” Hilton has said he also wants to end state taxes for income under $100,000 and slash state spending.
- Matt Mahan (D): The mayor of San Jose is the most recent politician to announce he’s entering the race. Mahan, 43, has led the state’s third-largest city, with a population of around 1 million people, since narrowly winning election in 2022. Mahan worked in the tech industry before entering public office with a city council race in 2020. He is seen as a business-friendly Democrat who at times challenges the party’s establishment and has focused on quality of life issues in San Jose, such as addressing homeless-encampment and public-safety concerns. He and Gov. Gavin Newsom opposed each other over Proposition 36, the tough-on-crime ballot measure voters embraced in 2024.
- Katie Porter (D): A former U.S. representative from Orange County, Porter has built a reputation as a fierce consumer advocate and critic of corporate influence — whiteboard in hand. She launched her campaign for governor in March 2025. In the fall, two videos of Porter having prickly interactions with a reporter and staffer respectively went viral, but she said she would not “back down” from fighting for California. Porter is 52 and a lawyer.
- Tom Steyer (D): A billionaire environmental activist and former presidential candidate, Steyer launched a bid for governor in Nov. 2025, focusing on getting corporate money out of politics and breaking up “the monopolistic power of utilities.” Steyer, 68, earned his fortune as a founder of Farallon Capital Management, a San Francisco-based hedge fund, which he left in 2012.
- Tony Thurmond (D): California’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction since 2019, Thurmond has positioned himself as someone with the right background to fight for the average Californian. He announced his campaign in September 2023, and his background includes service in the state Assembly and leadership on elected boards in the Bay Area. He is 57 and has also worked in providing social services to youth in the Bay Area.
- Antonio Villaraigosa (D): The former mayor of Los Angeles entered the race in July 2024 saying he would focus on expanding economic opportunity and improving public education, drawing on his experience running the state’s largest city. Villaraigosa, 72, has a long history in Democratic politics, and previously ran for governor in 2018, with his campaign setting spending records. He has also worked as a union organizer.
- Betty Yee (D): Former California state controller Betty Yee, 68, has said she has the chops to handle California’s state budget and fiscal future in an inclusive way. A San Francisco native and daughter of Chinese immigrants, she announced her run in March 2024, pointing to her decades of experience overseeing state finances, including as Governor Gray Davis’ budget director. She has not held public office since she left the office of the state controller in 2023.
This story was originally published January 21, 2026 at 11:24 AM with the headline "Who's running for California governor in 2026? A look at the crowded field."
