The 2026 California governor race is wide open following Governor Gavin Newsom being term-limited. A crowded field of Democrats is running, with no clear frontrunner after former Vice President Kamala Harris decided not to run. Prominent Democratic candidates include:
- Katie Porter, former U.S. Representative and law professor
- Xavier Becerra, former Secretary of Health and Human Services and state Attorney General
- Tony Thurmond, California Secretary of Public Instruction
- Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles Mayor
- Betty Yee, former State Comptroller
- Ian Calderon, former state Assembly Majority Leader
- Stephen J. Cloobeck, businessman
On the Republican side, notable candidates include:
- Steve Hilton, political commentator
- Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff
- Leo Zacky
There is also a Green Party candidate named Butch Ware. The race is conducted under California's top-two primary system, where all candidates compete in a single primary regardless of party, and the top two advance to the general election. The last Republican to be governor was Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose term ended in 2011. The candidates largely focus on issues like housing affordability, healthcare, and the cost of living.
