2026 California Governor · Open seat
California’s first open-seat race for governor since 2018.
Gavin Newsom is termed out. Under California’s top-two open primary, all candidates of every party share one ballot and the two highest finishers advance to November — so the June 2 primary is where the field is decided. This is a neutral, source-cited guide to who is running, where they stand, and what else is on the ballot.
- 61 candidates on the single June ballot
- 2 advance to November — regardless of party
- 10–15% still undecided in late-May polling
- ≈45–25 Democratic vs. Republican registration (%)
Meet the field
All candidates, incl. suspended →-
Democrat · Establishment-progressive
Xavier Becerra
DFormer U.S. HHS Secretary
A former HHS secretary, state attorney general and 12-term congressman running on governing experience, healthcare expertise and a record of litigating against the first Trump administration.
Polling 19–21%Raised $2.9M -
Republican · Trump-aligned populist
Steve Hilton
RFormer Fox News host & UK political strategist
A British-born former Fox News host and Cameron strategy adviser running on "positive populism" — tax cuts, deregulation and government reform — as an affordability indictment of one-party Democratic rule.
Polling 17–22%Raised $6.9M -
Democrat · Climate-left
Tom Steyer
DBillionaire investor & climate activist
A hedge-fund founder turned climate and anti-Trump activist self-funding a campaign to the left of the field on climate, single-payer healthcare, commercial Prop 13 reform and immigration enforcement.
Polling 15–17%Raised $10M -
Republican · Tough-on-crime
Chad Bianco
RRiverside County Sheriff
A two-term Riverside County sheriff running on a "Safer California" platform of tougher policing, full Prop 36 implementation, and repealing the state's sanctuary law.
Polling 10–16%Raised $1.5M -
Democrat · Populist-progressive
Katie Porter
DFormer U.S. Representative (CA-47)
A Warren-style consumer-protection populist running on affordability — housing, free childcare and tuition-free college — who refuses corporate money.
Polling 7–13%Raised $9M -
Democrat · Moderate-tech
Matt Mahan
DMayor of San Jose
The 43-year-old San Jose mayor running a "results over ideology" pitch built on government accountability and an enforcement-plus-shelter homelessness model.
Polling 7–8%Raised $13M -
Democrat · Center-pragmatist
Antonio Villaraigosa
DFormer Mayor of Los Angeles
A two-term former Los Angeles mayor and ex-Assembly speaker making a second run for governor on an affordability agenda, an "all-of-the-above" energy stance, and a one-term pledge.
Polling 1–4%Raised $707K -
Democrat · Progressive-education
Tony Thurmond
DState Superintendent of Public Instruction
California's twice-elected schools chief running on the field's most explicitly left-progressive platform — single-payer, abolishing ICE, a wealth tax, universal childcare, and housing built on surplus school-district land.
Polling 1–3%Raised $1.6M
Start anywhere
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The candidates
Profiles of every notable candidate — record, platform, money, endorsements, strengths and weaknesses.
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The issues
Where the field stands on housing, the budget, public safety, immigration, climate, health, education and reform.
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Compare the field
An interactive grid: every candidate against every issue, side by side. Sort, filter, expand.
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Analysis
Polling trends, money and independent expenditures, endorsements, media narratives and the top-two math.
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Down-ballot
Everything else on the ZIP 92101 ballot — statewide offices, local races and Measure A.
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How voting works
California’s top-two open primary, vote-by-mail timing, drop boxes and same-day registration.
Make your vote count
Three ways to return your ballot by June 2
Vote by mail (postmarked by Election Day), drop it at any official box, or vote in person at any San Diego County vote center. Same-day registration is available.