Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced Tuesday that he is running for governor of California in 2026, billing himself as a “proven problem solver.”
“California is a state where anything is possible with hard work and determination,” Villaraigosa said in an 86-second announcement video. “But our future depends on our willingness to face our biggest challenges. I believe we need a problem solver to lead our state. That’s why I’m running for governor.”
Villaraigosa went on to tout his record as Assembly speaker from 1998-2000 and mayor from 2005-13.
The 71-year-old Democrat pledged as governor to “balance the state budget, make sure our neighborhoods are safe and our kids have great schools. I’ll bring down costs for small businesses and middle-class families.”
Villaraigosa finished third in a field of 32 in the 2018 gubernatorial primary with 13.3% of the vote behind fellow Democrat Gavin Newsom, then the lieutenant governor, who received 33.7% and Republican businessman John Cox, who received 25.4%.
Other Democrats in the 2026 race for governor include Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, the first to declare her candidacy, state Sen. Toni Atkins, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former Controller Betty Yee.
Attorney General Rob Bonta is weighing a bid.
On the Republican side, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is weighing a run, while Leo Zacky, vice president of Zacky Farms, and former judge Jimmy Parker have declared their candidacies.