2026 California Gubernatorial Election: Who's Running and What to Expect

The 2026 California gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the state's next governor. Because Gavin Newsom is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term, the race is a wide-open contest for the first time in eight years. Democrats hold a commanding structural advantage in California, but a crowded primary field and mounting public frustration over housing costs, homelessness, and crime have energised both parties heading into the cycle.

Who Are the Key Democratic Candidates?

The Democratic primary is the race that will almost certainly decide California's next governor, given the state's deep-blue lean. Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis formally announced her candidacy in early 2024, becoming the first major Democrat in the field and positioning herself as the continuity candidate to Newsom's legacy. Attorney General Rob Bonta is also considered a likely contender, having built a progressive record on criminal justice and consumer protection. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who narrowly lost the 2018 primary to Newsom, has signalled strong interest in another run, appealing to moderate Democrats and Latino voters. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and several state legislators are also exploring bids. California uses a top-two jungle primary system, meaning the two highest vote-getters in the June 2026 primary advance to November regardless of party affiliation.

Who Are the Republican and Independent Candidates?

Republicans have not won a California gubernatorial race since Arnold Schwarzenegger's re-election in 2006. Despite that structural deficit, the party sees an opening in 2026 given voters' dissatisfaction with affordability and public safety. Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who ran in the 2021 recall election against Newsom, has been mentioned as a potential candidate. Conservative commentator and entrepreneur Richard Grenell, a former Acting Director of National Intelligence under President Trump, has also attracted national attention as a possible contender. Any Republican who advances through the jungle primary to November would need to significantly outperform the party's recent statewide benchmarks to be competitive.

What Are the Biggest Issues Shaping the Race?

California faces a structural budget deficit projected in the tens of billions of dollars, a housing affordability crisis that has pushed median home prices above $800,000 statewide, and persistent concerns about street homelessness visible in every major city. Voters in 2024 passed Proposition 36, stiffening penalties for drug and theft offenses—a sign that even California's electorate is shifting on public-safety issues. Climate change and wildfire resilience, water policy, and the state's relationship with the federal government under shifting Washington dynamics will also define the campaign. The winner will inherit leadership of the world's fifth-largest economy and a state of roughly 39 million people.