2026 California gubernatorial election

Last updated

2026 California gubernatorial election
Flag of California.svg
  2022 November 3, 2026 (2026-11-03)2030 

Incumbent Governor

Gavin Newsom
Democratic



The 2026 California gubernatorial election will take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of California. The nonpartisan top-two primary election will take place on June 2, 2026. Incumbent Democratic governor Gavin Newsom is term-limited and ineligible for re-election to a third term.

Contents

As of October 2025, more than a dozen candidates have declared campaigns, and the field is expected to grow. Republicans have not won a statewide race in California since 2006 and have held no statewide office since 2011.

Candidates

Democratic Party

Declared

Publicly expressed interest

Potential

Withdrawn

Declined

Republican Party

Declared

Publicly expressed interest

Declined

Green Party

Declared

Libertarian Party

Declared

  • Nicholas Thompson, college student [9]

Peace and Freedom Party

Declared

  • Ramsey Robinson, school social worker [a] [41]

No party preference

Declared

  • Javen Allen, actor [29] [b]
  • Ethan Penner, real estate investor [43]
  • Ryan Tillman, police officer [44]
  • David Thelen, blogger [44]

Declined

Primary election

Endorsements

Ché Ahn (R)
Individuals
Organizations
Xavier Becerra (D)
U.S. representatives
Labor unions
Chad Bianco (R)
U.S. representatives
State legislators
Local officials
Steve Hilton (R)
U.S. representatives
Individuals
Zoltan Istvan (D)
Katie Porter (D)
Tony Thurmond (D)
U.S. Representatives
State legislators
Organizations
Antonio Villaraigosa (D)
U.S. senators
Local officials
Labor unions
Butch Ware (G)
Political parties
Betty Yee (D)
Organizations
Toni Atkins (D) (withdrawn)
U.S. representatives
Statewide officials
State legislators
Local officials
Labor unions
Organizations
Eleni Kounalakis (D) (withdrawn)
Executive branch officials
U.S. senators
U.S. representatives
State legislators
Local officials
Kamala Harris (D) (declined)
State officials

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [d]
Margin
of error
Xavier
Becerra
(D)
Chad
Bianco
(R)
Steve
Hilton
(R)
Katie
Porter
(D)
Tony
Thurmond
(D)
Antonio
Villaraigosa
(D)
Betty
Yee
(D)
OtherUndecided
Emerson College [107] October 20–21, 2025900 (LV)± 3.19%5%11%16%15%3%5%2%4% [e] 39%
Emerson College [108] April 12–14, 2025899 (LV)± 3.2%3%4%12%2%5%3%17% [f] 54%
Hypothetical polling

with Rick Caruso

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [d]
Margin
of error
Xavier
Becerra (D)
Chad
Bianco (R)
Rick
Caruso (D)
Steve
Hilton (R)
Katie
Porter (D)
Antonio
Villaraigosa (D)
Betty
Yee (D)
OtherUndecided
Emerson College [109] September 15–16, 20251000 (RV)± 3%5%8%4%10%16%4%3%10% [g] 38%
Berkeley IGS [110] August 11–17, 20254950 (RV)± 1.5%9%10%4%6%17%4%2%9% [h] 38%
True Dot/
Politico [111]
July 28–August 12, 2025875 (RV)± 2.6%9%15%6%10%21%9%6%15% [i] 9%
Emerson College [112] August 4–5, 20251000 (RV)± 3%3%7%4%12%18%5%2%13% [j] 38%

with Alex Padilla

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [d]
Margin
of error
Xavier
Becerra (D)
Chad
Bianco (R)
Rick
Caruso (D)
Steve
Hilton (R)
Alex
Padilla (D)
Katie
Porter (D)
Antonio
Villaraigosa (D)
Betty
Yee (D)
OtherUndecided
Emerson College [109] September 15–16, 20251000 (RV)± 3%3%8%4%10%7%16%4%2%9% [k] 36%

with Kamala Harris

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [d]
Margin
of error
Toni
Atkins (D)
Chad
Bianco (R)
Kamala
Harris (D)
Eleni
Kounalakis (D)
Katie
Porter (D)
Tony
Thurmond (D)
Antonio
Villaraigosa (D)
Betty
Yee (D)
OtherUndecided
Emerson College [108] April 12–14, 2025911 (LV)± 3.2%1%4%31%2%8%1%2%1%11% [l] 39%

with John Cox

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [d]
Margin
of error
Toni
Atkins (D)
Xavier
Becerra (D)
John
Cox (R)
Kamala
Harris (D)
Eleni
Kounalakis (D)
Katie
Porter (D)
Tony
Thurmond (D)
Antonio
Villaraigosa (D)
Betty
Yee (D)
Other
Capitol Weekly [113] February 3–7, 2025692 (RV)2%4%21%23%2%16%1%2%2%27% [m]
1073 [n] 3%5%21%5%26%2%3%3%30% [o]

with Brian Dahle

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [d]
Margin
of error
Toni
Atkins (D)
Xavier
Becerra (D)
Chad
Bianco (R)
Brian
Dahle (R)
Steve
Hilton (R)
Eleni
Kounalakis (D)
Katie
Porter (D)
Tony
Thurmond (D)
Antonio
Villaraigosa (D)
Betty
Yee (D)
OtherUndecided
USC/CSU Long Beach/
Cal Poly Pomona [114]
September 12–25, 20241,685 (LV)± 2.4%1%3%5%5%4%2%14%1%3%3%9% [p] 50%
Tulchin Research (D) [115] [A] August 8–12, 2024800 (LV)± 3.5%13%10%10%4%4%13%7%39%

with Steve Garvey

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [d]
Margin
of error
Toni
Atkins (D)
Xavier
Becerra (D)
Chad
Bianco (R)
Steve
Garvey (R)
Eleni
Kounalakis (D)
Katie
Porter (D)
Tony
Thurmond (D)
Antonio
Villaraigosa (D)
Betty
Yee (D)
OtherUndecided
Breakthrough Campaigns [116] [B] November 22–26, 20241,228 (LV)± 2.8%1%2%6%18%8%21%3%3%3%23% [q] 12%
3%6%14%21%9%24%2%3%6%1% [r] 11%

"Democratic Primary Poll" [s]

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [d]
Margin
of error
Toni
Atkins (D)
Kamala
Harris (D)
Eleni
Kounalakis (D)
Katie
Porter (D)
Tony
Thurmond (D)
Antonio
Villaraigosa (D)
Betty
Yee (D)
OtherUndecided
Emerson College [117] [C] February 10–11, 2025469 (RV)± 4.5%3%57%4%9%1%4%2%5% [t] 17%
3%5%21%3%9%3%12% [u] 45%

Debates

2026 California gubernatorial primary debate
No.DateHostModeratorLink Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic
Key:
 P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited  W  Withdrawn
AtkinsKounalakisThurmondYee
1Sep. 29,
2024
National Union of Healthcare Workers
Los Angeles Times ,
The Associated Press, Politico
Laurel Rosenhall
Lisa Matthews
Melanie Mason
YouTube PPPP

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [118] Solid DSeptember 11, 2025
Inside Elections [119] Solid DAugust 28, 2025
Sabato's Crystal Ball [120] Safe DSeptember 4, 2025
Race to the WH [121] Safe DSeptember 16, 2025

See also

Notes

  1. Robinson is a member of both the Peace and Freedom Party and the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
  2. Allen initially announced his bid as a member of the American Independent Party. [42]
  3. When the article was published, San Diego had 8 city councilors, all 8 of whom endorsed Atkins. A ninth councilor was sworn in after the 2024 election.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  5. Stephen Cloobeck (D) and Ian Calderon (D) with 1%; "Someone else" with 2%
  6. Eleni Kounalakis (D) with 3%; Toni Atkins (D) and Kyle Langford (R) with 2%; Stephen Cloobeck (D), Brandon Jones (R), Daniel Mercuri (R), and Jimmy Parker (R) with 1%; Sharifah Hardie (R), Butch Ware (G), Michael Younger (D), and Leo Zacky (R) with <1%; "Someone else" with 5%
  7. Toni Atkins (D), Sharifah Hardie (R), Brandon Jones (R), Kyle Langford (R), Jimmy Parker (R), Tony Thurmond (D) and Butch Ware (G) with 1%; Stephen Cloobeck (D), Daniel Mercuri (R) and Leo Zacky (R) with <.5%; "Someone else" with 2%
  8. Brian Dahle (R) and Richard Grenell (R) with 2%; Toni Atkins (D) and Tony Thurmond (D) with 1%; Stephen Cloobeck (D) with <1%; "Someone else" with 3%
  9. Eleni Kounalakis (D) with 7%; Toni Atkins (D) with 4%; Stephen Cloobeck (D) and Tony Thurmond (D) with 2%
  10. Eleni Kounalakis (D) with 3%; Toni Atkins (D) and Stephen Cloobeck (D) with 2%; Tony Thurmond (D) with 1%; "Someone else" with 5%
  11. Tony Thurmond (D), Toni Atkins (D), Stephen Cloobeck (D), Sharifah Hardie (R), Daniel Mercuri (R), Kyle Langford (R) and Jimmy Parker (R) with 1%; Brandon Jones (R), Leo Zacky (R) and Butch Ware (G) with <.5%; "Someone else" with 2%
  12. "Someone else" with 3%; Kyle Langford (R) with 2%; Stephen Cloobeck (D), Sharifah Hardie (R), Brandon Jones (R), and Jimmy Parker (R) with 1%; Daniel Mercuri (R), Butch Ware (G), Michael Younger (D), and Leo Zacky (R) with 0%
  13. Lanhee Chen (R) with 10%; Rick Caruso (D) with 8%; Rob Bonta (D) with 7%; Laphonza Butler (D) with 2%; Stephen Cloobeck (D) with 0%
  14. Total says 1073, but numbers add up to 1071
  15. Rob Bonta (D) and Lanhee Chen (R) with 9%; Rick Caruso (D) with 8%; Laphonza Butler (D) with 4%; Stephen Cloobeck (D) with 0%
  16. Rob Bonta (D) with 4%; Rick Caruso (D) with 3%; Lanhee Chen (R) with 2%
  17. Brian Dahle (R) with 9%; Rob Bonta (D) with 6%; Rick Caruso with 5%; Laphonza Butler (D) with 3%; Stephen Cloobeck (D) with 0%
  18. Stephen Cloobeck (D) with 1%
  19. Survey asked only Democratic voters. In California, all candidates run on the same ballot in a “blanket primary.”
  20. "Someone else" with 3%; Stephen Cloobeck (D) and Michael Younger (D) with 1%
  21. "Someone else" with 8%; Stephen Cloobeck (D) with 3%; and Michael Younger (D) with under 1%

Partisan and media clients

  1. This poll was sponsored by Villaraigosa's campaign
  2. This poll was sponsored by Woman Up
  3. This poll was sponsored by Inside California Politics and The Hill

References

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