As Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to leave Sacramento after serving his second and final term, more than 60 people have made it to the 2026 primary election ballot, hoping to become the next governor of California.
Among them, seven candidates were scheduled to make a case for themselves on the stage at the NBC4 and Telemundo 52 California Gubernatorial and Los Angeles Mayoral Debate on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
The 2026 gubernatorial election is already showing something unusual: two Republican, pro-Trump candidates are leading in the poll in the deep-blue state. Also the sexual misconduct scandal involving Rep. Eric Swalwell, who was once considered the Democratic frontrunner in the race, may have shaken up the race.
Xavier Becerra has been in public service for decades.
Becerra is used to making history: he was the first Latino to become the nation’s first health secretary and the state’s first attorney general.
Chad Bianco has been the Riverside County sheriff since 2018.
Bianco has been a vocal critic of the Democratic leadership in Sacramento, saying the “defund the police” movement has made California unsafe.
Steve Hilton, a conservative political strategist and former Fox News host, has been making some Democrats nervous.
As Hilton has been leading most of the polls among a high number of Democrats, Democratic officials are faced with the possibility that the deep-blue state could be led by a Republican governor.
Matt Mahan, the current mayor of San Jose, gained political prominence as his popularity rose in the Bay Area city.
The San Francisco native now wants to bring the similar vision and plans for the entire state of California as a moderate candidate.
Katie Porter is a former congresswoman who represented an Orange County district.
After running for U.S. Senate for California in 2024 — and losing to now-Sen. Adam Schiff — Porter now has her eyes on the California governor’s office.
Tom Steyer, a billionaire and environmental activist, previously ran for president in 2020.
In his gubernatorial bid, Steyer is spending a big chunk of his own money to make sure every single person in California knows he’s running for governor through his campaign ad blitz.
Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles mayor, is running for California governor again after finishing third in the primary and failing to advance in 2018.
Villaraigosa is pitching himself as a problem solver as he served in the State Assembly as well as in the office of the Los Angeles mayor.