Though the field of candidates in the city\u2019s mayoral race is wide, the forerunner of the group is incumbent Rex Richardson, who is hoping to be reelected to Long Beach\u2019s top post for another four years. Unless one candidate wins a majority vote during the primary \u2014 that is, more than 50% of the votes \u2014 the top-two candidates will carry on their campaigns to the November general election.<\/p>\n
The mayor serves as the head of Long Beach\u2019s local government and is the city\u2019s chief representative both locally and in larger political contexts. While the mayor presides over City Council meetings and participates in the nine-member body\u2019s discussions, the position does not vote on items that come before the council<\/a>. The mayor, though, does have the power to veto actions taken by the council.<\/p>\n Among the major issues the city will face in coming years will center around the budget.<\/p>\n Long Beach, in recent years, has faced increasing economic pressure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, losing crucial federal funding, and moving away from oil revenue, which has historically contributed millions to the city\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n The city, for example, closed out the 2025 fiscal year with a gaping $40 million deficit<\/a> in its general fund, a major increase from the city\u2019s original deficit projection of a $20.3 million structural shortfall. City leaders attributed the deficit to federal and state funding cuts, declining tax revenue, and other external forces.<\/p>\n While the FY25 book was balanced with city reserves and one-time funds, concern for Long Beach\u2019s long-term fiscal future remains. The city\u2019s projected structural shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year now sits in the $60-80 million range, according to a previous city staff report.<\/p>\n Here is who\u2019s running, and what their plans are for the city should they be elected Long Beach\u2019s next mayor.<\/p>\n Rex Richardson, incumbent Since taking office as Long Beach mayor in 2022, Richardson\u2019s tenure has largely focused on addressing the city\u2019s economic challenges, homelessness and affordable housing, bolstering crime prevention and community safety, and building out better opportunities for the city\u2019s youth.<\/p>\n Those areas will continue to be a key focus for the mayor over the next four years, should he be reelected.<\/p>\n Chief among his concerns is continuing to bolster Long Beach\u2019s local economy by building out its key industries, which would also bring more revenue into the city\u2019s annual budget as Long Beach continues its move away from oil revenue reliance.<\/p>\n Richardson\u2019s solution to the city\u2019s budget issues has long focused on diversifying the local economy and finding other ways to develop new revenue streams that Long Beach can take advantage of.<\/p>\n Throughout his first term in office, for example, Richardson helped bring in more than 4,100 new jobs to Long Beach in the technology and advanced manufacturing sectors, helped secure more than $16 million in annual funding for the city through the Los Angeles County Housing Solutions Agency and county Measure A, and supported the voter-approved Measure LB, which is expected to generate millions in new revenue for the city through a tax on certain power plants.<\/p>\n Richardson, in response to a Long Beach Press-Telegram Voter Guide questionnaire, said he intends to continue diversifying the city\u2019s economy and building out its key industries, if reelected.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will also protect core services, particularly public safety, homelessness prevention and youth investment \u2014 because cutting such programs creates far greater costs down the road. We will continue leveraging the $1.1 billion Elevate \u201928 infrastructure investment to generate lasting economic returns that outlive the Olympic moment,\u201d Richardson said. \u201cFiscal responsibility is not just about managing a budget. It\u2019s about building a city that generates opportunity, and that\u2019s exactly what Long Beach is doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Richardson also said that if r-elected, he would continue to build out local support for small and legacy businesses in Long Beach, including through the Legacy Business Grant Program; a forthcoming Tariff Emergency Relief Grant Program to help businesses deal with impacts caused by global trade disruptions; and the city\u2019s Strategic Growth Fund, which helps fund local startups, among other initiatives.<\/p>\n To learn more about Richardson\u2019s priorities for the city, including homelessness and housing response, read his full Voter Guide questionnaire at shorturl.at\/Ef3Vf<\/a>. His campaign website is joinrexrichardson.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Oscar Cancio, school relations manager Oscar Cancio is a school relations manager who has lived in Long Beach since 2014 \u2014 and this is first campaign for any political office.<\/p>\n \u201cLike many residents, I see both the incredible potential of Long Beach and the challenges we face. Rather than remain complacent, I decided to step forward and run for mayor,\u201d Cancio\u2019s campaign website said.<\/p>\n Cancio\u2019s campaign is primarily concerned with rebuilding resident\u2019s trust in local public safety, making the city\u2019s streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists, and reining in the city\u2019s financial challenges, according to his website.<\/p>\n In terms of the budget, Cancio said in his Voter Guide questionnaire, he is concerned with how Long Beach\u2019s fiscal position is impacting residents, who are already dealing with high costs of living.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore any conversation about raising taxes, we need better financial management, transparency and clear priorities for how public dollars are spent,\u201d Cancio said. \u201cResidents deserve to know their money is being used wisely and that city government is focused on delivering real value and essential services. As mayor, I would ensure more accountability and transparency with big-ticket items.\u201d<\/p>\n If elected, Cancio said, he\u2019d like to streamline permitting and reduce other barriers to help businesses grow and invest in Long Beach; that he\u2019d like to attract more television and film productions to Long Beach; and that he\u2019d work develop targeted incentives for local businesses.<\/p>\n \u201cFinally, fiscal responsibility is essential,\u201d Cancio said. \u201cBy managing our budget more effectively, we can reduce pressure for additional taxes and work toward stabilizing costs, including our already high sales tax.\u201d<\/p>\n To read Cancio\u2019s full Voter Guide questionnaire, go to shorturl.at\/2y6zK<\/a>. His campaign website is cancio4lbmayor.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lee Goldin, senior product manager Lee Goldin, a senior product manager in the tech industry with some previous nonprofit experience, is also seeking election to a political position for the first time.<\/p>\n He decided to run for office, according to his website, to stand up for the people of Long Beach.<\/p>\n \u201cOur neighbors suffer in the streets, ICE runs rampant while outside business interests siphon wealth from our community,\u201d his website says. \u201cOur city is not run by our current mayor. It\u2019s run by those making billions using our port as their personal piggy bank. Our mayor rolls out the red carpet for shadowy military contractors, turning our town into a willing participant in the military industrial pipeline being used to terrorize the planet.\u201d<\/p>\n Goldin\u2019s major campaign priority is ending homelessness in Long Beach, his campaign website says.<\/p>\n In terms of Long Beach\u2019s finances, Goldin\u2019s main concern is ensuring residents get their \u201cfair share of the hundreds of billions of dollars passing through our port,\u201d the candidate said in his Voter Guide questionnaire.<\/p>\n \u201cMy top priority is to ensure that our citizenry and services receive their fair share of the hundreds of billions of dollars passing through our port,\u201d Goldin said. \u201cThe mayor of Long Beach does not run this city; the Port of Long Beach does, and we need a leader who stands up against the outside business interests siphoning wealth out of our community while our children lose their teachers and their parents lose their homes.\u201d<\/p>\n Goldin also said that if elected, he would focus on supporting local businesses by reducing red-tape, address concerns about homelessness, and more.<\/p>\n \u201cLarge businesses don\u2019t need more support; they need to be held to account. The outside businesses we incentivize to set up shop in Long Beach aren\u2019t creating jobs; they\u2019re automating our citizenry out of jobs using our own tax dollars,\u201d Goldin said. \u201cIf our citizens are suffering in the streets while outside interests rake in billions, we are getting a raw deal.\u201d<\/p>\n To read Goldin\u2019s full Voter Guide questionnaire, go to shorturl.at\/SDEtZ<\/a>. His campaign website is goldinformayor.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Terri Rivers, early childhood educator Terri Rivers, an early childhood educator, is another first-time political candidate.<\/p>\n Her key campaign issue focuses are community building, education and youth, creating safer neighborhoods, addressing homelessness, expanding mental health services, and creating good jobs in Long Beach, according to her campaign website.<\/p>\n Rivers, in her response to the Voter Guide questionnaire, said she would focus Long Beach\u2019s budget on high-priority issues.<\/p>\n \u201cLike any budget, I will count up the cost of sustainability items and see where the extra is sitting,\u201d Rivers said. \u201cFocus on high priority issues while possibly pausing what may seem non-critical to place the city in a better stance that benefits the residents of Long Beach.\u201d<\/p>\n She would also focus on funding and supporting mixed-use business projects to address both housing and economic issues, Rivers said.<\/p>\n \u201cAlso, making it more attainable to start a business by lowering permit costs,\u201d she said, \u201cand helping the larger and more established businesses with exterior and interior infrastructure that will help boost growth and profits.\u201d<\/p>\n To read Rivers\u2019 entire Voter Guide questionnaire, go to shorturl.at\/0umbn<\/a>. Her campaign website is terririvers.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Chris Sweeney, small business owner Chris Sweeney, a former Long Beach State athlete and current owner of RightMealz, is also hoping to become Long Beach\u2019s next mayor. If elected, this would also be Sweeney\u2019s first political office.<\/p>\n Sweeney\u2019s main campaign priorities center around strengthening neighborhood safety, addressing homelessness, restoring clean streets and neighborhood pride, growing the local economy, and fixing city infrastructure, according to his campaign website.<\/p>\n If elected, Sweeney\u2019s first priority for Long Beach\u2019s budget would be to order an independent audit of the city\u2019s finances, he said in his response to the Voter Guide questionnaire.<\/p>\n \u201cThe question is simple: Where is the money going? We\u2019ve spent millions on projects like unopened shelters and programs that aren\u2019t working, with very little accountability,\u201d Sweeney said. \u201cI will make the results public, every piece, so residents can see exactly what\u2019s happening with their tax dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n Sweeney also said he would focus on making it easier for small businesses to open in Long Beach by cutting red tape.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough our LB28 small business and economic growth plan, we focus on one core goal: making Long Beach easier to invest in, hire in and grow in,\u201d Sweeney said. \u201cThat starts with cutting red tape, streamlining permitting, creating clear timelines and coordinating departments so businesses can open faster and start hiring sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n He would also prioritize local hiring, supporting local pathways into the workforce, and making sure Long Beach residents benefit from new job creation in the city, Sweeney said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen more businesses open and expand here,\u201d Sweeney said, \u201cwe create jobs, raise opportunities and strengthen our neighborhoods, building an economy that works for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n To read Sweeney\u2019s Voter Guide questionnaire, go to shorturl.at\/Z8u4q<\/a>. His campaign website is sweeneyforlb.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Joshua Rodriguez, police officer Joshua Rodriguez, a police officer who formerly served in the Marine Corps and National Guard, is also looking to get elected to his first political office.<\/p>\n His campaign is primarily concerned with addressing Long Beach\u2019s financial issues, public safety and homelessness, according to his campaign website. Rodriguez did not respond to the Press-Telegram\u2019s Voter Guide questionnaire.<\/p>\n \u201cI am not a politician, nor have I ever intended to be one. But I see the needs of our city, and I plan on making a difference for all of us,\u201d Rodriguez\u2019s campaign website says. \u201cI believe in the power of the people, and that those who represent them should be unquestionably accountable and transparent in the political process.\u201d<\/p>\n To solve Long Beach\u2019s budgetary issues, Rodriguez has proposed cutting hundreds of jobs across various city departments.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to cut waste by eliminating 200 to 300 non-essential administrative jobs in departments like Parks & Recreation, Health & Human Services, Community Development, and Cultural Affairs. This will save the city a significant amount of money each year,\u201d Rodriguez says on his website. \u201cI also plan to sell surplus property the city owns that we don\u2019t need. The money from those sales will go directly toward fixing our streets, sidewalks, parks, and the Colorado Lagoon.\u201d<\/p>\n Rodriguez also said that, if elected, he would \u201cimmediately\u201d bring in armed security to patrol neighborhoods and businesses, while recruiting additional police officers by incentivizing them through bonuses, according to his website.<\/p>\n \u201cFor homelessness, I will declare a state of emergency. We\u2019ll use 5150 holds (suicide watch) to get those who are severely mentally ill or a danger to themselves off the street and into treatment,\u201d Rodriguez added. \u201cWe must stop allowing open drug use and encampments on our sidewalks \u2014 this is not compassion. Those that choose to remain on the streets will need to comply with our laws and will be asked to leave. We can no longer have tolerance for this behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n Rodriguez\u2019s campaign website is josh4lbcmayor.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n City Auditor<\/p>\n Long Beach residents will also be tasked with electing a new city auditor during the Tuesday, June 2, election.<\/p>\n There are just two candidates for this race: Longtime incumbent Laura Doud and and certified public accountant Ginny Gonzalez.<\/p>\n The city auditor\u2019s office oversees independent audits and fraud investigations relating to city finances.<\/p>\n Doud has served as the city auditor for the past two decades. She was originally elected to the office in 2006 and has been reelected several times since then.<\/p>\n Gonzalez has been a CPA since 2017, according to her campaign website<\/a>, and has worked as an auditor, accountant, tax preparer, controller and paralegal. She also previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Ninth District City Council seat in 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n To learn more about Long Beach\u2019s local elections, go to longbeach.gov\/cityclerk<\/a>. You can also check your voter registration status or register to vote at lavote.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The statewide primary election is next week \u2014 and six candidates have entered the race to become Long…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":334385,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[1400,7,23,131,133,132,137,100,13],"class_list":["post-334384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-2026-elections","tag-california","tag-local-news","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news","tag-los-angeles-county","tag-news","tag-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/334384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=334384"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/334384\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/334385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=334384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=334384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=334384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n![\"Rex](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779888188_427_LDN-L-VG-REXRICHARDSON.jpg\")
Rex Richardson is a candidate for Long Beach mayor in 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Oscar](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779888188_337_Oscar-Cancio_16x9.jpg\")
Oscar Cancio is a candidate for Long Beach mayor in 2026. (Courtesy of Oscar Cancio\u2019s campaign)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Lee](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779888189_822_Lee-Goldin_16x9.jpg\")
Lee Goldin is a candidate for Long Beach mayor in 2026. (Photo courtesy of Lee Goldin).<\/p>\n
\n![\"Terri](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779888189_893_OCR_Terri-Rivers-16x9-1.jpg\")
Terri Rivers is a candidate for Long Beach mayor in 2026. (Courtesy of Terri Rivers\u2019 campaign)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779888189_488_Chris_sweeney_16x9.jpg\")
Chris Sweeney is a candidate for Long Beach mayor in 2026. (Courtesy of Chris Sweeney\u2019s campaign)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Joshua](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/LPT-L-ELX-LB-MAYOR-0523-03.jpg\")
Joshua Rodriquez (Courtesy Photo)<\/p>\n