Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has announced he will run for California governor in 2026, joining an already crowded field of candidates in the wake of outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Villaraigosa made the announcement during a television appearance on NBCLA and its Spanish-language sister station, Telemundo 52, on Tuesday morning.
“California is a state where anything is possible with hard work and determination,” Villaraigosa said, “But our future depends on our willingness to take on our biggest challenges. I believe we need problem solvers to lead our state, and that’s why I’m running for governor.”
Villaraigosa, who helped the LAPD hire hundreds of new officers as part of an investment in crime prevention, touted his experience as a problem solver.
The former state Assembly speaker also said previous efforts to balance the state’s budget will help improve schools and support families across the state.
“I know I can accomplish big things for California, because I’ve done it before,” Villaraigosa declared. “As Governor, I will balance the state budget, keep our neighborhoods safe and ensure our kids have access to great schools. I will lower costs for small businesses and middle-class families.”
Villaraigosa, who grew up in East Los Angeles and graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, served two terms as the city’s 41st mayor.
This is not his first time running for governor: In 2018, he ran against then-Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, ultimately coming in third in the June primary despite receiving fewer votes than Republican businessman John Cox.
But four years later, Villaraigosa was appointed by Newsom to serve as the state’s infrastructure adviser “to identify priority projects and maximize access to federal funding.”
Villaraigosa will not be running against Newsom this time, but he could face off against senior officials in his administration, including Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, who acknowledged last year that he was seriously considering running for governor, and Attorney General Rob Bonta.
California’s first LGBTQ+ Senate leader, Toni Atkins, announced her candidacy for governor in November 2023, just two months after State Superintendent of Education Tony Thurmond said he wanted to become California’s first Black governor.