Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is running again for Governor of California. Villaraigosa, who ran for governor in 2018, said in a campaign video posted on social media that he would enter the 2026 election as a “problem solver who will lead the state.” Villaraigosa previously served as speaker of the California State Assembly. He said he worked in the Assembly to balance the state’s budget with investments in schools and public safety. As mayor, he cited the city’s lower violent crime rate and higher school graduation rate as credits. Villaraigosa dropped out of high school and later graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a law degree and worked as a labor union organizer. After rising to leadership positions in the state Assembly, he was elected as Los Angeles’ first Mexican-American mayor, serving two terms. In an interview with KCRA 3 on Tuesday, Villaraigosa did not specify what he would do in Sacramento compared to what California’s Democratic-led Assembly and Governor Gavin Newsom have done so far. “I don’t want to focus on the negative. I want to focus on the positive,” he said. “The positive is that I’ve been a speaker, I’ve been a mayor, I’ve proven myself to be a problem solver. In the sandbox I’ll work with others — Democrats, Republicans, everyone.” He joins a group of candidates that includes Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state Sen. Toni Atkins, state Superintendent Tony Thurmond and former Comptroller Betty Yee. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said they are considering running but have not made a formal decision. Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco also said he is considering running. Read more California top stories here | Download our app.
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is running again for California Governor.
Villaraigosa, who ran for governor in 2018, said in a campaign video posted to social media that he would enter the 2026 election as a “problem solver to lead our state.”
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Villaraigosa previously served as Speaker of the California Assembly.
In the Legislature, he credited the state budget with balancing investments in schools and public safety, and as mayor he claimed credit for the city’s declining violent crime rate and increasing school graduation rates.
Villaraigosa dropped out of high school but went on to graduate from UCLA, earn a law degree, work as a labor organizer, rise to leadership in the state legislature, and be elected two terms as Los Angeles’ first Mexican-American mayor.
Villaraigosa was appointed Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Secretary of Infrastructure” in 2023 and served in that role for one year.
Villaraigosa, in an interview with KCRA3 on Tuesday, did not say what he would do differently in Sacramento compared to what California’s Democratic-led Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom have done so far.
“I don’t want to focus on the negative. I want to focus on the positive,” he said. “The positive is that I’ve served as chair, I’ve served as mayor, I’ve proven myself to be a problem solver. I work with other people in the sandbox, and that means Democrats, Republicans, everyone.”
He joins a group of candidates that includes Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state Sen. Toni Atkins, state Superintendent Tony Thurmond and former Comptroller Betty Yee. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra have said they are considering running but have not made any formal decisions.
Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has also said he is considering running for the position.
Read more California top stories here | Download our app