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California governor's race: Candidates face off in debate
The eight leading candidates clash in the latest California gubernatorial debate. The stakes are high as the primary election is just five weeks away.
The June 2 primary election is less than a month away, and many California voters have already received their ballots in the mail to vote for representatives that will determine the direction of the state.
Several races – such as those concerning Eric Swalwell’s recently vacated representative’s seat and Nancy Pelosi’s District 11 – focus on politics in the Bay.
However, there are numerous positions at the highest levels of California governance that are open and being sought after by a wide field of candidates.
Here is a list of the statewide races for California voters to consider this June.
California Governor
What we know:
Sixty-one people are in the running to succeed Gavin Newsom as California governor, but the most likely field of candidates includes just two Republicans and six Democrats.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former conservative Fox News commentator Steve Hilton – the latter of whom was endorsed by President Donald Trump – are vying for the governor’s seat as Republican candidates.
Meanwhile, former Orange County congresswoman Katie Porter, billionaire activist Tom Steyer, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former Biden top health official and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, California State Schools Supt. Tony Thurmond and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are seeking the spot as Democrat candidates.
California Lieutenant Governor
Fewer people are aiming for Eleni Kounalakis’ position as lieutenant governor of California, though the race has still attracted over a dozen candidates.
The role is mostly ceremonial, but does have the authority to cast tie-breaking votes in the state senate.
The lieutenant governor also serves on the boards that oversee the University of California, California State University and the California community college system.
The most notable among that pool include current State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Newsom’s Chief Service Officer of California Josh Fryday, former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and former California Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero.
All except Romero are running for the position as Democrats. Romero was formerly a Democrat before switching to the Republican Party in 2024.
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Voters weigh in after first California governor debate
Voters got their first close look at the candidates hoping to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom as they debated issues from housing costs to public safety.
California Attorney General
The attorney general in California heads the Department of Justice and ensures that state laws are enforced while investigating fraudulent or illegal activities.
Current Attorney General Rob Bonta announced early this year that he would not run for the governor’s seat and would instead seek reelection.
Former Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates has emerged as the main Republican contender, whose visions for the state align with many positions taken by the Trump administration.
California State Treasurer
The California state treasurer manages the state’s investments, and administers the sale of state bonds and notes.
Current Treasurer Fiona Ma is finishing up her second term and cannot seek reelection, opening the field for six candidates to seek her seat.
The three Democrats vying for the position are Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state Sen. Anna Caballero and California State Board of Equalization Member Tony Vazquez.
Republican candidates for the position are real estate agent David Serpa, and businesswoman Jennifer Hawks.
Glenn Turner, who said she ran a small business in Oakland for more than 30 years, is running for the seat as a Green Party candidate.
California Secretary of State
The position is described as the state’s "chief elections officer," and the secretary oversees statewide elections and provides public access to campaign and lobbying financial information.
Shirley Weber, a Democrat and former state Assembly member, was appointed to the role by Newsom in 2020 and was elected to the position again in 2022.
This June, she is seeking reelection to the post.
Two Green Party candidates – Gary N. Blenner and former Santa Monica mayor Michael Feinstein – have entered the race for secretary of state.
However, the main candidate opposing her is Republican former state Assembly member and current Orange County Board of Supervisors member Don Wagner.
In her role, Weber has opposed proposals that would require voters to show identification during elections to cast a ballot.
Meanwhile, Wagner has supported the state requiring voters to show ID during elections, arguing that such a measure would increase confidence in public elections.
California State Controller
The controller serves as the state’s accountant and bookkeeper of all public funds.
Incumbent Controller Malia Cohen, a Democrat, is seeking reelection against two candidates.
Finance executive and Republican candidate Herb Morgan has thrown his hat into the ring along with an ambitious plan to develop a reporting system using blockchain technology and artificial intelligence that would allow the public to review state contracts.
Meghann Adams, president of SMART 1741, which represents San Francisco and San Mateo school bus drivers, is a member of the Peace and Freedom Party and has espoused a "California Reinvestment Plan" to divest public funds from war efforts and reinvest in housing and green energy.
California Insurance Commissioner
The position oversees the Department of Insurance, which enforces and implements California insurance law.
Outgoing Commissioner Ricardo Lara faced calls from fellow Democrats to resign, alleging Lara was too obsequious to insurance companies in his role. Calls for Lara’s resignation also flared in the wake of the deadly Palisades Fire, when several displaced Southern California residents were struggling to receive support from their insurance companies.
The pool of candidates to replace Lara includes four Democrats and five Republicans.
The Democratic candidates are State Senator Ben Allen, former State Senator Steven Craig Bradford, San Francisco Unified School District Bond Program Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee member Patrick Wolff, and former San Francisco District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim.
The five Republican candidates are Eric Thor Aarnio, financial services executive Sean Lee, former lawyer and Palisades Fire survivor Merritt Farren, Silicon Valley business owner Robert Howell, and insurance professional Stacy Korsgaden.
California Superintendent of Public Instruction
The superintendent acts as the head of the California Department of Education and provides education policy direction to local school districts with the goal of improving academic performance in the state.
The position is also uniquely nonpartisan.
Current Supt. Tony Thurmond is termed out and gunning for the governor’s seat, so the race is wide open, with 10 candidates looking to fill the spot.
Those candidates are San Diego Unified School District President Richard Barrera, Los Angeles Community College District trustee Nichelle Henderson, former State Senator Josh Newman, former California State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, Semitropic Elementary School District Superintendent Wendy Castañeda-Leal, State Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, Chino Valley Unified School District Board President Sonja Shaw, United Educators of San Francisco Executive Vice President Frank Lara, Director of Advantage Testing of Silicon Valley – a tutoring company – Gus Mattammal, and San Francisco Unified School District teacher Ainye Long.
The Source: California Secretary of State