Alex Padilla is not running for governor. Here’s who still might.
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., announced Tuesday that he plans to remain in the Senate and will not run for governor of California next year. The senator said he wanted to continue in his current office to focus on voting and civil rights.
Media speculated about Padilla’s interest for months. His announcement narrows the field for other Democratic hopefuls aiming to finish in the top two in the June 2, 2026, primary.
The general election will take place on Nov. 3, 2026. Republicans have not held a statewide office in California since 2011, when Arnold Schwarzenegger left office.
More than a dozen candidates have entered the race, and additional prospective candidates have until March 6 to formally declare their candidacy and appear on the ballot.
Notable candidates already in the ring include current California Rep. Katie Porter, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, former Biden administration official Xavier Becerra and Fox News contributor Steve Hilton.
Businessman and former presidential candidate Tom Steyer and Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., have also expressed interest in running but have not formally announced their candidacies.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and current California Attorney General Rob Bonta previously stated that they would not enter the race.
How does the election work?
California uses a “jungle” primary system to determine candidates in the general election. The primary elections will take place on June 2, 2026. Voters can pick any candidate from any party, and the top two vote-getters will move on to the general election. This system makes the lead-up to the primary unique.
“You’ve got to have some level of name recognition, some level of money or resources, and some ability to move the regular, habitual voter into that primary system because it rewards the top two, and that means the more Democrats that are in the race, they’re kind of shooting at each other,” David McCuan, professor of political science at Sonoma State University, previously told Straight Arrow News.
A recent Emerson College poll found that about 40% of voters in California do not know who they plan to vote for in 2026.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
