Former Mayor of Los Angeles and Speaker of the California Assembly, Antonio Villaraigosa, announced on July 22 that he would once again run for the position of Governor of California. Aged 71 and a native of Los Angeles, Villaraigosa outlined his campaign platform in a YouTube video, expressing his belief that he has what it takes to address the needs of California. “We need a leader who can solve problems to lead our state,” he said on Tuesday. The next gubernatorial election in the state is set to be held on November 3, 2026. Due to term limits, the incumbent Governor Newsom cannot seek re-election.
In the 2018 primaries, Villaraigosa had competed for the position of California Governor among 26 candidates but was defeated. Gavin Newsom eventually won the primaries and the subsequent general election that year. This time around, as a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party, Villaraigosa is once again facing fierce competition. Although the election is two years away, several candidates have already announced their intention to run.
San Diego City Councilmember Toni Atkins declared her candidacy for Governor in January. If elected, she would become the first female Governor and the first openly gay Governor in California. Other political figures who have announced their candidacy include Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and former State Controller Betty Yee.
Villaraigosa stated, “California is a place where anything is possible as long as you work hard and are determined.” Raised by a single mother in East Los Angeles, he dropped out of school midway but completed his education through night school, eventually graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in history. Villaraigosa was elected as the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles in 2005 and served two terms from 2005 to 2013. Prior to that, he was involved in civil rights and labor movements.
During his tenure as Mayor, Villaraigosa took pride in the achievements in enhancing public safety. “When I became Mayor, Los Angeles was one of the most dangerous cities in America,” he stated in a campaign video. “So, I hired nearly 1,000 more police officers, removed illegal guns from the streets, and saw a 48% drop in violent crime. I improved failing schools, raised graduation rates, and led the city’s economic recovery from recession.”
However, in 2017, Villaraigosa’s claims about reducing city violence rates were fact-checked by Professor Charis Kubrin from the University of California, Irvine. Kubrin pointed out that during Villaraigosa’s tenure as Mayor, there was indeed a “significant decrease” in violent crime rates. However, she also mentioned that there was already a declining trend in violent crime rates before he took office.
During his time as Speaker of the California State Assembly from 1998 to 2000, Villaraigosa claimed to have worked with both major parties to successfully balance the state budget and left a $13 billion reserve to prevent cuts to school and public safety budgets. While in the state legislature, he challenged the National Rifle Association (NRA) and pushed for a ban on assault weapons, as well as requiring guns sold in California to be equipped with safety trigger locks.
He remarked, “I believe I can make a significant contribution to California because I have done so in the past… If elected Governor, I will balance the state budget, ensure community safety, and quality education for children. I will reduce costs for small businesses and middle-class families.”
Additionally, Villaraigosa has proposed the “Healthy Families Program,” a low-cost insurance plan for low-income children and adolescents, providing health, dental, and vision coverage. He introduced this legislation while serving as a State Assembly member in 1997.
Before entering the state legislature, Villaraigosa was active in civil rights and labor movements, serving as the president of the Southern California chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He was also an organizer for the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and chairman of the American Federation of Government Employees, advocating for the implementation of civil rights laws in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which deals with civil rights issues and discrimination complaints.
In 2022, the Governor appointed Villaraigosa as the state infrastructure advisor, collaborating with local, state, and federal leaders to identify projects and secure federal funding.
Villaraigosa served as a Co-chair of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign and Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, as well as a member of his Economic Advisory Council during Obama’s presidency.