Former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to run for California governor
LOS ANGELES - Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is running for California governor in 2026, according to a video announcing his comeback bid Tuesday.
"California is the state where anything is possible with hard work and determination, but our future depends on our willingness to face our biggest challenges," he said. "I believe we need a problem solver to lead our state. That's why I'm running for governor."
The 71-year-old ran for governor in 2018, ultimately losing to Gavin Newsom, who was then the lieutenant governor.
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Villaraigosa served as Los Angeles mayor from 2005-2013. He previously served on the City Council and in the state Assembly from 1994-2000. He was Assembly Speaker from 1998-2000. He briefly considered a run for governor in 2010, but opted to remain mayor -- particularly with Jerry Brown grabbing top billing as a Democratic candidate.
Most recently he served as an infrastructure advisor for the state of California.
Villaraigosa's personal life came under scrutiny while serving as mayor.
His wife, Corina, filed for divorce in 2007, and one month later, Villaraigosa publicly acknowledged he was in an extra-marital relationship with a television newscaster, Mirthala Salinas.
Since leaving the mayor's office, Villaraigosa has accepted positions at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C.; the multi-level marketing and nutritional supplement company Herbalife Ltd.; the Banc of California; and the Harvard University Institute of Politics. He was also a senior adviser at the Edelman public relations firm, and in 2013, he became a professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy.
Other Democrats in the 2026 race for governor include Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state Sen. Toni Atkins, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former Controller Betty Yee.
Attorney General Rob Bonta is weighing a bid.
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On the Republican side, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is weighing a run, while Leo Zacky, vice president of Zacky Farms, and former judge Jimmy Parker have declared their candidacies.