Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass plans to endorse Antonio Villaraigosa, a longtime compatriot and the town’s former mayor, within the 2026 governor’s race on Tuesday.
“Antonio and I’ve identified and labored collectively our whole grownup life,” Bass mentioned in an announcement. “I’ve seen up shut the affect he has made not only for our metropolis however for our whole state. Our nation is at a crossroads and it’s very important that our state have a pacesetter who will lead California into the long run.”
Villaraigosa mentioned he was honored to have Bass’ assist, describing the mayor as “a fierce advocate for working households, youngsters, seniors, and underserved communities and a tireless champion for social and financial justice and for the folks of Los Angeles.”
The race to interchange termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom has drawn a crowded area of contenders with notable credentials.
Along with Villaraigosa, who served as Los Angeles’ mayor for eight years, different distinguished candidates embody former Rep. Katie Porter of Irvine, former U.S. Well being and Human Providers Secretary Xavier Becerra, former state legislative chief Toni Atkins, present state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former state Controller Betty Yee, rich businessman Stephen Cloobeck, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton.
After former Vice President Kamala Harris opted towards coming into the gubernatorial race, impartial polling has discovered that Porter and Bianco have a slim edge within the 2026 contest. However a lot might occur within the eight months earlier than the June main. Politically energetic Californians are largely targeted on the November particular election about redrawing California’s congressional districts.
Regardless of being the Democratic chief of the nation’s second-largest metropolis in an overwhelmingly blue state and a veteran congresswoman, it’s unclear how a lot weight Bass’ endorsement could have within the governor’s race.
Her favorability scores have dropped since she was elected mayor in 2022. Shortly earlier than Bass received the mayoral contest, 50% of Los Angeles voters had a positive opinion of her, in response to a UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Occasions ballot. In April, after wildfires ravaged the realm, 50% had an unfavorable view of her. Nonetheless, Bass’ fame could have rebounded as she vigorously defended the town throughout federal immigration raids this summer season.
Bass has identified Villaraigosa, a former two-term Los Angeles mayor and legislative chief, for greater than half a century. They met as neighborhood activists within the Seventies, targeted on points such because the drug epidemic, police accountability and poverty.
They’ve lengthy supported one another’s political pursuits. Villaraigosa was an early backer of Bass’ 2022 mayoral marketing campaign and served on her mayoral transition staff.
Bass is scheduled to publicly endorse Villaraigosa on Tuesday morning outdoors of the Los Angeles Sentinel, a Black-owned weekly newspaper. Los Angeles Metropolis Council President Marqueece Harris Dawson, Councilwoman Heather Hutt, Lengthy Seashore Mayor Rex Richardson, Inglewood Metropolis Councilwoman Dionne Faulk and South Los Angeles spiritual leaders are additionally anticipated to attend.
Town’s Black voters had been a part of the coalition Villaraigosa constructed that received him the mayor’s race in 2005.
“I understood from an early age that a lot of the success that I’ve had is on the backs of the civil rights motion,” Villaraigosa instructed the Sentinel in 2022. He added that he “wouldn’t have been elected mayor if not for African People, Latinos, Asians, Jews and progressive whites all coming collectively.”
