Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced Tuesday he will not run for governor in 2026.
Speaking from the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Padilla said it was “with a full heart” and “more commitment than ever” that he was choosing to remain in Congress rather than seek the governor’s mansion.
“I choose not just to stay in the Senate. I choose to stay in this fight because the Constitution is worth fighting for. Our fundamental rights are worth fighting for. Our core values are worth fighting for. The American dream is worth fighting for,” Padilla said.
As California’s senior senator and a fixture in state politics, Padilla would have brought formidable assets to a governor race without a commanding front-runner. A concerted campaign to draft Padilla spoke to the unsettled state of the field after former Vice President Kamala Harris took a pass earlier this year and interest groups and elected officials hunted for an alternative to poll-leader Katie Porter, who is facing fallout from videos of her sparring with a reporter and berating a staffer.
In deciding not to run for governor, Padilla said he reflected on an altercation between himself and Homeland Security officials when he interrupted a briefing by the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.
“Y’all recall that event,” Padilla said. “As alarming as that experience was not just for me and our family, but for most people who have seen the video. Countless people have told me, I’m glad you’re fighting for us. I’m glad you’re there.”
Padilla had the potential to loosen Porter’s grip on the lead by entering a crowded field of contenders competing in the June primary for two general election spots, which go to the top vote-getters regardless of party.
But with his decision to bow out, the hunt for a Porter alternative will likely continue. Other potential entrants include Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Bay Area Democrat, and billionaire donor Tom Steyer, who has dipped a toe into the water with an ad blitz for term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom’s gerrymandering ballot initiative.
Sacramento’s political class eagerly greeted the prospect of Padilla running, seeing him as a known quantity and a person with whom they could work. Many of the elected officials, interest groups and political operatives who steer money and endorsements are wary of Porter’s progressive record, her inexperience with state politics and her reputation for abrasiveness — the last of which has dogged Porter’s current campaign.
Padilla has spent years climbing the ladder of California politics, ascending from the Los Angeles City Council to the Legislature to the secretary of state’s office. Newsom, his longtime ally, appointed him to the Senate in late 2020 after Harris vacated her seat to become vice president.
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