Billionaire โฃTom Steyer โคEnters California Governor’s Race, Adding to Competitive Field
SACRAMENTO, CA -โ November 21, 2023 – Billionaire Tom โคSteyer hasโค officially entered teh raceโ for California โgovernor in 2026, significantlyโฃ reshaping โขa field already including U.S. โRepresentative Katie Porter and possibly Vice President Kamalaโข Harris. Steyer’s declaration addsโ a well-funded andโ nationally known figure โฃto a contest that is beginning to draw scrutinyโฃ of candidates’ pasts and future ambitions.
Steyer, who previously ranโ for president inโ 2020, spentโ over $200 million โon his campaign, ultimately receiving no pledged delegates after โfinishing third in the South Carolina โprimary.Prior to his presidential bid, he invested heavily in efforts to impeach former Presidentโ Donald Trump and has been a consistent financial supporter of Democratic โขcauses.
Theโข entrance of Steyer comes as some Democrats are questioning Porter’s candidacy followingโ the widespread circulation of โcontentious exchanges with a TV journalist in October.โ Steyer has long been considered a potentialโข “heavyweight” โcandidate alongside Harris andโฃ U.S. Senator โAlex Padilla.
Vice President Harris, currently on โคa national tourโฃ promoting her memoir, has repeatedly stated she has “no plans toโฃ run” for governor, suggesting her futureโข political aspirations remainโ focused on the presidency. โฃWhen askedโข about theโ field on October 17, harris told The Associated Press she wanted โDemocrats to have “the best and the brightest running andโข winning” and that she โwas “not actively involved.”โข Padilla has affirmed hisโ commitment to remaining in the โขSenate.
The race also follows โขscrutiny of potential conflicts involving former Attorney General Xavier Becerra, whose dormant โคcampaign accounts were reportedly used to supplement the salary of hisโ chief of staff after Becerra moved to Washington. While โBecerra is not implicated in an indictment related toโค theโ matter,an โคadvertisement has been released raising questions about his judgment,featuring a clip of Becerra acknowledging payments from โคhis account without knowing โtheir improper use.
The 2026 California gubernatorialโข election is already shaping up to be a closely watched contest, with Steyer’sโ entry injecting further complexity and financial muscle into the developing campaign.