Padilla won’t run for California governor in 2026, stays in Senate

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla announced Tuesday in Washington, D.C., that he will not enter California's 2026 governor's race, saying he will remain in the Senate to continue opposing policies he described as threatening constitutional rights. Padilla made the surprise declaration outside his Senate office after months of speculation about whether he would seek to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited.

"It is with a full heart, and even more commitment than ever, that I am choosing to not run for governor of California next year," Padilla told reporters. He added, "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 the decision followed an outpouring of encouragement from supporters during the past two months and that he had planned to wait until after a special statewide election on Proposition 50 to make a choice. He framed his continued Senate service as a means to counter what he described as the agenda of former President Donald Trump and to defend rights and...