Overview

• Bass announced the endorsement Tuesday and is set to appear outside the Los Angeles Sentinel with local officials and community leaders.
• Villaraigosa said he was honored by the support, calling it a "shot in the arm" for his 2026 bid and highlighting affordability as his top priority.
• The wide-open contest to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom includes Democrats Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, Toni Atkins, Tony Thurmond, Betty Yee and Stephen Cloobeck, plus Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton.
• Independent polling has shown Porter and Bianco with a narrow edge, and political attention is also trained on a November special election on redistricting.
• Coverage notes the statewide impact of Bass’s backing is uncertain as her standing has fluctuated, with a UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Times poll finding 50% unfavorable in April after wildfires.