Overview
- Announcing at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 4, Sen. Alex Padilla said he will stay in Washington to counter President Trump's agenda and continue federal oversight work.
- The decision removes a high-profile potential entrant from the contest, where Democrats including Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Betty Yee, and Tony Thurmond are running against Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton.
- California’s governor’s race is open due to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s term limit, with a top-two primary on June 2, 2026, and the general election in November.
- Padilla’s profile rose after he was tackled and handcuffed in June while attempting to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a Los Angeles press conference.
- Padilla, the first Latino to represent California in the U.S. Senate, holds his seat through 2029 and had said he would decide after the Proposition 50 redistricting vote.