Mayor Bass endorses Antonio Villaraigosa for governor
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- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass endorsed former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in the 2026 California governor’s race on Tuesday.
- The two Democratic leaders have known each other for more than 50 years, first meeting as community activists in the 1970s.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass endorsed Antonio Villaraigosa, a longtime compatriot and the city’s former mayor, in the 2026 governor’s race on Tuesday.
“We have known Antonio for decades. We have worked with him for decades on many issues that are critical to this community,” Bass said at a news conference in South Los Angeles.
Bass pointed to Villaraigosa’s work as the Assembly speaker to create healthcare coverage for children that predated Obamacare, and his work as mayor on public transportation and the environment.
“I know as California’s next governor, you are talking about someone who knows the legislature, who knows the legislative process, who knows how to build relationships, who knows our city,” Bass said. “As we are in this crossroads in our country, not knowing exactly where we’re going to go with what is happening in Washington, we need a leader like Antonio Villaraigosa to be the next governor of California.”
Villaraigosa said he was honored to have Bass’ support, describing the mayor as “a fierce advocate for working families, children, seniors, and underserved communities and a tireless champion for social and economic justice and for the people of Los Angeles.”
The race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom has drawn a crowded field of contenders with notable credentials.
The wide-open race to succeed Gavin Newsom as California governor has attracted a large and diverse field of candidates.
In addition to Villaraigosa, who served as Los Angeles’ mayor for eight years, other prominent candidates include former Rep. Katie Porter of Irvine, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former state legislative leader Toni Atkins, current state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former state Controller Betty Yee, wealthy businessman Stephen Cloobeck, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton.
After former Vice President Kamala Harris opted against entering the gubernatorial race, independent polling has found that Porter and Bianco have a narrow edge in the 2026 contest. But much could happen in the eight months before the June primary. Politically active Californians are largely focused on the November special election about redrawing California’s congressional districts.
California lawmakers approved a November special election to ask voters to redraw the state’s electoral lines to favor Democrats. The effort aims to counter similar steps taken by Republicans in Texas at the behest of President Trump.
Despite being the Democratic leader of the nation’s second-largest city in an overwhelmingly blue state and a veteran congresswoman, it’s unclear how much weight Bass’ endorsement will have in the governor’s race.
Her favorability ratings have dropped since she was elected mayor in 2022. Shortly before Bass won the mayoral contest, 50% of Los Angeles voters had a favorable opinion of her, according to a UC Berkeley/Los Angeles Times poll. In April, after wildfires ravaged the area, 50% had an unfavorable view of her. However, Bass’ reputation may have rebounded as she vigorously defended the city during federal immigration raids this summer.
Bass has known Villaraigosa, a former two-term Los Angeles mayor and legislative leader, for more than half a century. They met as community activists in the 1970s, focused on issues such as the drug epidemic, police accountability and poverty.
L.A. mayoral candidate Karen Bass combines the focus on equity from her activist days with the practicality she learned in Sacramento and Washington.
They have long supported each other’s political pursuits. Villaraigosa was an early backer of Bass’ 2022 mayoral campaign and served on her mayoral transition team.
Bass endorsed Villaraigosa outside of the Los Angeles Sentinel, a Black-owned weekly newspaper. Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris Dawson, Councilwoman Heather Hutt, Councilman Curren Price, Jr., Compton Mayor Emma Sharif and South Los Angeles religious leaders also attended.
The city’s Black voters were part of the coalition Villaraigosa built that won him the mayor’s race in 2005.
“I understood from an early age that much of the success that I have had is on the backs of the civil rights movement,” Villaraigosa told the Sentinel in 2022. He added that he “wouldn’t have been elected mayor if not for African Americans, Latinos, Asians, Jews and progressive whites all coming together.”
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