Eleni Kounalakis announces 2026 run for California governor
SACRAMENTO – The first candidate for the 2026 California gubernatorial election has announced her run.
Eleni Kounalakis launched her official campaign website on Monday.
"I will fight fiercely to build a future where everyone — regardless of race, class, or immigration status — has the same opportunity that my family and I had," Kounalakis said in a statement.
Kounalakis, a Democrat, was first elected as California's lieutenant governor under Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2018. She was reelected in 2022 with a 59.7% to 40.3% vote, besting Republican Angela Underwood Jacobs. She was the first woman to be elected as lieutenant governor in California but not the first female to serve in the position, as then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Mona Pasquil to office on an acting basis in 2009.
Gov. Newsom, who was also reelected in 2022, has vowed to serve his full four-year term. Still, there has been some rumblings that he is seeking a higher office. While Pres. Joe Biden is expected to formally announce his reelection run as early as next week, political observers have taken note of how Newsom has been raising his national profile.
Kounalakis would be the first woman elected as California governor if she wins. California is one of the 18 states to have never had a female governor.
For the moment, Kounalakis is the only candidate from either the Democratic or Republican party who has announced a 2026 gubernatorial run.