Eleni Kounalakis first to launch campaign for California governor in 2026
Politico
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis on Monday launched her campaign to become the first woman governor of the nation’s most populous state, pushing out ahead of what’s expected to be a sprawling field in 2026.
Kounalakis will open a campaign committee for governor and immediately start raising money and building her nascent public profile for the distant election. In an exclusive interview with POLITICO, Kounalakis said she wanted to tackle a long list of problems plaguing the state, from homelessness, income inequality and the soaring cost of living to the housing crisis, issues around mental health and rising deaths linked to fentanyl.
“The challenges that California has require leaders who are decisive, who have experience and who have a track record of getting things done,” Kounalakis said.
Her formal entry jumpstarts the race and puts pressure on other would-be contenders to announce gubernatorial bids of their own, perhaps sooner than they otherwise planned. California statewide campaigns are among the most expensive in the country, with TV ads in major markets costing millions each week and politicians taking years and even decades to establish their brands. Republicans don’t pose a serious threat in top-of-the-ticket races, so the scramble for early money and endorsements will take place primarily among Democrats.
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