West Coast Wednesday: Primary Election June 2, 2026
- The Natural Way TNW
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
As formerly mentioned, the California primaries are rapidly approaching, officially next Tuesday. Ballots have begun to be collected, with voting centers opening as early as May 23rd, and drop-off ballots accepted as early as 29 days prior to election day. It is imperative that all registered voters participate in this election, as it determines which candidates advance to the final race. Voters decide who will be the next California governor, lieutenant governor, Superior court judges, city attorney, members of the board of equalization, state treasurer, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, and Superintendent of Public Instruction. There is a lot at stake this election season, and with the various attempts to obstruct constituents' rights to participate in local and federal elections, we must not allow the right to vote and to advocate for our needs to be in vain.
Initially, over 50 candidates were enlisted for the gubernatorial race, the majority of whom were Democratic. However, many candidates were encouraged to withdraw from the race to prevent two top-polling Republican candidates from advancing in the primary elections. With the overwhelming number of volunteers enrolled for the position, I have narrowed the list to the candidates who are capturing constituents’ attention. The candidates for governor are as follows:
Antonio Villaraigosa (D), former LA (2005-2013) mayor and speaker of the California state assembly (1998-2000). He is also a former candidate for the 2018 gubernatorial race. Depending on your sentiments on how he ran the city of LA, he may or may not be your guy.
Matt Mahan (D) has been the current mayor of San Jose since 2023. He is a tech entrepreneur and former member of the San Jose City Council.
Katie Porter (D) is a former U.S. representative from California’s 47th Congressional district (2019-2025) and was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2024. Porter is a lawyer and was formerly appointed by then-Attorney General Kamala Harris as the independent monitor for banks' nationwide mortgage settlements.
Tom Steyer (D) is an environmental activist, founder of Farallon Capital, and a former presidential candidate in the 2020 election. This American billionaire has invested in climate change advocacy, co-founding the Galvanize Climate Solutions investment firm.
Tony Thurmond (D) has been the superintendent of public instruction of California since 2019. His role entails that of an elected constitutional officer who directs the California Department of Education (CDE) and oversees the state's TK-12 public school system. He served in the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2018.
Chad Bianco (R), Sheriff in Riverside County, who leads one of the largest law enforcement agencies in California. He vows to bring accountability and common sense back to state government, cut through bureaucracy that keeps families from rebuilding after wildfires, demand real results for the billions spent on homelessness, and end the cycle of spending without accountability.
Xavier Becerra (D), former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2021 to 2025. He is also the former attorney general of California from 2017 to 2021. Becerra’s track record includes fighting against environmental injustice, securing a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration for unlawfully expanding water export operations in the Central Valley, and supporting abortion rights.
Steve Hilton (R) British American and former senior adviser for the former conservative Prime Minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2012. He co-founded a political platform in Silicon Valley and is an author on decentralizing power in large, bureaucratic institutions, from government to the food and health care systems. The former Fox News weekly show host wants to lower the price of gas by suspending environmental regulations, cut income taxes for middle-class earners and wealthier Californians, and open natural spaces for housing, particularly suburban single-family homes.
For the Lieutenant Governor race, candidates Fiona Ma, CPA, and former mayor of Stockton, CA, Michael Tubbs.
Fiona Ma (D) is the current California State Treasurer. She was formerly elected to the California Board of Equalization, served in the California State Assembly, and was a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
Michael Tubbs’ (D) track record as the former mayor of Stockton reduced the city’s unemployment rate by 60%, dropped homicide rates by 40% through community safety strategies, and he launched a universal basic income program, which improved the productivity, wellness, and financial position of households in Stockton. A model that has been studied with the intent to be implemented by other cities.
This Primary elections GET OUT & VOTE! Those who are qualified and able cannot afford to sit idly and put the onus on others to make the best decisions for our well-being. The current economic climate is partially a result of that. Exercise your power where you can and where it counts.
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