Antonio Villaraigosa photo from Twitter
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa grabbed a big chunk of the media spotlight this past week. Villaraigosa’s campaign for California governor picked up a high-profile endorsement last Tuesday. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass endorsed Villaraigosa, a longtime political ally and friend. Both are Democrats.
“Since his days as an activist on the eastside of Los Angeles, to his trailblazing work as Speaker of the California Assembly, and his leadership making Los Angeles a global leader tackling climate change, Antonio Villaraigosa will bring that same passion and conviction to stand up to Donald Trump’s attacks on our state and deliver needed results to improve the lives of millions of Californians,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a news release.
Bass gathered with community leaders in South Los Angeles on September 9 at a news conference to show support for Villaraigosa. Also, over the past few days, Villaraigosa launched his first TV ads in an attempt to gain ground in the governor’s race, which many see as wide open.
Meanwhile, former US Representative Katie Porter from Orange County continues to lead the race in the polls. In the Emerson College Poll, conducted the first week of August 2025, Porter leads the pack of hopefuls among voters with 18%. Republican political commentator Steve Hilton follows the former congresswoman with 12%, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 7%, and Villaraigosa with 5%. However, many voters, 38%, said they were undecided.
In last month’s Berkeley IGS Poll, Porter was the first choice of 17% of the voters. Some distance behind, Republican Riverside County Sheriff
Chad Bianco and Democratic former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra at 10% and 9%. Steve Hilton got 6%. Villaraigosa tied with Los Angeles billionaire developer Rick Caruso, who is also a Democrat, with 4%. Again, the undecided, 38%.
The California Primary is June 2, 2026.
