What’s next for two of California’s outgoing legislative leaders? Both seek higher office

Next year marks a changing of the guard in the California Legislature, with Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins both leaving office in 2024.

While Rendon is likely to be succeeded in the speaker’s chair by Assemblyman Robert Rivas this summer, Atkins’s successor has yet to be selected.

But Californian voters likely won’t be seeing the last of either Democratic lawmaker. Both Atkins and Rendon aspire to statewide elected office.

Atkins, 60, has formed a committee to run for lieutenant governor in 2026, when incumbent Democratic Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis is term-limited out of the office.

Atkins formed the committee in 2021 and has been accruing thousands of dollars in campaign donations ever since. Recent contributors include the California Water Association, the Pechanga Band of Indians, Nike, Home Depot, the California Faculty Association, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and Align Technology.

Spokesman Evan Westrup said in an email statement that “Senator Atkins is open to exploring all opportunities that may arise in the future, but for these next two years — and with California’s values and reproductive rights under almost daily attack — she is laser focused on one job: leading the Senate.”

Rendon, 55, also eyed a run for lieutenant governor, but terminated that campaign committee on Feb. 13, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. Now, it appears that he is looking to replace Fiona Ma as California State Treasurer in 2026.

Since forming the committee to run for treasurer in late February, Rendon has racked up thousands in contributions from the Redding Rancheria, the San Miguel Band of Mission Indians, the Gardens Casino, the California State Retirees PAC, the Pechanga Band of Indians, the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, the California Faculty Association, the Southwest Mountain States Regional Council of Carpenters and the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, among others.

Rendon’s campaign team did not respond to a Bee request for comment.

Neither Atkins nor Rendon have begun openly campaigning yet.

This story was originally published April 20, 2023 at 6:00 AM.