California Attorney General Rob Bonta announces decision about running for governor in 2026

California Attorney General Rob Bonta is not running for governor in 2026.

The Democratic AG told his supporters in an email Wednesday that while he appreciates them urging him to make a gubernatorial bid, his focus is on protecting Californians, including from President Donald Trump’s administration.

“To be clear, serving as Attorney General of California is, without question, one of the most impactful jobs in the country right now. I sincerely appreciate the trust of the millions of Californians who elected me to do this important work, and that’s why I’m completely dedicated to doing the job and doing the job well,” Bonta said in the email.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is restricted from running again by term limits.

His decision not to seek the office of governor means Bonta will likely spend the next two or more years using the office of attorney general to fight Trump’s agenda where it conflicts with California values. Bonta has cast himself as a lead figure in the Golden State’s resistance to the Republican president.

“So while I was elected to fight for Californians, not to fight Trump, the last few weeks have made clear that fighting for Californians also often means standing up to the Trump administration’s strategy of trying to flood the zone and overwhelm us with a flurry of illegal attempts to harm our people,” he said in the email.

Bonta’s decision not to enter the governor’s race means there is one less Democratic heavyweight for the existing gubernatorial candidates — including former State Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former State Controller Betty Yee — to contend with.

However, that doesn’t mean the field is settled.

Former Rep. Katie Porter has made rumblings of making a run for governor and could be competitive (she came in third behind now-Sen. Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey in the 2024 California Senate race), and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra also is rumored to be entertaining a bid (Becerra made a name for himself as California AG during Trump’s first term in office, when he filed more than 100 lawsuits against Trump).

On the Republican side, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is expected to make a decision soon on whether he’ll run for the office, and GOP commentator Steve Hilton is another possible contender.

Nicole Shanahan, who ran as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate in 2024 before he dropped out and endorsed Trump, told USA Today last year that she was open to running for governor in 2026 as well.

Bonta’s pick for governor? The former vice president, senator and California attorney general, Kamala Harris.

“Kamala Harris would be a great governor,” Bonta told Politico in a recent interview. “I would support her if she ran. I’ve always supported her in everything she’s done. She would be field-clearing.”

Harris has yet to signal her post-Biden administration plans.

This story was originally published February 5, 2025 at 7:09 AM.