The 2018 California gubernatorial election will be held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of California. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, will be ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
Akinyemi Agbede, mathematician and candidate for the California gubernatorial election, 2014
David Asem, engineer
John Chiang, California State Treasurer
Delaine Eastin, former California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Gavin Newsom, Lieutenant Governor of California
Antonio Villaraigosa, former Mayor of Los Angeles
Phil Angelides, former California State Treasurer and nominee for Governor in 2006
Xavier Becerra, Attorney General of California
Kevin de León, President pro tempore of the California State Senate
Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles
Alex Padilla, Secretary of State of California
Loretta Sanchez, U.S. Representative and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016
Libby Schaaf, Mayor of Oakland
Tom Steyer, hedge fund manager, philanthropist, and environmentalist
Steve Westly, former California State Controller and candidate for Governor in 2006
Betty Yee, California State Controller
George Clooney, actor and activist
Bob Iger, businessman
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer was considered a potential candidate, but during his re-election campaign announced that he would not run for governor in 2018. However, as of January 2017, it has been reported that Faulconer is reconsidering his decision and has met with former Mayor of Los Angeles Richard Riordan, who was a 2002 candidate for Governor of California to discuss a potential gubernatorial candidacy. Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin had also been considered a potential candidate, but she announced that after leaving office as mayor she would become the president/CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation. Swearengin said after taking this position that now "political ambitions are off the table" and she's "thinking about things in an eight-to-10-year horizon." Swearengin subsequently explicitly ruled out a run, telling reporters she is "firmly not planning to run." Billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel had been considered a possible candidate but announced on February 6, 2017 that he would not be a candidate for Governor in 2018.
Rosey Grier, minister and retired NFL player
Allen Ishida, former Tulare County Supervisor
Jacob Morris
John H. Cox, businessman and perennial candidate
Tim Donnelly, former State Assemblyman, candidate for Governor in 2014 and candidate for CA-08 in 2016
Kevin Faulconer, Mayor of San Diego
Kevin McCarthy, U.S. Representative and House Majority Leader
John Moorlach, State Senator and former Orange County Supervisor
Steve Poizner, former California Insurance Commissioner
Condoleezza Rice, former United States Secretary of State
Ashley Swearengin, former Mayor of Fresno
Peter Thiel, venture capitalist
Zoltan Istvan, transhumanist philosopher and Transhumanist Party candidate for President in 2016
Grant Handzlik
Matthew Houston
H. Fuji Shioura
Scot Sturtevant
James Thao Tran
*Denotes candidates who have not entered the race as of January 2017 and may ultimately choose not to.
