He’s poised to run against Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and former state Controller Betty Yee — and maybe Attorney General Rob Bonta — in the governor’s race.
California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, has announced he’s running for governor in 2026.
Thurmond, a Democrat, has led the state superintendent’s office since 2018. Before that, he represented Richmond in the state assembly, and served on both the Richmond City Council and the West Contra Costa school board. He’s poised toLt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and former state Controller Betty Yee in the governor’s race. Attorney General Rob Bonta has also said he is considering a run for the seat.
As state superintendent, Thurmond has seen California’s public schools through the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing teachers’ shortage, and the near-constant educational culture wars, often stepping in directly when divisive school board battles melted into chaos.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
California schools chief Tony Thurmond announces 2026 run for governorCalifornia's top schools official on Tuesday announced he is running for governor in 2026.
Read more »
California schools chief Tony Thurmond announces 2026 run for governorCalifornia's top schools official on Tuesday announced he is running for governor in 2026.
Read more »
California school Superintendent Tony Thurmond launches 2026 run for governorState Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that he has entered the race to succeed Gavin Newsom as California governor in 2026.
Read more »
California school superintendent announces run for governorCalifornia school superintendent Tony Thurmond on Tuesday announced he's running for governor.
Read more »
California becomes the first state to mandate gender-neutral bathrooms in schools by 2026Public schools across California will now be required to provide gender-neutral bathrooms to their students by July of 2026 — the outcome of a bill signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sat…
Read more »
State Superintendent announces 2026 run for California governorCalifornia State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced he will be running for governor in 2026.
Read more »