Former State Controller Betty Yee Officially Enters 2026 Gubernatorial Race

Former State Controller Betty Yee announced Wednesday she will run for California Governor in 2026.

A graduate of UC Berkeley and Golden Gate University, Yee began her career in the Legislature in a variety of positions before becoming then-Governor Gray Davis’ Chief Deputy Director for the Budget in 1999. Removed from the position following the recall of Davis in 2003, Yee became the Chief Deputy to Board of Equalization member Carole Migden. Within a year, she was moved to the Board itself following Migden being elected to the state Senate, and was soon elected in on her own.

Yee proved to be a controversial Board member, being best-known for her attacks on e-commerce retailers like Amazon, making them collect state sales tax on their website. Yee remained on the Board for over a decade before being elected as the next Controller of the state in 2014. Yee served two terms as Controller, and was known for her tardiness in releasing financial reports on the state, being years behind on releasing several annual reports. In addition, she had trouble keeping track of checks written out by the state, losing track of around 49 million at one point in 2021. She was also accused of giving inside information to a mask company during the COVID-19 pandemic to better bid on a state contract.

Term limited out in 2022, Yee mentioned that she would next be running for Governor after Newsom. Following Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis announcing her run in April 2023, Yee swooped in only a few hours later after her official announcement to announce her own run in 2026. However, that was largely a paper announcement without much infrastructure behind it. Since then, state Superintendent Tony Thurmond and Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) have entered the race. With multiple other candidates either expressing interest or being rumored, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA), and former Los Angeles Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso, Yee gave a formal announcement on Wednesday.

“California has been out of balance for too long and too many communities are being left behind. If you agree, chip-in to our campaign today. Let’s do this. Together,” said Yee in a series of tweets on Wednesday. “While some worry we have no power over our future in California, I know that we do. We have the power to make California add up for all of us again. That’s why I’m running for Governor.”

While some worry we have no power over our future in California, I know that we do. We have the power to make California add up for all of us again. That’s why I’m running for Governor.

Learn more: https://t.co/L599I8Gksb pic.twitter.com/Ym0sk153VY

— Betty T. Yee (@BettyYeeforCA) March 27, 2024

“I went into public service to help balance life for all Californians,” she added later on Wednesday. “I went into public service to help balance life for all Californians, becoming California’s State Budget Director and getting elected State Controller–California’s Chief Financial Officer. Together, we showed what competent, accountable government can do.”

With the primary candidate count already at four major candidates, with more known Democrats and at least one known Republican likely to enter the first non-incumbent race since 2018, experts told the Globe on Wednesday that Yee will likely have an uphill climb come 2026.

“Yee, yeah, that’s a climb for her for sure,” said Hope Gordon, a New York-based political analyst who focuses on female Gubernatorial candidates across the U.S., to the Globe on Wednesday. “Kounalakis will likely have Newsom and friends behind her. Atkins, you know, she had a big San Diego presence and is well known in the state. Thurmond, he’s surprised in the past. Yee has the most baggage out of all of them right now. She’ll do well with Asian Americans and women, but she will have a lot of voters deciding between her and others.”

“Eleven months ago she was all like ‘I’m going to run,’ but she didn’t really root a campaign in. Now, today, she is. She should have done this already. And now others might join in the race soon too. Steal her thunder, just as she did to Kounalakis last year in that initial announcement. We’re getting at least one other big name. Between everything around her, she needs to build up her presence fast.”

More gubernatorial campaign announcements are expected soon.