California State Capitol "Bacteria Bear" outside the Governor's office. Signs say "do not touch the bear." (Photo: Katy Grimes for California Globe)
And Then There Were Six… Toni Atkins Drops Out of Race for California Governor
You’re asking, ‘Toni who?’
By Katy Grimes, September 30, 2025 12:10 pm
Former California Senate President Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) announced Monday that she is dropping out of the 2026 Gubernatorial race.
I know. You’re asking “Toni who?”
The big lead-up to her announcement for a run for Governor was breathtaking:
First, in November 2023, the Globe breathlessly reported:
Senator Toni Atkins Announces Possible 2026 Gubernatorial Run
When she announced, she joined an already crowded early field consisting of Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Former Controller and current California Democratic Party Vice President Betty Yee, and State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, former Diamond Resorts CEO Stephen Cloobeck, the Globe reported.
Readers asked “Kounalakis who?” “Yee who?” “Cloobeck who?” Most had already heard of Tony Thurmond and knew him as the politician responsible for destroying their kids public schools.
Then, in January 2024, we reported:
Sen. Toni Atkins Files Paperwork To Run For Governor In 2026, quoting a political consultant, “Everyone is dreading her coming in, as she has by far the most experience.” Ya right.
Later the same day that she filed paperwork to run, she formally announced, putting the anxious buildup to rest:
Sen. Toni Atkins Formally Enters 2026 Gubernatorial Race.
And now Atkins is dropping out. Atkins leaves a “crowded Democrat field” with six other Democrats running for governor including former Congresswoman Katie Porter, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, Former State Controller Betty Yee, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Xavier Becerra also causes voters to ask “Who?” But, don’t forget that his claim to fame is when President Joe Biden called him Xavier Baccaria, as we reported: HHS Secretary Xavier Baccaria for California Governor?
Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis already announced she was dropping out of the gubernatorial race. No one noticed.
July 30, Former VP Kamala Harris Says She Won’t Run for California Governor in 2026, the Globe reported. No one noticed.
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) is also reportedly considering a run. He’s the Senator who no one really knows, but in June staged a stunt to elevate his name – he was forcibly removed and handcuffed at a press conference for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles after barging in and causing a melee attempting to question the secretary. Padilla’s stunt was obviously coordinated as Democrats across the country were ready with the press and social media statements as soon as he was removed from the press conference, the Globe reported.
Not one of these Democrats, with the exception of Antonio Villaraigosa, is memorable to California voters. Villaraigosa was Assembly Speaker (1998–2000), Los Angeles Mayor (2005 to 2013), co-chair of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, and chair of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Villaraigosa ran for governor in 2018. During his political career he dared to challenge the unchecked power and stranglehold of labor unions, and that’s a deal-breaker for the Democrat Party apparatchik.
Republican Steve Hilton announced April 21, 2025 that he would be running for Governor of California in 2026. He’s memorable and has chops. Hilton is the former advisor to British Prime Minister David Cameron and a former Fox News political commentator, as well as an entrepreneur. His list of endorsements is impressive: Congressman Kevin Kiley, Congressman Tom McClintock, Vivek Ramaswamy, Charlie Kirk (RIP), Pastor Jack Hibbs, Jon Voight, Yolo County District Attorney and architect of Proposition 36 Jeff Reisig, Senator Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach), and former California State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican, who announced his run for Governor in February 2025, is memorable, has chops and also has in impressive list of endorsements: “38 (39 counting Bianco) of the 58 County Sheriffs in the state have backed him so far, including the Democratic Sheriff of San Francisco City and County Paul Miyamoto,” the Globe reported in April, ahead of Hilton’s announcement. “With no other Republican with an elected/appointed background joining the race as of Friday, GOP lawmakers have endorsed him too. This includes 15 state Assemblymembers and Senators, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and, this week, two members of Congress – Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Darrell Issa (R-CA).”
A California native and Navy mom, Katy lives in Sacramento, CA.
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NO kidding, Toni WHO? And every other Dem candidate WHO? Even Villaraigosa WHO? No one even remembers that OTHER laughable Tony. All of us gathered HERE do, but his various scandals and missteps and seriously thin and stupid agenda were a LONG LONG L-O-N-G time ago now. And I’d bet anything that Katie Porter is mostly known for dumping a hot pot of mashed potatoes on her husband’s head, having a severely untidy minivan, and having an exercise bicycle in her kitchen (as IF). Oh, and Tony Thurmond not only ruined California kids’ education, but hired the best man at his wedding who lives back East, for crying out loud, for a job that didn’t exist but for which he was paid six figures, and I am still at loss to understand WHY Thurmond (and his “friend”) were not prosecuted for it. So yes, THAT was memorable for its brazenness and lack of consequences.
We need another one of these crooked Dem-Marxist to be elected CA Gov like we need a hole in the head. We’ll see how it all shapes up, obviously, in the coming year. Fingers crossed
“Xavier Becerra also causes voters to ask “Who?” But, don’t forget that his claim to fame is when President Joe Biden called him Xavier Baccaria, as we reported: HHS Secretary Xavier Baccaria for California Governor?”
No, no, NO, Katie – when “Joe Biden” called him by name it should be spelled BOCKHORRHEA like the disease that he is….
Unless they wish to build more public bathhouses, these legislaving exwyers aren’t even on the radar until convicted for DUI.
And let’s not forget that Antonio Villaraigosa STARTED Los Angeles on the downward spiral that DEI-Mayor Karen “Largemouth” Bass finished with her January fire-sale on Pacific Palisades….
NO MORE FAIL UPWARD DEMOCRATS, California, PLEASE!!!! (That would be ALL OF THEM, in case you haven’t been keeping score…)
Kneeling Bianco for Governor? That crap gets you FIRED from the FBI. How about the only guy running who has taken on Newscum an won back our religious freedoms? https://che4ca.com
I suggest the Globe get ahead of the curve and interview Che Ahn. This guy is a heavy hitter and very impressive.
Thank you for posting that CW – I had no idea of his candidacy, but am impressed with what I see on his site….
I viewed that picture and thought, I wonder if when looking back, that obedient CHP officer has made a connection between it and his ‘critical organization’s’ current recruitment difficulties.
Salute!
Toni Atkins has a lot of experience making a mess of San Diego and California with her failed radical left policies and legislation. The mannish looking Atkins is a member of the alphabet rainbow mafia and she may have easily gotten the Transtifa vote but no one else in their right mind would have voted for her? It would have taken a lot of Democrat vote rigging to install her as governor?
LOL “the mannish looking Atkins”