Not All Aboard: The Growing Divide of 2026 California Gubernatorial Candidates On High-Speed Rail

Ever since the passage of Proposition 1A in 2008 that officially kickstarted California High-Speed Rail (CHSR), every Governor has been a massive supporter of the project. Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger fought for funding of the project. Former Governor Jerry Brown was a major supporter of such a rail system for decades and oversaw the growth of CHSR.

And then there is current Governor Gavin Newsom. He has been the biggest defender so far, helping approve more funding despite massive delays and touting how much it will change California. He’s also the first Governor to actually see rail go down. In addition, he has said multiple times that it is simply too late to pull the plug on the project despite massive delays and skyrocketing costs.

“We can’t go back,” said Newsom earlier this year. “We just have to accept responsibility for where we are and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

And the delays and costs have been massive. Originally estimated to cost $33 billion in 2008 with a San Francisco to Los Angeles line set to open by 2028, the California high speed rail system has since ballooned to costing $128 billion, to $135 billion, with an estimated partial completion being set somewhere in the 2030’s. Last year in March, the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHRSA) confirmed that the system still needed $100 billion to link up San Francisco and Los Angeles.

This year hasn’t exactly been kind either. Costs went up again with another $10.2-$14.2 billion needed just to complete phase one between Bakersfield and Merced. They need the money by June 2026, or else there will be even more delays and increased costs. And right now the options are either to go the private funding route or opt for even more state bonds or federal loans.

With everything so hectic, more and more Californians have been looking towards the 2026 Gubernatorial election to see if there will be a fourth Governor in a row who will champion CHSR, or if the next one will break from the pack – just end it and just scrap it, or sell it off to a private company.

The GOP isn’t much of a surprise: They want it gone and have wanted it gone for a very long time. President Donald Trump is against it, as it is virtually every Republican lawmaker in Sacramento.

“The high-speed rail project continues to suffer from self-inflicted wounds, and I am extremely disturbed to learn about this latest information, which further erodes the public’s trust in a project as proposed will never be built,” said Senator Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach) to the Globe last week. “Newsom’s lifeline of an annual $1 billion for the high-speed rail in his latest May Revise would never revive this mismanaged project. As vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to have a serious conversation on how we can discontinue this failed project as our state truly does not have the money to waste, and Californians are sensitive to government waste.

“This project as proposed is not going to be built, and now we’re spending billions and billions of dollars that we don’t have. After the $10.2 billion, if it goes forward, is more expensive than the whole entire project that was proposed to the people of California.”

Every GOP candidate for Governor so far has also raised massive objections against High-Speed Rail, meaning that should they be elected in, CHSR will suddenly face the real possibility of being shut down. The reasoning? Take a wild guess.

“Once again, our leaders are failing us,” said Riverside County Sheriff and 2026 Gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco. “The train to nowhere is a total waste of taxpayer funds. Let’s end this madness once and for all.”

The real surprise have been Democrats. Rather than express how much they love the system like Newsom and Brown in the past, many Democrat candidates are now kind of on the fence about CHSR. Of course, most are fully behind it, following Newsom’s lead. Most notably, this camp includes Former Senator Toni Atkins and Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis. Speculative candidate and former Vice President Kamala Harris is also a major supporter of California High-Speed Rail, but hasn’t taken an official stance on it just yet as she has not declared her candidacy.

“I’ve stood firm behind high-speed rail year after year because it means good jobs for hardworking families, growth for small businesses, and connection for regions too often left out of the conversation about California’s future,” said Atkins. “As Governor, I’ll keep this project moving—so we build and spread opportunity and progress to every part of our state.”

“As we make tough choices, we must stay focused on protecting the progress Californians count on,” added Kounalakis.

GOP, Some Dem candidates oppose any more high speed rail funding

Others are worried about funding. Rather than be blind supporters, some have admitted that funding cuts to the rail project could be made. This stance was actually growing in popularity following several years of massive state budget deficits, including the current $12 billion deficit.

“We’re not going backwards on health care,” noted former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “And that includes people who work very hard, pay taxes, are living the right way, and are your good neighbors.

“But, here’s the scrub: we have an obligation to balance our budget. In the state of California. If we can’t balance the budget with the resources and revenues we’ve got, then we’ve got to make cuts. Where do we make the cuts? That’s where the question comes about how we treat that particular program. But I’m not looking to have anyone lose access to health care.”

And then there are those candidates oddly siding with the GOP on the issue. Former Congresswoman Katie Porter recently announced that CHSR could be ended if funding doesn’t get under control. While not exactly an endorsement to ending it, she has been one of the few Democrats to even suggest ending it. Even more worrying for HSR supporters is that Porter has led Gubernatorial polls where Harris isn’t listed as a candidate.

“Increasingly, the evidence is showing that this project is not going to be able to be completed remotely on budget or remotely on time. I think we’re already past those benchmarks,” explained Porter. That’s why I don’t think we should BS California voters. They have noticed that we don’t have a high-speed rail. And they have noticed we’ve spent money on it.

“If this high-speed rail project can get done, then let’s get it done. If it can’t get done, then stop.”

Overall, there is growing apathy for the project amongst Gubernatorial candidates. And for the first Gubernatorial election in decades, there may be a Governor who isn’t 100% behind CHSR and who may even want to nix it altogether.