Big name Democrats steer clear of endorsements in messy governor’s race
Top California Democrats are watching this year’s governor’s race from the sidelines.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is staying out of the fray. So is Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi and former Vice President Kamala Harris. Attorney General Rob Bonta is staying mum after declining to run, and U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla haven’t publicly supported anyone in the current field (Schiff withdrew his endorsement of former Rep. Eric Swalwell after Swalwell faced allegations of sexual misconduct).
The silence extends beyond the Golden State. The New York Times reported last week that former President Joe Biden wouldn’t give any of the candidates his endorsement, including Xavier Becerra, who served as Biden’s former secretary of health and human services.
Democratic consultant Steven Maviglio said there’s a simple reason they’re not weighing in: “They don’t want to be a loser.”
For Newsom in particular, backing a losing candidate could be a mark against him as he ramps up a probable run for president in 2028, Maviglio said.
And while “most endorsements are a dime a dozen,” Maviglio said that Newsom’s popularity and name recognition among California Democrats gives his endorsement extra juice.
Newsom worked alongside Becerra from 2019 to 2021, when Newsom was in his first term and Becerra served as state attorney general. It’s not unusual for governors to sit out primaries; Newsom’s predecessor, Jerry Brown, declined to endorse him in the 2018 primary.
Not all Democrats are steering clear of publicly backing candidates. Becerra has won the nod from a dozen Congressional Democrats and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, while former Rep. Katie Porter has the backing of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts. Billionaire Tom Steyer is backed by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, a rising star in the party.
But Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta said it was notable Pelosi had declined former colleagues like Porter or Becerra, or that San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan hadn’t won backing from more mayors.
“Who didn’t endorse in this was almost as interesting as who did endorse,” Acosta said.
This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Big name Democrats steer clear of endorsements in messy governor’s race."
