Tom Steyer Joins Race For California Governor

India-West News Desk

SACRAMENTO, CA – Billionaire and environmental activist Tom Steyer announced on November 19 that he will run for California governor, immediately joining a crowded field of candidates vying to replace the term limited Gavin Newsom.

Steyer, 68, is a former hedge fund manager who previously sought the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. In announcing his gubernatorial bid, he pivoted his central focus from climate change, the issue that defined his previous national efforts, to California’s severe affordability crisis.

“Californians deserve a life they can afford. But the Californians who make this state run are being run over by the cost of living,” Steyer said in a statement. He pledged to address the issue by making corporations “pay their fair share again.”

The candidate highlighted his record of political activism in the state, emphasizing his success in taking on powerful industries. He said he had led “winning campaigns” for state legislation that raised the tobacco tax to support healthcare programs and another proposition that “closed a corporate tax loophole for out of state companies.”

Steyer framed his entry into politics as a dedication to public service after a successful business career. “I wanted to build a business here. Now, it’s worth billions of dollars. And I walked away from it because I wanted to give back to California,” he said. He specified his history of taking on large entities, stating, “I’ve taken on out of state corporations that refused to pay their California taxes. I’ve taken on the oil companies. I’ve taken on the tobacco companies. We’ve raised billions of dollars for California citizens, without charging California citizens a nickel.”

His political action committee and nonprofit, NextGen America, has spent millions to mobilize voters on progressive issues, including the climate crisis and reproductive rights.

Steyer’s gubernatorial platform promises ambitious solutions to the state’s high costs, including pledges to lower utility costs, oversee the construction of one million homes in four years, make pre school and community college free, and ban corporate PAC money from state elections.

The Democratic field Steyer is entering is highly competitive, including former congresswoman Katie Porter, former US cabinet member Xavier Becerra, former LA mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former state controller Betty Yee. Republican candidates also running include Riverside County sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton.