Democrat Toni Atkins drops out of crowded race to replace Gavin Newsom

Democrat Toni Atkins is dropping out of the crowded 2026 race to succeed Gavin Newsom as California governor, she announced Monday.

Atkins, the former Senate president, wrote in an email to supporters that she was leaving the race with a “heavy heart” but that “there is simply no viable path forward to victory.” She made the call after failing to poll at higher than single digits, according to a person familiar with the campaign, and does not plan to run for another office in this election cycle.

Atkins launched her campaign more than a year ago in what has become an open field since former Vice President Kamala Harris declined to run this summer. Another early entrant to the race, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, also dropped out in August to run for state treasurer instead.

Newsom terms out next year. At least six other Democrats are running to replace him, including former Rep. Katie Porter, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The field could still change, with Sen. Alex Padilla also reportedly considering a run.

Atkins had more than $4.2 million in her campaign account this summer, more than any of the other Democratic candidates, had the support of several allies in the Legislature and held a series of town halls throughout the state in August.

But Atkins faced steep odds in name recognition having never run for statewide office before. She came in third last in an August Politico poll, with just 4% of voters picking her among the Democrats. Leading the pack was Porter with 21% of voters. On Sunday, Atkins did not appear at a Los Angeles candidate forum, reportedly citing illness.

Atkins supported publicly funded universal health care and was a prominent advocate in the Legislature for increasing housing construction. She would have been the first openly LGBTQ governor in a field of other history-making Democratic candidates.

On the Republican side, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News commentator Steve Hilton are vying for the seat.