Former L.A. mayor explains why he is running for California governor again

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is among many California Democrats attending the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where Vice President Kamala Harris will accept the party’s nomination for president this week.

Villaraigosa, 71, is eyeing a return to elected office and has announced another run for governor in 2026. The former mayor and state assemblymember finished third behind Gavin Newsom and Republican John Cox in the 2018 primary election.

In an interview with Inside California Politics host Nikki Laurenzo on Tuesday, Villaraigosa said he promises to campaign on results over rhetoric.

“Everybody says, ‘I’ll take on homelessness, I’ll take on housing, I’ll address the high cost of living,’ while I’ve actually done all of that,” he said. “I think people are looking for somebody that’s going to tackle that in a way that’s compassionate, but in a way that has to make the tough calls.”

Villaraigosa also addressed the polarized nature of current political discourse, including the Republican National Convention, which he described as filled with “anger, divisiveness, everybody screaming at the other side.”

He acknowledged that this rhetoric can sometimes be found within his own party but stressed his commitment to a more collaborative approach.

“I’m unabashedly a Democrat and unabashedly someone who stands up for women’s reproductive freedoms, for sensible gun laws, for expanding health care, for taking on climate change,” Villaraigosa said. “But I like doing it in a way where we’re working with people to find the common ground instead of screaming at them.”

On the issue of homelessness, Villaraigosa advocated for a nuanced approach that finds a middle ground between extremes.

“People talk about criminalization of the homeless versus, you know, housing first and all, the wraparound services and building more housing,” he said. “All those things are true, but there are middle grounds. You can be compassionate about the homeless and also say, ‘No, you can’t have homeless encampments.’”

Villaraigosa served as L.A. mayor from 2005 to 2013. His tenure was highlighted with an emphasis on restructuring the L.A. Police Department and later shifted toward efforts to fix L.A.’s struggling public education system.

Newsom is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026.

Villaraigosa joins a crowded 2026 Democratic field. Others already in the race include State Superintendent for Public Instruction Tony Thurmond , California Democratic Party Vice Chair Betty Yee and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis.

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