Former State Senate Leader Toni Atkins has officially withdrawn from the 2026 California governor's race, as reported on Monday. Atkins, a prominent Democrat hailing from San Diego, had been in the legislative game for years, holding roles from San Diego City Councilwoman to acting mayor, and eventually ascending to the state capitol as the Speaker of the Assembly and Senate president pro tempore.
Atkins made her departure public via a post and an email to supporters, saying, "Despite the strong support we've received and all we've achieved, there is simply no viable path forward to victory." Her campaign's end does not mark a retreat from the political sphere as she vows to continue championing the values she believes in for California, CBS Los Angeles reported. In her statement, Atkins highlighted her commitments, stating, "Though my campaign is ending, I will keep fighting for California's future."
Atkins' political career began in earnest in the year 2000 upon her election to the San Diego City Council, and she later became a pivotal LGBTQ+ figure in the state's assembly, ultimately becoming the first lesbian to be selected as Speaker of the Assembly in 2014. In 2016, her career trajectory took her to the state Senate, where she continued to break barriers, being the first to serve as the president pro tempore of the California Senate in March 2018. Throughout her tenure, she became noted for being the third individual in California's history to lead both the Senate and the Assembly.
An August 2023 poll by Emerson College positioned Atkins at around 2% among the cluster of gubernatorial hopefuls, whereas Katie Porter, former Rep., led the Democratic pack at 18%, with Steve Hilton topping Republican candidates at 12%. "With Kamala Harris officially out of the race, Katie Porter has emerged as the Democratic frontrunner, increasing her support from 12% to 18% since the April Emerson poll," revealed Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, to NBC San Diego. This polling landscape reflected a shift that perhaps influenced Atkins's decision to step back.
_(cropped).jpg){kind=link}