Tom Steyer brought a clear message to Culver City on Saturday: if he is California's next governor, affordability will be the main event, not a side issue. The former hedge-fund manager framed the stop as part of a statewide town-hall swing built around what his campaign calls "shared prosperity."
As reported by ABC7 Los Angeles, Steyer told the Culver City audience, "My campaign starts with affordability." He walked through a familiar list of pain points, from housing and healthcare to electricity, food, and gasoline, arguing that many residents, in his words, "can't afford to live in California."
The Culver City appearance lands in the middle of a packed Democratic lineup that already includes Katie Porter, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Xavier Becerra, Betty Yee, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Tony Thurmond, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, the Los Angeles Times reports. Steyer, who launched his campaign last year, has been trying to carve out space as the candidate who will confront corporate interests in order to drive down day-to-day costs for Californians.
Shared Prosperity Tour Puts Costs Front And Center
Steyer's team bills the "Shared Prosperity" town-hall tour as an exercise in listening first and then building policy around what they hear. According to a campaign press release, that agenda includes lowering costs, speeding up homebuilding, and closing corporate tax loopholes.
The campaign is also not shy about Steyer's financial profile. The former hedge-fund manager is the wealthiest candidate in the race, and Forbes pegs his real-time net worth in the billions.
Culver City Crowd Weighs In
People who turned out in Culver City spanned different ages and backgrounds, and some said the 2026 primary will be their first shot at choosing a governor. USC student Sean Kim told ABC7 Los Angeles that he backs Steyer because the candidate "gives the vote and voice back to the citizens of California."
High-Stakes Primary Looms In 2026
The statewide primary is scheduled for June 2, 2026, according to the California Secretary of State. Under the state's top-two system, all candidates run on the same ballot and the leading two, regardless of party, move on to November. That setup means early vote math could matter as much as raw popularity.
Political strategists have warned that a crowded Democratic bench could accidentally create room for Republicans, a worry that party leaders have aired and that the Associated Press has reported. For Steyer and the rest of the field, local events like the Culver City town hall are a chance to draw sharper contrasts on policy and try to move the needle well before June.
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