In the crowded 2026 California Gubernatorial race, both parties are emphasizing affordability and cost-of-living, though they offer divergent solutions. While top Democrats advocate for expanding housing supply and targeted taxes, the leading Republicans focus heavily on deregulation, reducing government spending, and cutting taxes.
Here are the positions of the leading candidates in the race regarding the economy.
Leading Republicans
Steve Hilton (Former adviser to David Cameron, Fox News contributor)
Focuses on cutting taxes, spending, and regulations to lower unemployment and stimulate growth.
Chad Bianco (Riverside County Sheriff)
Advocates for making California “oil independent” to create jobs and proposes eliminating the state income tax entirely.
Leading Democrats
Xavier Becerra (Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary)
Promises to fight price gouging and use state powers to artificially lower costs and keep financially unstable people in their homes.
Katie Porter (Former U.S. Representative)
Promises to increase wages and decrease costs by making childcare free and stopping tuition charges at public universities.
Tom Steyer (Billionaire entrepreneur and environmental activist)
Focuses heavily on the green economy, job creation in renewable energy, and transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Matt Mahan (Mayor of San Jose)
Emphasizes supporting the tech and small business sectors by reducing state regulations and keeping the state budget strictly balanced.
To check the official backgrounds of the candidates, polling data, or find your nearest polling place, visit the California Secretary of State or review the KQED Voter Guide for detailed local overviews.