The Democrat joins a rising box of contenders together with San Diego lawmaker Toni Atkins and state Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.
The 71-year-old Los Angeles local made his case in a YouTube video, pronouncing he had what the state wanted.
“I consider we want an issue solver to steer our state,” Mr. Villaraigosa mentioned Tuesday. “That’s why I’m operating for governor.”
Mr. Villaraigosa misplaced a prior bid for the state’s very best place of business within the 2018 number one in opposition to 26 applicants. Gov. Gavin Newsom received that race and the overall election later that 12 months.
Mr. Villaraigosa with sturdy credentials as a Democratic Birthday celebration stalwart faces identical festival this time round despite the fact that the election is 2 years away, as a rising box of contenders has already taken form within the race.
Different politicians to announce their candidacy are Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and previous Controller Betty Yee.
Mr. Villaraigosa was once raised by means of a unmarried mom in East Los Angeles and dropped out of highschool, later getting his level by means of taking evening categories. He graduated with some extent in historical past from the College of California, Los Angeles and labored to advance civil rights and union reasons earlier than serving two phrases as town’s forty first mayor from 2005 to 2013. [[should this be high school diploma or is it talking about us UCLA degree?]]
“California is the state the place anything else is imaginable with exhausting paintings and backbone,” the candidate mentioned.
Mr. Villaraigosa touted his report of championing public protection whilst he was once mayor.
“Once I was mayor, L.A. was once some of the bad towns in The usa,” he mentioned in his announcement video. “So, I employed just about 1,000 cops, took unlawful weapons off the streets, and violent crime dropped 48 %. I became round our failing faculties, expanding commencement charges whilst main town’s financial restoration out of recession.”
Consistent with Ms. Kubrin, violent crime did lower “considerably” all through his time as mayor. Then again, she mentioned, the violent crime price was once already shedding neatly earlier than he took place of business.
As former speaker of the California State Meeting from 1998 to 2000, Mr. Villaraigosa claims he labored with each political events to steadiness the state price range, leaving $13 billion in reserve to forestall cuts to college and public protection.
All through his time within the Meeting, Mr. Villaraigosa mentioned he took at the Nationwide Rifle Affiliation’s attack guns ban, banned handguns that put a number of gun factories into chapter 11, and required protection cause locks on weapons bought within the state.
“I do know we will be able to do large issues for California, as a result of I’ve performed them earlier than,” he mentioned. “As Governor, I’ll steadiness the state price range, be sure our neighborhoods are protected and our youngsters have nice faculties. I’ll carry down prices for small companies and middle-class households.”
Mr. Villaraigosa additionally created the Wholesome Households program, a cheap insurance coverage plan for low-income youngsters and teenagers that gives well being, dental, and imaginative and prescient protection. He authored the law as a state assemblyman in 1997.
He additionally served at the Los Angeles Town Council from 2003 to 2005.
Earlier than he was once elected to the State Meeting, Mr. Villaraigosa frolicked running for civil rights and exertions tasks. He additionally served as president of the Southern California bankruptcy of the American Civil Liberties Union, in line with his biography.
He was once additionally an organizer for the United Academics of Los Angeles, president of the American Federation of Executive Workers, and enforced civil rights regulations on the Equivalent Employment Alternative Fee, an company that is helping other folks with civil rights problems and discrimination court cases.
In 2022, the governor tapped Mr. Villaraigosa to function the state’s infrastructure marketing consultant, running with native, state, and federal leaders to spot initiatives and get get right of entry to to federal price range.
Mr. Villaraigosa was once additionally a countrywide co-chairman of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential marketing campaign and President Barack Obama’s reelection marketing campaign in 2012, and served Mr. Obama on his financial advisory board all through his transition to place of business.
The following governor will likely be elected Nov. 3, 2026. Mr. Newsom, the incumbent, is not able to run once more because of time period limits.