In case you missed it, former Senate President pro Tempore and California gubernatorial candidate Toni Atkins is a frontrunner in the wide-open, crowded race for the next California governor. A new analysis from California Target Book places Atkins in the “top-tier” of viable Democratic gubernatorial candidates, citing her fundraising, cash on hand and early key endorsements.

Former Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, who is running for California governor in 2026, announced that her campaign has outstripped her Democratic rivals when it comes to fundraising, bringing in $1.6 million between Jan. 1 and June 30 of this year.

That’s more than Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis ($1.4 million), former Controller Betty Yee ($593, 691) and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond ($317,863).

Atkins’ $1.6 million haul leads all candidates in 2024 fundraising for Governor

 San Diego, CA – Fundraising reports just released show that Toni Atkins out-raised all other candidates in the first reporting period since announcing her historic campaign for Governor earlier this year. Atkins raised more than $1.6 million over the period, which is more than any of the other candidates. Atkins has received more than $4 million in total contributions in the race to be California’s next Governor. 

SACRAMENTO — Californians could do worse than elect veteran state Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Not that they should necessarily. But she’s worth serious consideration. Voters will have two years to size her up and decide before Newsom is termed out at the end of 2026.

State Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) announced a 2026 run for California governor Friday morning, making the legislative leader the latest entrant in an increasingly crowded race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom after he is forced out of office by term limits.

SAN DIEGO — California's Democratic State Senate Pro Tempore Toni Atkins is officially running for governor in 2026, she announced at her campaign's first rally in San Diego Friday morning.

The announcement comes hours after she filed paperwork to run in the race to replace Gavin Newsom, who will term out at the end of 2026.

The burgeoning field to be California’s next governor grew even more crowded Friday as Toni Atkins, the San Diego Democrat who has held the state’s top legislative posts, launched a bid to succeed Gov Gavin. Newsom in 2026.

State Senate leader Toni Atkins is running for governor in 2026, she announced Friday in San Diego, making it increasingly likely that California’s next leader will not be a white man for the first time since 1875.

SAN DIEGO - California Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins announced today before a crowd of hundreds in downtown San Diego that she will run for Governor...

SAN DIEGO - State Senator Toni Atkins, a San Diegan, officially announced her bid for the governor of California Friday, setting the stage for another history-making moment in Golden State politics.

Toni Atkins who began her political career on the San Diego City Council and made history as the first woman to serve as both speaker of the Assembly and president pro tem of the Senate, announced her campaign Friday to succeed Gavin Newsom as Governor.

The nation’s most populous state could elect a lesbian governor in 2026.

Longtime California legislator Toni Atkins, a Democrat, announced Friday that she will run for the post. She had said late last year that she was considering a run, but this makes it official.

Outgoing state Senate leader Toni Atkins today became the latest high-ranking Democrat to declare their candidacy, holding a kickoff rally packed with union members in her hometown of San Diego.

Toni Atkins is the only person in California to have served as both speaker of the Assembly and president of the Senate in the past 150 years. The San Diego Democrat has broken several glass ceilings as a woman and a lesbian. Will she try to break another by running for governor in 2026?

State Senate leader Toni Atkins is thinking seriously about running for governor of California. And hopefully she’ll enter the race.

California prides itself on diversity and inclusion, but to date, all its governors have been straight white men. That could change with the 2026 election, when Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, can’t run due to term limits — and the state could elect its first woman and first lesbian governor.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The first time Toni Atkins acted as the governor of California, she used her powers to honor the passing of San Diego Padres baseball player Tony Gwynn while playfully rebuffing Jimmy Kimmel’s advice that she “ invade Oregon. ”