Former California State Controller Betty Yee announced Wednesday that she will run for governor in 2026.
According to FOX40, Yee previously stated she planned to run but had not yet made a formal announcement.
“People worry we have no power over our future, but I know we do,” Yee said in a video announcement, according to The Los Angeles Times. “That’s why I’m running for governor. We have the grit and the power to make California add up for all of us again.”
Yee was born and raised in San Francisco, graduating from Lowell High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley and master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University.
Yee is currently the Vice Chair of the California Democratic Party. From 2015 to 2023, Yee served as California State Controller. After serving two terms, she was ineligible for re-election due to term limits. She has highlighted dealing with finances and budgets as a strength of hers.
“Our parents didn’t speak English so I managed the books, dealing with banks and suppliers to get things done,” Yee said in her announcement video according to The Los Angeles Times. “If earnings for the week came up short, we got by with one less carton of milk or loaf of bread. I learned when things are out of balance, many communities are left to fend for themselves and sometimes left behind.”
Yee will also be running against two other female candidates: California Senate Leader Toni Atkins and Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis.
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