By Edward Henderson, California Black Media
Editor’s Note:
This California Black Media Q&A series with California’s gubernatorial candidates is intended to inform voters about where the candidates for governor stand on key issues. The opinions, assertions, and claims expressed are those of the candidates and have not been independently verified; they may or may not be supported by publicly available data.
Antonio Villaraigosa, former state Assembly Speaker and former mayor of Los Angeles, entered the race for California governor nearly two years ago in 2024. Although he has not emerged as a leading contender among the crowded field of candidates, he has maintained a steady position in the middle of the pack, with his household name recognition and 14 years of experience in California politics.
This is Villaraigosa’s second run for governor. His first attempt was in 2018.
California Black Media spoke with Villaraigosa about his platform, which is centered on affordability; his endorsement from Mayor Karen Bass and his dedication to coalition building among Black, Brown and other California communities.
His answers have been edited for length and clarity.
What inspired you to run for governor?
This state and this country have given me more than I could have ever hoped for growing up. It’s a state with enormous challenges as well. It’s a state that’s now the world’s fourth-largest economy but is tied with Louisiana for the highest poverty rate in the nation. It’s a state of innovation, a state of hard-working people who come from every corner of the world. But it’s also a state where people are feeling like we’ve got big issues, and we need someone to take on those issues. We need a problem solver, a proven one, someone who’s got the record. I decided to come in because of that.
You received an endorsement from Mayor Karen Bass in front of the L.A. Sentinel headquarters. What did that moment mean to you?
It always puts a smile on my face. Putting back together the coalition that elected me as mayor, and even as a state Assembly member and a City Council member, the coalition has always been broad. And it’s always included the African American community.
Both Karen and I, who’ve known each other for more than 50 years, have always understood that together we’re stronger. Getting the endorsements of The L.A. Sentinel, Mayor Bass, Council President Marqueece Harris Dawson – and Councilmembers Megan Kerr, Curren Price and Heather Hutt — means a lot.
These are people who say, ‘I know him, I’ve worked with him, I trust him.’
You often speak of unity when it comes to Black and Brown communities. What do you think is key when it comes to fostering this type of unity amid lingering tensions and infighting?
It’s hard work. Unfortunately, a lot of times we all work in an insular way. Karen and I were a little different. Our work was always across racial borders. Since we were kids, we were in the Coalition Against Police Abuse — in 1973. We need the kind of unity we saw in that press conference at The L.A. Sentinel because we are going through tough times right now.
What do you see as the largest issue Black Californian’s face and what part of your platform will address it?
It’s affordability. I want to be clear about that. If there’s any community where the issue of affordability is predominant, primary, it’s in the African American and Latino communities. Our big issues are health care, housing, the high cost of rent, the high cost of gas and utilities. The loss of health care funding for Medi-Cal and other services is going to be very, very pronounced in the African American and Latino communities.
Affordability is a key word in your platform, what do you intend to change in the budget to allocate the funds the state needs to become more affordable?
What we need is an “all-of-the-above” energy policy. Look at Norway: it’s one of the greenest countries in the world, but it still produces oil and gas. They use that revenue to fund their transition to green energy. That’s a smarter balance. Now, I’m not defending oil refineries. What I am challenging is a broken framework. By limiting ourselves to only solar and wind, we’ve driven up costs — utility bills in California have increased by about 60%. My priority is protecting everyday people who drive cars and trucks, who are bearing those costs.
The same kind of problem exists in our housing policy. Too often, the focus has been almost entirely on building housing for the homeless. That’s important, but we also need affordable housing for working families, as well as market-rate housing. Expanding supply across the board is the only way to get prices under control.
So, the two big areas I’m focused on are energy policy and housing policy. In both cases, the government needs to create frameworks that actually work for people — not just chase good intentions without practical results.
What do you love most about California?
I love our people and our cultural, economic and geographic diversity. I love the opportunity here in California that I have benefited from; and I love our global leadership in technology, innovation, entertainment, agriculture and more.