Lesbian Lawmaker Toni Atkins Suspends Campaign For Governor Of California
Her withdrawal comes after two decades of breaking barriers in Sacramento and nearly two years on the campaign trail.
Featured image by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Toni Atkins, one of California’s most influential lawmakers and a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ representation, has ended her campaign for governor. The San Diego Democrat announced this week that she will step aside, saying she does not see a path to victory in the crowded 2026 race.
Atkins, who launched her campaign in early 2024, told supporters that despite her long record of public service and legislative accomplishments, the race simply wasn’t breaking her way. “Despite the strong support we’ve received and all we’ve achieved, there is simply no viable path forward to victory. Though my campaign is ending, I will keep fighting for California’s future,” she wrote in her statement.
Polling throughout the summer had placed Atkins near the bottom of a crowded Democratic field. Still, her candidacy carried symbolic weight. Atkins is the first woman and first openly LGBTQ+ leader to have held both the Assembly speakership and the Senate presidency. Her rise from a working-class childhood in rural Virginia to one of the most powerful political positions in California was itself a story of persistence and barrier-breaking.
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Her campaign had drawn endorsements from the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, which praised her candidacy as more than a run for office. “Toni Atkins’ run in this race is only the latest chapter in a career defined by trustworthy service and lifting up others – a legacy that will continue to shape California for generations to come,” the caucus stated.
Atkins herself framed the end of her campaign as both a personal and political decision. “My intention was to build on that progress, to bring real solutions from day one, and to do good work for the people. That’s why it’s with such a heavy heart that I’m stepping aside today as a candidate for governor,” she said.
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She also pointed to the stakes of the upcoming election in the era of Donald Trump’s renewed political influence. “With Donald Trump and his allies threatening everything we’ve worked for – gutting health care, cratering our economy, and stripping away fundamental rights and freedoms – we’ve got to make sure California has a Democratic governor leading the fight, and that means uniting as Democrats.”
State Senator Scott Wiener, who had backed her campaign, summed up the disappointment of many allies. “I’m really sad that Toni dropped out, she’s fantastic. She’s a really great, smart, thoughtful leader for California and it would have been great to see her as governor.”
Atkins has not announced any plans to endorse another candidate or to pursue a down-ballot office in 2026. Her six-year tenure as Senate leader concluded at the end of 2024 due to term limits, but her decades of work on housing, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ equality have left a mark on California politics.
