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Former state lawmaker Ian Calderon is joining the crowded 2026 race for California governor, he announced Tuesday.

Jeanne Kuang
CalMatters

The Whittier Democrat is framing his candidacy as one from a “new generation of leadership.” He was 27 when he became the first millennial to be elected to the state Assembly in 2012.

But he was no newcomer even then — Calderon comes from a line of politicians from southeast Los Angeles County. His father, Charles Calderon, started the dynasty when he was elected to the Assembly in 1982. Two of his uncles also served in the Legislature — and federal prison for corruption.

Ian Calderon left the Assembly, where he was majority leader, in 2020 to focus on his young family and his stepmother Lisa Calderon now holds his seat. But he’s been biding his time for a return.

In a campaign video that heavily features his wife and children, he said since leaving office he’s been “living in the real world, watching everyday life get harder for families like mine.” He highlighted the high costs of gas, child care and housing, taking particular aim at investment firms buying up properties.

“The people running our government? They’re trying to use yesterday’s ideas to solve today’s problems and it isn’t working,” he said.

He joins a crowd of Democrats jockeying in a wide-open race for the governorship, including: state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former Controller Betty Yee, former state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, former Rep. Katie Porter, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Republicans Chad Bianco, the sheriff of Riverside County, and commentator Steve Hilton also are running.

Polling in August showed Porter was the frontrunner after former Vice President Kamala Harris decided not to run.

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