California education chief Tony Thurmond says he is running for governor in 2026

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond is running for governor in 2026. If elected, he would be the first Black person to hold the job. He has served as a school board member, on the Richmond City Council and in the state Assembly. Thurmond has pushed for legislation to ban school boards from rejecting textbooks because they teach about the contributions of people with different racial backgrounds and gender identities. He has also opposed school board policies requiring school staff to notify parents if their child changes their gender identity. Thurmond joins Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and former state controller Betty Yee in the race.