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CALIFORNIA
Rohit Khanna

Who is Tom Steyer? What to know about the California governor candidate

Portrait of Daniella Segura Daniella Segura
Palm Springs Desert Sun
Updated April 15, 2026, 6:01 p.m. ET

With California's June primary nearing, voters will soon decide which two gubernatorial candidates will face off in November's general election.

Here’s a clear, factual look at who Tom Steyer is, what he stands for, and how his record compares — designed to help readers make informed decisions.

Who is Tom Steyer?

  • Age: 68
  • Party: Democrat
  • Current role: Climate advocate
  • Home region: San Francisco
  • First entered politics: 2013 with the founding of NextGen Climate (now NextGen America), a major political advocacy organization

Steyer is a billionaire investor and climate advocate, running on a platform focused on reducing the cost of living for Californians by taking on corporate interests, building affordable housing, and implementing green energy policies.

Background and career

Why Tom Steyer is running

Steyer has said he is running for governor in 2026, "because Californians can no longer afford to live here." He seeks to address the issue by tackling housing affordability, reducing energy costs, and pushing for corporate accountability.

"Californians deserve a life they can afford, but the Californians who make this state run are being run over by the cost of living," Steyer said in a campaign video. "We need to get back to basics, and that means making corporations pay their fair share again. Californians deserve a top 10 education state. They deserve to be able to afford to live in a decent house."

Key policy positions

Economy and cost of living

  • Steyer argues that "California is too expensive," pointing to both housing and utility costs.
  • Steyer sees the economy as imbalanced, with a "two-tiered tax system," in which "working people pay their fair share, (and) the wealthiest people and corporations exploit tax loopholes to skip out on paying billions of dollars every year."
  • To address these problems, Steyer has called for the building of affordable housing, the lowering of utility costs by "breaking up the monopolistic power of utilities" and "bringing competition to the grid," and closing "corporate tax loopholes."

Housing and homelessness

  • During his campaign, Steyer has pushed to build one million homes over four years, arguing that "housing underpins everything in California."
  • He has called for the reform of the state's "homelessness strategy to get people off the street and into the care they need."
  • In an interview with ABC 7 News, Steyer said people facing homelessness do not start with mental health issues, adding that his goal is to keep people off the street in the first place. "I am absolutely behind getting people off the street into something that is good for them," Steyer told the TV station. When asked what he would do if people refused help, Steyer told ABC 7 News, "We're going to have to be able to provide something that they do want to do, and in effect, we're gonna have to retake our streets."

Public safety and crime

  • In a February debate, Steyer urged that the state prioritize treatment over incarceration. He has called for the funding of rehabilitation options for people who break the law, rather than longer prison sentences. "Of course, we have to keep our streets and communities safe," Steyer said during the debate. "But the fact is, we need to have step-down facilities, we need treatment, not incarceration, where it's available."
  • After a mass shooting at a child's birthday party in Stockton in November, Steyer called gun violence in America "a moral crisis." "When do we say enough is enough? The answer will only come when we have the courage to take meaningful action," Steyer wrote in a Facebook post.

Climate, water, and energy

  • Steyer strongly supports California's climate stewardship. He asserts that California is "uniquely positioned to continue to lead, further cementing itself at the forefront of clean energy, innovation, climate mitigation, and adaptation."
  • Steyer believes "good climate policy" will make life in the Golden State healthier and "more affordable."

Immigration and border issues

  • Steyer opposes Donald Trump's administration's approach to immigration. "When it comes to ICE — you can’t reform a criminal organization," his campaign website says. He has called for the abolishing of ICE.
  • Steyer has said immigrants are essential to California's economic and social fabric. "Immigrants built California. And we don't just welcome immigrants — we need them," he wrote in an April Instagram post.

Education

  • Steyer aims to make California a top-10 education state by increasing school funding by closing corporate tax loopholes. On his campaign website, Steyer says that by closing loopholes, the state "can easily provide universal education starting at three years old, all the way through to free community college."
  • Steyer strongly supports teachers' unions. "When teachers are undervalued, students pay the price," Steyer said in a statement of support for San Francisco Unified School District educators.

Election and campaign history

What critics say

Critics of Steyer have voiced concerns about a billionaire resonating with struggling Californians. He has been called a "populist billionaire" who may struggle to relate to everyday Californians.

What supporters say

Steyer's supporters argue that he would be "a billionaire that would take on billionaires." Supporters also say his wealth would free him from transactional politics.

What’s next in the race

Sources and reporting notes

This story has been updated with new information. 

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