Tom Steyer
Billionaire climate organizer turned self-funded gubernatorial candidate.
Official campaign site ↗Steyer pitches a state-level Green New Deal funded by his own checkbook, arguing only an outsider with money can break the donor class's grip on Sacramento.
A former hedge fund founder turned climate philanthropist, Steyer founded NextGen America and ran an unsuccessful 2020 Democratic presidential bid. He has now poured tens of millions into his California campaign, neutralizing his rivals' fundraising advantages and saturating TV markets with climate-and-cost-of-living spots.
- +Self-funded — no fundraising ceiling
- +Best-organized climate-voter operation in the state
- +Polling neck-and-neck with Hilton for the second runoff slot
- −Billionaire framing complicates populist messaging
- −No prior elected office at any level
- −His 2020 presidential bid faded after early-state spending sprees
Where Steyer stands on the eight issues
Housing & Cost of Living
SupportsWants the state to act as a developer-of-last-resort for affordable housing on public land, paired with construction-trades wage floors and electrification mandates for new builds.
Homelessness
SupportsProposes a $25B state homelessness bond focused on permanent supportive housing tied to behavioral-health services.
Climate & Environment
Strongly supportsWants to move California's carbon-neutrality date forward a full decade and create a state Green Bank that finances rapid grid decarbonization.
Healthcare
Strongly supportsMost explicit single-payer supporter in the top tier of the field. Argues his independence from healthcare donors lets him push reforms others won't.
Education
SupportsSupports universal pre-K, full TK rollout, and climate-science requirements in K-12 standards.
Public Safety
MixedWants to expand non-police crisis response and gun-violence prevention; cautious on rolling back recent retail-theft penalties.
Immigration
Strongly supportsPledges to challenge federal deportation efforts and expand state-funded legal aid; frames immigration as climate adaptation policy.
Economy & Taxes
Strongly supportsBacks a millionaire surtax to fund climate, housing, and homelessness investment — and notes he would pay it.
