It’s June in California, which means the jacarandas are magnificently in bloom , joyous graduates overfill school auditoriums and the weather is utterly unpredictable .

Oh and one more thing: As of this week, we are exactly a year out from the 2026 primary election. Here’s what you need to know.

California is a country within a country — a cultural and economic behemoth where the future happens first. And with term limits forcing Gov. Gavin Newsom out, the world’s fourth-largest economy will be picking a new leader at the end of 2026.

A very crowded race for governor

There is already a crowded field of prominent Democrats vying to replace Newsom. They include former state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins , former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra

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