Former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, who championed the city’s universal basic income program, has launched a campaign for Lieutenant Governor.
Tubbs is making his return to politics four years after being voted out of office in Stockton.
Flashback: Tubbs gained national attention from Democrat leaders, including former President Barack Obama, when he was elected to the Stockton City Council in 2013 at just 22 years old.
- Obama endorsed him for mayor a few years later, helping Tubbs win in November 2016 with over 70 percent of the vote.
- Tubbs pushed through Stockton’s universal basic income program for 125 residents, which gave them $500 per month for two years.
- But he ultimately lost favor among Stockton voters, losing to Republican Kevin Lincoln by nearly 13 points in 2020.
The big picture: Tubbs announced his campaign for Lieutenant Governor on Wednesday, a position that comes with little real power outside of sitting on the University of California and California State University board of regents.
- The Lieutenant Governor is also responsible for filling in for the governor when he or she is out of state.
- Since he was voted out of office in Stockton, Tubbs has served as a special advisor for economic mobility and opportunity for California Gov. Gavin Newsom. He also founded End Poverty in California, a nonprofit designed to provide equal opportunity for all.
State of play: While the Lieutenant Governor race is not nearly as packed as the race to succeed Newsom, a couple of other high-profile Democrats have already launched their own campaigns for the seat.
- Tubbs will be up against State Treasurer Fiona Ma and Sen. Steven Bradford (D–Gardena).
- Current Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis is running for governor.
What he’s saying: “I’m running for lieutenant governor to build a California future that sets the example for how government can work for everyone,” Tubbs told KCRA. “It’s a California future that leads the nation in not just talking about problems, but solving them.”
