Former California State Assembly member and Bitcoin advocate Ian Calderon has launched his campaign for the 2026 California gubernatorial election, joining a crowded and competitive race to succeed Gavin Newsom.
Calderon confirmed his gubernatorial campaign in a post on the X platform on Tuesday, focusing most of his commitments on affordable housing, groceries, and gasoline, while positioning himself as a Bitcoin supporter.
"We, as a generation, pay our bills with our phones, transfer money to each other with Venmo, and save in Bitcoin—but the people managing our government are trying to solve today's problems with yesterday's ideas, and that just doesn't work," he said.
It’s time for a new generation of leadership in California. pic.twitter.com/WmXIJcC1j1
In another post on X, Calderon specifically emphasized Bitcoin, stating, "California has always been a leader in technology. It’s time to return to our roots and make California the undisputed leader in Bitcoin."
After cryptocurrency lobbying groups became top donors in the 2024 elections, pouring millions into successful campaigns for Donald Trump and several lawmakers, federal and state legislators have more broadly committed to developing crypto-friendly policies in their campaigns.
Calderon entered the California legislature at the age of 27 in 2012, becoming the youngest member at that time. He served until 2020, leading California's blockchain working group and laying the groundwork for the state's blockchain roadmap.
California is the most populous state in the U.S., with an economy worth $4.3 trillion. State legislators recently advanced a bill allowing state government agencies to accept cryptocurrency payments, but have not seen the same level of support and progress in Bitcoin reserves as other states.
In a live stream on the X platform, Calderon stated that he believes "California should hold Bitcoin on its balance sheet."
"Once I become governor, I will ensure we hold Bitcoin on our balance sheet," he added.
Calderon also mentioned that he would advocate for California to use Bitcoin as a means of payment for state government projects.
California will hold its gubernatorial election vote on November 3, 2026. Calderon's chances of winning are slim, as several more well-known candidates are competing to succeed Newsom, who cannot seek re-election after his second term ends.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed in late July that she would not run for the position, opening the door for candidates.
Polls show that former Democratic Congresswoman Katie Porter is currently the frontrunner, followed by Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is running as a Republican, and former Republican political consultant and Fox News contributor Steve Hilton.
During his five-year hiatus from politics, Calderon collaborated with Dennis Porter, CEO of the Satoshi Action Fund, to propose a bill in early 2022 exploring Bitcoin as legal tender.
However, the proposal has seen little progress since then.
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Original article: “Democrat Ian Calderon, a Bitcoin supporter, runs for California governor”
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