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By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
California State Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), 64, says the “time is right” and he is “up to the challenge” of becoming the next Lieutenant Governor of California.
Bradford, who serves as the Vice Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), recently announced his bid for the second highest office in the state. The election will be held in 2026.
“I think it’s time we need someone in that office who is committed to doing the work. It’s not a glamorous job. It’s an in-the-weeds job but it’s a job that impacts us every day,” Bradford told California Black Media (CBM).
“I want to do the work that is in front of me,” said Bradford, who has served in the Legislature for 15 years as an Assemblymember and State Senator, and will be termed out at the end of this year.
“That’s what my career has been about—doing the work of the position I’ve been elected to do.”
In the Legislature, Bradford represents Senate District 35. It is home to nearly one million residents, and it includes the communities of Inglewood, Compton, Gardena, Torrance, Carson, Harbor Gateway, San Pedro, Hawthorne, and Lawndale.
The lieutenant governor serves as acting governor whenever the governor is absent from the state, and automatically becomes governor if a vacancy occurs. The lieutenant governor is the President of the California Senate and votes in case of a tie.
Eleni Kounalakis is the current lieutenant governor. However, her term in office is set to expire in 2026 due to term limits.
California State Treasurer Fiona Ma has also declared her candidacy for the lieutenant governor’s office and has launched her campaign.