Former California lawmaker, a millennial, joins the governor's race

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Former state Assemblymember Ian Calderon is the latest Democrat to jump into the crowded race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom next year.

Calderon, 39, cast himself as the voice of a new, younger generation as the youngest majority leader in state history. The governor’s race has already has drawn a large field of candidates, including former Biden administration Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, former U.S. House member Katie Porter, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, among others.

Calderon was the first millennial elected to the Assembly at 27 years old in 2012. He chose to not seek reelection in 2020 to spend more time with his wife and young children.

“California should be the best place in the world to raise a family, buy a home and build a future, but to get there, we need a new generation of leadership,” Calderon said.

He has vowed to tackle gas prices, housing affordability and child care costs in a social media video announcing his campaign to replace Newsom, whose term runs through early January 2027.

On the GOP side, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton have announced their bids.

Calderon is also positioning himself as a tech-friendly politician and said Tuesday that he'd push the state to use cryptocurrency like bitcoin to pay for various state programs. He made the comments during a social media livestream called “Crypto Town Hall.”

“Once I’m governor, I’m going to make sure that we hold bitcoin on our balance sheet,” Calderon said.

Democrats are expected to hold the seat in a state where they outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 2 to 1. Republicans have not won a statewide election in California in nearly two decades.

Calderon's family has long-held ties in California politics. He replaced his father, Charles Calderon, in the Assembly. Two of his uncles, Ron Calderon and Tom Calderon, also served in the state Legislature, though both were convicted on public corruption charges in 2016. His stepmom Lisa Calderon, succeeded him in the Assembly.