Eleni Kounalakis announces 2026 California governor campaign launch.

California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis has launched her campaign to become the first woman governor of California, pushing out ahead of what’s expected to be a sprawling field in 2026. Kounalakis will open a campaign committee for governor and immediately start raising money and building her nascent public profile for the distant election. California statewide campaigns are among the most expensive in the country, with TV ads in major markets costing millions each week and politicians taking years and even decades to establish their brands.