The election to succeed Gavin Newsom as governor of California is not until June 2026, but already, the field of candidates is getting crowded.
A name very familiar to locals has officially joined the race - former speaker of the California Assembly and mayor of Los Angeles until 2013, Antonio Villaraigosa, announced his bid Tuesday to be the next governor.
He joined KNX News' Chief Correspondent Charles Feldman to discuss why he believes he is the right person for the job.
*This interview has been edited for clarity*
Why do you want to do this now?
"You know, there are big challenges facing the state; the challenge of an economy that's not working for enough middle-class families, the high cost of housing, the homelessness.
The sense that crime is a big issue in the state... I think people are looking for proven problem solvers.
[As] speaker of the California State Assembly, I was the author of the toughest assault weapons ban in the country. I balanced the budget when you needed Republicans and Democrats to work together, and we had a surplus and invested more in education than we had ever done.
When I became mayor, L.A. was one of the most violent big cities in the country.
I reduced crime by nearly 50% to 1950 levels, increased the graduation rate by 60%, focused on building public transit and built three light rail lines and one bus way.
So I think people want a problem solver who works across the aisle, who works across communities across the state to fix the big challenges we face."
Where do you think Governor Newsom failed?
"Oh, I don't want to talk about Governor Newsom. I was his infrastructure advisor, we work together.
I am going to focus on the challenges ahead and the problems we face. I'm not focused on anything other than that. I'm not looking backward I'm looking forward.
We need a uniter right now, not a divider, and that's what I always was.
People can say what they want, and you know, I wasn't a perfect mayor. I certainly made my mistakes, and the same with the speaker, but I always tried to bring people together. I was focused on rolling up my sleeves and getting the job done, and that's what people are looking for right now."
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This bid marks Villaraigosa's second shot at the top job in Sacramento, losing the first time to Gavin Newsom in 2018.
Other Democrats in the 2024 race for governor include Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, the first to declare her candidacy, state Sen. Toni Atkins, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and former Controller Betty Yee.
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