# Lieutenant Governor

URL: https://www.californiapeople.org/candidates/lieutenant-governor

- office: Lieutenant Governor
- what_the_job_is: First in line to succeed the governor; acting governor when the governor is out of state; president of the state Senate with a tie-breaking vote; sits on the UC Regents, CSU Trustees, community college board and State Lands Commission. Budget of nearly $3M. Mostly a platform job.
- candidates: [Fiona Ma (D), Gloria Romero (R)]

# Lieutenant Governor: what to look for
Real power is limited to votes on the university boards and the State Lands Commission, plus succession. The best evidence is a record on higher education, public lands, and readiness to be governor.

## Fiona Ma (D) — "State Treasurer/CPA"

### Key findings
- As Treasurer, launched **CalSavers** (2019). By July 2026 it held **$1.89B** in 655,000 funded accounts, but the average balance is **$2,877** and about **35%** of workers opt out. [^1]
- The state paid **$350K** in 2024 to settle a former staffer's sexual-harassment suit. Ma denies wrongdoing. [^2]
- On the Board of Equalization, requested investigations of the agency; a 2017 audit led to it being stripped of most duties. [^3][^4]
- **No higher-education governance role** in her résumé (Assembly, BOE, Treasurer), though the job's main votes are on the UC and CSU boards.

### Résumé
- CPA. San Francisco Board of Supervisors 2002–2006; State Assembly 2006–2012 (majority whip, then Speaker pro Tem 2010–2012); Board of Equalization 2015–2019 (chair 2016–2017); State Treasurer since Jan 2019. [^5][^6]

### Track record (sourced)
- As a legislator, wrote a ban on certain chemicals in baby and children's products whose language was later used in the federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. [^5]
- On the Board of Equalization, publicly requested outside investigations of the agency. A 2017 Department of Finance audit found employees in revenue jobs had been reassigned to board members' outreach events; Gov. Brown then referred the matter to prosecutors and froze the board's hiring and contracting, and the Legislature stripped most BOE duties that June. Ma welcomed Brown's action. Reporting does not support the stronger claim that she "initiated" the audits herself. [^3][^4]
- As Treasurer: launched CalSavers retirement program (2019); state GO bonds upgraded by Fitch and Moody's in 2019; LAO credited the Treasurer with refinancing much of the state's bond debt to lower annual costs; chaired the Tax Credit Allocation Committee that awards affordable-housing tax credits; ran COVID emergency loan program for health facilities. [^5]
- Sits on the CalHFA board and signed the official ballot argument for Prop 37. [^7]
- Her stated higher-ed idea is for CSU to raise revenue through partnerships with private companies. [^8] Her résumé shows no direct higher-education governance role.

### Concerns (sourced)
- A former employee sued in 2021 alleging sexual harassment (including sharing hotel rooms and a staff house); a judge let the harassment claims go to trial, and the state paid $350,000 to settle in 2024. Ma denies it, called the suit "frivolous," and did not admit wrongdoing. [^2]
- Shared hotel rooms 13 times with her chief of staff over two years, which she called cost-saving. [^5]
- A former staffer alleged that a caviar seller stayed with Ma and her staff on work trips. [^9] I could not find any finding of wrongdoing on this.
- Endorsements: California Labor Federation, Building Trades, AFSCME. Raised ~$2.8M by the primary. [^6][^4]

## Gloria Romero (R) — "Educator/Businesswoman"

### Key findings
- Wrote the 2010 **"parent trigger"** law, which lets parents force changes at failing schools. [^10]
- State Senate Majority Leader 2005–08 (the first woman in the role). **Hasn't held office since 2010.** [^11]
- Switched to the Republican Party in Sept 2024. She is Hilton's running mate. [^12][^10]

### Résumé
- Born in Barstow (San Bernardino County); Ph.D. in psychology, UC Riverside; university professor. State Assembly 1998–2001; State Senate 2001–2010 representing East LA/San Gabriel Valley; Senate Majority Leader 2005–2008 (first woman); chaired Senate Education and Public Safety committees. [^11][^10]
- After leaving office: led the California chapter of Democrats for Education Reform; founded Scholarship Prep Charter School (TK–8). Switched to the Republican Party Sept 4, 2024. Running as Hilton's ticket-mate. [^11]

### Track record (sourced)
- Authored and passed the Parent Empowerment Act of 2010 ("parent trigger"), letting a majority of parents at a low-performing school force a restructuring. [^10][^11]
- Ran for Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2010 and finished third with 17%. [^11]
- Stated Lt. Gov. priorities: more transparency on public-university faculty pay and housing allowances; more student representation on UC Regents. [^8]

### Concerns (sourced)
- Has not held office since 2010. Switched her registration to Republican at a Sacramento news conference on Sept 4, 2024, saying of the Democratic Party, "I do not recognize it anymore, and I cannot continue," and said she would vote for Trump. [^12] Her positions shifted with the switch (crime, gender identity, COVID lockdowns, school choice), and she has called RFK Jr. a "personal hero." [^10]
- Endorsements: California Republican Party, Reform California. [^6]

## Context
- Primary: Ma and Romero each near 20% in early returns. [^8]

## Sources
[^1]: State Treasurer, CalSavers snapshot (July 2026). https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/sites/default/files/calsavers/July_2026_Participation_Snapshot_Report.pdf
[^2]: AP on Ma settlement. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/former-california-employee-350k-settle-sexual-harassment-claims-113283548
[^3]: LA Times on BOE audit (via Ma campaign site). https://fionama.com/news/2017/gov-brown-calls-for-an-investigation-of-alleged-mismanagement-at-californias-tax-board
[^4]: KQED on BOE nepotism audit (Sept 11, 2017). https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101861564/ongoing-personnel-audit-finds-nepotism-conflicts-at-state-tax-department
[^5]: Wikipedia (secondary). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Ma
[^6]: CalMatters Lt. Gov. guide. https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/lieutenant-governor/
[^7]: Official Voter Guide, Prop 37 arguments. https://vig.cdn.sos.ca.gov/2026/general/pdf/prop37.pdf
[^8]: KQED (June 2026). https://www.kqed.org/news/12086094/democrat-ma-and-republican-romero-in-a-close-race-for-lieutenant-governor
[^9]: Sacramento Bee on caviar seller (via Yahoo). https://news.yahoo.com/caviar-seller-stayed-california-treasurer-130000987.html
[^10]: LA Magazine (Jan 16, 2026). https://lamag.com/news-and-politics/democrat-turned-republican-gloria-romero-declares-candidacy-for-lieutenant-governor/
[^11]: Wikipedia (secondary). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Romero_(politician)
[^12]: Spectrum News on Romero party switch (Sept 4, 2024). https://spectrumlocalnews.com/ca/california/politics/2024/09/04/gloria-romero--former-democratic-state-senate-leader--switches-to-gop
[^13]: Lt. Governor's office, about the office (boards and duties). https://ltg.ca.gov/about-the-office-of-lt-governor/