SACRAMENTO, Calif.  –  Former State Controller Betty Yee released the following statement after suspending her gubernatorial campaign:

“The 2026 governor’s race has been one of the most unusual, unpredictable, and unsettling races in modern California history. None of us could have imagined the twists and disturbing turns this race has taken.

“But through it all, my values and vision for California never wavered.  My campaign stayed grounded in the simple, but powerful principles I learned growing up as the child of immigrants: integrity matters, character counts, and protecting our communities – and one another – is a shared responsibility.

“I spent my entire career working to make government more accountable, more transparent, and more responsive to the people it serves. I’ve fought for a California where dignity, respect, and opportunity are not reserved for the few, but afforded to all. That commitment is stronger than ever.  Campaigns end, but the work of serving Californians and fighting for a more accountable, inclusive future goes on.”

Betty Yee Full Remarks (As Prepared)

Thank you everyone. I appreciate you being here and for all you are doing to cover the governor’s race.

This has been one of the most unusual, unpredictable, and unsettling races in modern California history. None of us could have imagined the twists, and disturbing turns, this race has taken.

But through it all, my values and vision for California never wavered. My campaign stayed grounded in the simple, but powerful principles I learned growing up as the child of immigrants: integrity matters, character counts, and protecting our community – and one another – is a shared responsibility.

I spent my entire career working to make government more accountable, more transparent, and more responsive to the people it serves. I’ve fought for a California where dignity, respect, and opportunity are not reserved for the few, but afforded to all.

From my first public position as a public health commissioner during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, to state budget director, member of the State Board of Equalization and twice- elected California state controller, I’ve been committed to the painstaking, unglamorous work needed to improve programs and lives – because I know and have seen first-hand that implementation and delivery matter. It is what is expected of government.

Over the course of this campaign, I have traveled across our state—listening to families, workers, small business owners, and community leaders.

  • I sat in living rooms with parents who are struggling to help their kids with their homework after long commutes home from work.
  • I talked with small business owners who feel squeezed out by high costs and regulations.
  • I met with farmers and farmworkers who worry about their future – that is so embedded in water supply, automation, and immigration policies.
  • I stood outside warehouses in the IE with families suffering from asthma, cancer, and the threats of more homes being razed for even more warehouses.
  • I met with educators at an elementary school in the Tijuana River Valley, where students come to school with headaches and are kept inside during recess to avoid exposure to the toxic sewage pollution.
  • I met with immigrants throughout the state who inspire me with their courage to do all they can to care for their families when living in such perilous conditions and while carrying unaddressed trauma.
  • I’ve had many meetings where I have shared time with young people who are acutely aware of the mental health and substance use challenges among their peers yet are committed to be the solution to address them.
  • And the leaders of our rural regions of California who are often overlooked by DC and Sacramento, watching them demonstrate how they are innovating everyday through strategic partnerships to ensure their communities are thriving.

The stories I heard and the people I met, have etched in my mind a video loop that replays throughout my day, and in the middle of the night, guiding my thoughts and strengthening my resolve to continue the work ahead.

That work will continue, but today, I am suspending my campaign for Governor.

Public service has been the honor of my lifetime, but attentive leadership requires one to recognize the times we’re in, understand the ills and challenges we face, and how best to serve. I will have more to say about my experiences and observations in the coming weeks and months.

To every volunteer, every supporter, every donor, every person who put their trust in me—I thank you. This campaign has always been about something much bigger than any one candidate. It’s about building a California where opportunity is real and owned, where government regains trust by being responsive and accountable, and where no one is left behind. It is a vision of a global economy where prosperity is shared and where each among us has agency in that vision. It is a vision not of the status quo, or of a time past, but one that elevates our state to new heights and possibilities because of our people, talent, and grit — we are that good.

I am deeply proud of the grassroots campaign we built together. We led with substance, heart, hope, integrity, and with a commitment to telling the truth—even when it wasn’t easy. And we did it alongside a coalition that believes, as I do, that California’s best days are still ahead when our communities are prioritized, not special interests.

And I will never stop fighting for that future. In the near term, California has House seats to win. We have communities to protect. And we have an upcoming election where we must ensure voting rights are respected.

And finally, I cannot say enough about the anchors of this campaign: my campaign team, my neighbors, my family, my husband, and my mother.

To my campaign team, thank you for the rigor of your work, your honesty, and your professional ethics.

To my neighbors who not only watched over our home but welcomed me deeper into their lives and shared their experiences, struggles, and hopes, thank you.

To my family, especially my siblings for their emotional, financial, support and sacrifice, thank you.

To my husband Steven who is a true life partner and understands the demands and rewards of public life, I love you.

And finally, to my mother now 103 years old and whose life, voice, and wisdom are my compass, you are right — we know what we gotta to do to fix our state. And yes, I will continue to go do it.