You likely know how you’ll vote for governor, but what about California’s other statewide races? After interviewing the candidates, and considering their positions on the issues, the Southern California News Group’s Editorial Board is making these endorsements for the November 2022 election.
You can read our full endorsements in the links below to understand our reasons for our decisions.
Related: Read our full list of endorsements for the November 2022 election
Lieutenant Governor
Eleni Kounalakis has lived up to her campaign promises from four years ago, and has done a fine job as lieutenant governor, earning re-election and your vote.
Secretary of State
Shirley Weber, who became secretary of state after Alex Padilla was appointed to the U.S. Senate, is doing an important job with vigor and should be returned to office.
Attorney GeneralAlthough Rob Bonta has been on the job a relatively short time, he has amassed a solid record as being fair-minded – something the previous two attorney generals were not. Bonta deserves your support in November.
State Controller
Lanhee Chen would bring competence and independence to the office of controller, the state’s official accountant. He has drawn support from across the political spectrum, and deserves your vote.
State Treasurer
Jack Guerrero has an impressive resume, which includes helping expose a financial scandal in his city. He also has the financial background and fiscal know-how to become California’s next state treasurer.
Superintendent of Public Instruction
California has the lowest literacy rate of any state, according to a recent survey – one reason why our broken education system needs a major shakeup. Electing Lance Christensen the next superintendent of public instruction would provide just that.
Insurance Commissioner
Here’s why our opinion team didn’t endorse anyone in the California Insurance Commissioner race.
U.S. Senate
Sen. Alex Padilla is is a champion for voting rights, and a proud and passionate advocate for Southern California, where he’s from. He very much deserves your vote, says The Editorial Board.
Statewide ballot measures
Sourcing & Methodology
To help you make decisions about the numerous candidates, measures, propositions and other races on your ballot, our editorial board (made up of opinion writers and editors), makes recommendations every election. The process is completely separate from newsroom reporting and journalists. With the exception of our executive editor, the members of our editorial board are not news reporters or editors.
Sal Rodriguez, the opinion editor for the Southern California News Group’s 11 newspapers, heads the editorial board and guides our stances on public policy and political matters.
Every week, our team analyzes legislation, monitors political developments, interviews elected officials or policy advocates and writes editorials on the issues of the day. Unsigned editorials reflect the consensus of our editorial board, with the aim of offering arguments that are empirically sound and intellectually consistent.
We apply this same process when considering to endorse candidates.
As a practical matter, we are selective in which races we endorse in. We endorse on all statewide ballot measures, competitive congressional races, select races for the state legislature and select countywide and city elections.
We identify credible candidates through surveys and interviews, deliberate based on our editorial precedent and in light of contemporary realities, and issue endorsements accordingly.
