Among the small army of hopefuls who saw the governor of California, it was not seen more important than toni atkins.
After serving on the San Diego City Council, he moved on to Sacramento, where Attins led a meeting with the State Assembly, just one of three people in history – and the first in 147 years – to go to the houses of the California legislature.
He negotiated eight budgets with two governors and, among other achievements, passed major legislation on abortion rights, aid for low-income families and a $7.5-billion bond.
Don’t agree with his politics but, apparently, Atkins is someone who knows around the capitol.
He married that expertise with the kind of hardcrabble, Up-by-the-bootstraps backstory that a calculating political consultant might have salvaged out of whole cloth, which wasn’t the case.
The Atkins grew up in rural Appalachia in a rented home with an outdoor area. His first pair of them were a gift from a local church club. He didn’t visit the dentist until he was 24. His family was very poor.
However, for all that, the Atkins’ Gubernatorial Campaign did not end even in 2026, when the voters will choose their successor with gavin neeloom called gavin newloom. He quit the race in September, more than eight months before the start.
He has no regrets.
“It was a difficult decision,” Democtat said. “But I’m a strong person.”
He couldn’t and wouldn’t continue to ask that “supporters and people and people give more if the result wasn’t going to be what we were getting,” said Atkins. “I needed a kind of moonshot to do it, and I didn’t see that.”
She spoke recently about zooming in on her home in San Diego, where the Attens recently returned from spending a few weeks in Virginia, taking care of a college friend, one of her college professors.
“I was a first-generation college kid … a hillbilly,” Atkins said. He felt he had no place in the world “and this professor, Steve Fisher, actually helped me plan for me and not be a victim.”
In the 22 months of his campaign – between the launch in January 2024 and its abandonment on September 29 – Atkins traveled in California from Tip to Teo, holding countless meetings. “It’s one thing to be a speaker or [Senate leader]”He said.” People treat you differently when there is an election. You appeal to them to support you, and it’s a different conversation. “
What he heard was a lot of use.
People complain about the high cost of housing, energy and childcare. Californians are concerned about their access to health care. Parents and teachers are concerned about immigration attacks and their effects on children. “It wasn’t presented as a political thing,” Atkins said. “It was just fine [their] Neighbors. “
He heard a lot from business owners and, especially, committed California residents, who are concerned about Sacramento and its appearance from their lives and their lives. “I heard in Tehama County … Folks said, ‘Look, we care about the environment, but we can’t have electric school buses here. We don’t have the infrastructure.’ “
Voters appear to be of two — conflicting — minds about what they want in their next governor.
First, “One will focus on California, California and California issues,” Atkins said. “They want a governor who won’t do it, but they’re very focused on the issues that need help in California.”
Similarly, they see the damage that President Trump and his punitive policies have done to the country in a very short period of time, so “they also want to see a watchman.”
The challenge, Atkins suggested, “is” Atkingling People … The whole will fight for prices in California and, similarly, will focus on repairing the roads. “
Maybe California needs to elect a doctor who breaks the law.
Given his positive and compelling background, why did Atkins’ Campaign Fizzle?
Here’s a clue: the word starts with an “m” and ends with a “y” and it’s about something that’s wrong with our political system.
“I trust my experience and my collaborative nature and my ability to work across team lines when I need to…” Atkins said. “But I didn’t have name recognition.”
Or, a lot, a lot of money needed to build that name to be recognized and elected to state office in California.
While Atkins wasn’t a bad fundraiser, if only he couldn’t raise the tens of millions of dollars needed to run a viable gubernatorial race.
That can be seen as a reference of sorts. If enough people wanted Attorins to be governor, it would honestly raise a lot of money. But who can doubt that money has a holy influence on our choices?
(With the exception of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who spent much of his campaign fighting campaign reform, and members of today’s Supreme Court who were the limitless geyser of today’s campaign spending.)
At 63, the Attins aren’t sure what comes next.
“I lost my parents, but it’s been decades,” she said. “And losing Steve” – his former college professor – “I think I will take a whole year to show. I will always stay engaged … but I will focus on the family” at least until January.
Atkins remains optimistic about his new home status, regardless of his unsuccessful run for governor and the criticism he’s heard along the way.
“California is a place where people dream,” he said. “We still have the power to do great things … We are the fourth largest economy. We are a nation. We need to remember that.”
Without losing sight of the basics.
