In a non-binding straw poll that followed a candidate forum sponsored by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, held in San Francisco Sunday, September 29, NUHW members in attendance and watching remotely from across the state said they preferred Thurmond at this early stage of the race.
Watch archived video of the forum at NUHW’s YouTube channel.
SAN FRANCISCO — Tony Thurmond has secured the first victory in the race for California governor. California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction won a straw poll today by the National Union of Healthcare Workers that followed a forum earlier in the day during which four of the top declared Democratic candidates for governor in 2026 appeared on stage together for the first time to answer questions from a panel of independent journalists before an audience of union healthcare workers.
Participating in Sunday’s forum were State Sen. Toni Atkins, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former State Controller Betty Yee, and Thurmond. The candidates addressed critical issues including housing affordability, public safety and health care policy.
All four candidates voiced support for ongoing efforts for California to transition toward a single-payer Medicare for All-style healthcare system as laid out in SB 770. The bill, sponsored by Healthy California Now and signed into law last year by Gov. Newsom, calls on state and federal officials to begin talks that would build a framework for California to potentially become the nation’s first Medicare for All state.
The candidates also discussed how they would press regulators, such as the California Department of Managed Health Care, to conduct faster, more efficient investigations of health plans as required under AB 3221, a bill sponsored by NUHW that Gov. Newsom signed into law on Friday.
The forum was moderated by Associated Press National Planning Editor Lisa Matthews, who was joined on stage by Politico Senior Political Writer Melanie Mason and the Los Angeles Times’ California Politics Editor Laurel Rosenhall.
Following the forum, NUHW conducted a non-binding straw poll of the more than 300 leaders from across the state in the audience and additional members watching remotely. While the union won’t make an official endorsement until after it holds another forum at its leadership conference next year in Los Angeles, Thurmond was the leading vote-getter.
“We are very appreciative to the candidates who took the time to meet our members this weekend and discuss the issues that are of concern to healthcare workers and California’s working families,” NUHW President Sophia Mendoza said. “It’s an impressive field of candidates that appeared on our stage and this forum was a great start to the gubernatorial campaign.”
Next year, NUHW will welcome the four candidates as well as others who might join the race to its 2025 conference on Sept. 28 in Los Angeles for another forum. Union members will then vote on whom NUHW should endorse and direct resources to, including volunteer campaign workers and political contributions. The endorsement vote next year is binding.
NUHW’s Leadership Conference has become the starting point for major statewide elections. The union, which has 19,000 members in California, hosted the first candidate forums of the 2018 governor’s race and the 2024 U.S. Senate race among leading Democratic candidates. This year’s forum was presented in conjunction with the Los Angeles Times, which served as NUHW’s official media partner.
“We’re proud that NUHW has become the launching point for major statewide races, and we’re excited for our members to continue to learn more about the candidates who are running to be our next governor before they decide our union’s endorsement,” said NUHW President Emeritus Sal Rosselli.
Archived video of the 2024 NUHW California Governor Candidate Forum can be viewed on the L.A. Times website and on the NUHW YouTube channel. The forum also will be rebroadcast on C-SPAN, check C-SPAN.org for date and time.
