2026 California Insurance Commissioner election

2026 California Insurance Commissioner election

The 2026 California Insurance Commissioner election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the Insurance Commissioner of California. Under California's nonpartisan blanket primary law, all candidates appear on the same ballot and the top two finishers, regardless of party, will advance to the general election in November, even if a candidate manages to receive a majority of the votes cast in the primary election. Incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election to a third term.

The role was previously seen as largely ceremonial in nature, however wildfires in (/wiki/2017Californiawildfires), (/wiki/2018Californiawildfires), and (/wiki/Palisadesfire) have increased the position's importance and scrutiny.

Candidates

Declared

• Ben Allen, state senator from the 24th district (2014–present) • Steven Bradford, former state senator from the 35th district (2016–2024) (previously ran for lieutenant governor) • Jane Kim, former executive director of the California Working Families Party, former San Francisco supervisor from the 6th district (2011–2019), runner-up for California's 11th senate district in (/wiki/2016CaliforniaStateSenateelection#District11), and candidate for mayor of San Francisco in (/wiki/2018SanFranciscomayoralspecialelection) • Patrick Wolff, chess grandmaster and financial analyst

Declined

• Mike McGuire, President pro tempore of the California State Senate (2024–present) from the 2nd district (2014–present) (running for U.S. House, endorsed Allen)

Declared

• Eric Thor Aarnio, contractor • Merritt Farren, attorney • Robert Howell, runner-up for Insurance Commissioner in (/wiki/2022CaliforniaInsuranceCommissionerelection) • Stacy Korsgaden, insurance agent • Sean Lee, finance executive

• Eduardo "Lalo" Vargas, high school teacher and candidate for Los Angeles's 14th City Council district in (/wiki/2024LosAngeleselections#District14)

Primary election

Results

<table><thead><tr><th>Party</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes</th><th>%</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Patrick Wolff</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Sean Lee</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>American Independent</td><td>Keith Davis</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Robert Howell</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Steven Bradford</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Merritt Farren</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Ben Allen</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Eric Aarnio</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><td>Jane Kim</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><td>Stacy Korsgaden</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Peace and Freedom</td><td>Eduardo "Lalo" Vargas</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Total votes</td><td></td><td>100.0%</td></tr></tbody></table>