Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero

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Set us as preferred The race for California’s next lieutenant governor offers voters a familiar choice between a Democrat and Republican to succeed termed-out Lt.Gov.

Eleni Kounalakis.The job is largely a ceremonial post, but if the sitting governor dies, resigns or is removed from office, then the lieutenant governor would be elevated to take over.In the June primary, state Treasurer Fiona Ma finished first with 19.1% of the approximately 8.5 million ballots cast.In second was former State Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, with 17.8%.

Voters will pick a winner on Nov.3.

Here is how the race breaks down.California California’s general election takes place on Novemer 3.

Learn about L.A.’s city and county races as well races for state office.The California Democratic Party is backing Ma, whose quarter-century in electoral politics includes stints on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, in the State Assembly and on the State Board of Equalization.She was elected treasurer in 2019 and is termed out.The California Republican Party has endorsed Romero, who has been campaigning with Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton on what the two term a “golden ticket” (though voters elect each office separately).The Republican designation is relatively new for Romero.

She was a Democrat when she served in the Legislature from 1998 to 2010.She became a Republican in 2024, asserting that Democratic party standards no longer aligned with her beliefs.“I consider myself to be common sense, a new Republican with the values of American exceptionalism that once upon a time the Democratic party stood for, but it’s been overrun by the socialists and the communists that have taken over the party,” she told the Times.Ma’s parents emigrated from China and eventually settled in New York.

Her father started a design and manufacturing firm, and her mother was a high school art teacher.Fiona Ma played spo...