Former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs is running for lieutenant governor in 2026. The 33-year-old, who rose to national prominence as an advocate for universal basic income, launched his campaign on Wednesday.
Tubbs is running on an anti-poverty, social justice message coupled with generational change. That message is personal for Tubbs. He grew up with a single mother, who gave birth to him at age 16. His father has been incarcerated all his life.
A standout student in high school, Tubbs was accepted to Stanford University on a scholarship. He earned a B.A. in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, followed by an M.A. in Policy, Leadership and Organization Studies.
Just months after graduating, he became Stockton’s youngest city council member. Despite a DUI arrest, he was able to grow his star power and, in 2017, he became the city’s youngest mayor. Under Tubbs’ leadership, Stockton launched the nation’s first city-sponsored UBI program.
In a major upset, Tubbs lost his 2020 bid for re-election. As California City News wrote at the time, “no one believes this is the end of the road for Tubbs.”
Tubbs currently serves as an economic mobility adviser to Gov. Gavin Newsom. He would succeed Eleni Kounalakis, who is termed out and running for governor in 2026.