State: Lt. Governor

(cahighways.org) Fiona Ma is the current Treasurer, and is termed out. She’s set her eyes on Lt. Governor, presumably as a stepping stone to the Governor’s mansion. The plans started early: In March 2019, she announced she would run for the 2026 California gubernatorial election. In March 2023, she pivoted and announced that she would be running for the 2026 California lieutenant gubernatorial election instead.

Her official bio notes that she was the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position of Treasurer. Wikipedia notes that she previously was a member of the California Board of Equalization (2015–2019), the California State Assembly (2006–2012), and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (2002–2006). She was the first Asian American woman to serve as California Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore. She was selected as Chairperson of the California Board of Equalization in 2016, and ordered three external audits of the agency. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Rochester Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in taxation from Golden Gate University, and a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University.

Wikipedia notes that in 2021, Ma was accused of sexual harassment and racial discrimination in a lawsuit filed by a former employee. The suit was settled in 2024 by the state of California for $350,000.

In terms of issues, the following is buried in her “Why I’m Running” page: “I’ll continue to fight to grow our economy, attract investment, and create high-quality jobs. I’ll work to make college more affordable and ensure seniors can age with dignity. Having lived with a pre-existing condition and seen my mother struggle with depression, I will continue the fight for healthcare access for everyone. And as the spouse of a firefighter, I will champion our first responders and public safety personnel so we can feel safe in our homes, work and walking on our streets. And as a real estate tax accountant, I am committed to build more housing so everyone can afford to live in our great state.” The problem is that most of these goals are not in the wheelhouse of the LG, other than as part of the economic plan.

She has some interesting endorsements, notably Eleni Kounalakis the current LG, and Shirley Weber, the current Secretary of State. She also has a lot of union endorsements. and  tons of organizational endorsements. She had the endorsements of our two local congresscritters, Brad Sherman and George Whitesides.  She is definately the leader on endorsements.