California Lieutenant Governor winner?
$99.2K
NOV 7, 2026
General Election
Voters choose the office holder.
Overview
Current roleFormer State Senator
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age71 years old (Jul 10, 1955)
GenderFemale
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LocationCalifornia
BackgroundPolitician
EducationBarstow Community College (AA)
Notable personal detailsGloria J. Romero is an American politician and education reform advocate who served in the California State Assembly (1998–2001) and California State Senate (2001–2010), including as Senate Majority Leader (2005–2008). She has focused on education policy, including serving as chair of the Senate Education Committee and advocating for school choice initiatives. She earned degrees from Barstow Community College, California State University, Long Beach, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside. She switched her party registration to the Republican Party in 2024 and is a 2026 candidate for California lieutenant governor.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Healthcare
As a California state senator, Gloria Romero voted in favor of SB 840 (the California Universal Healthcare Agency) and supported establishing a single-payer, universal health coverage system for California. Her current campaign materials for lieutenant governor emphasize education and other issues but do not present a new healthcare position on the campaign site.
Immigration & Border
Gloria Romero has criticized federal handling of the U.S.–Mexico border and has publicly discussed the “border crisis,” but her campaign website does not present a detailed immigration or border-security policy. She has switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party and expressed support for Republican leaders, but there are no clear, comprehensive policy proposals on asylum, deportation, or pathways to legal status on her campaign pages.
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Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports abortion access in general (self-described as pro-choice) but has stated opposition to allowing abortion to full term, indicating support for limits on late-term abortions. Positions combine support for reproductive choice with expressed reservations about unrestricted late-term procedures.
Climate & Energy
The candidate emphasizes streamlined land and coastal management, faster rebuilding after fires, and working with federal partners to develop untapped energy reserves while opposing regulatory actions such as proposed bans on gas stoves. Her public materials prioritize fire prevention, faster permitting, and facilitating energy development alongside environmental protection. These positions indicate support for energy development and opposition to aggressive regulatory measures on household appliances.
News
Gloria Romero is in the news as Steve Hilton’s running mate in California’s lieutenant governor race. Recent coverage has focused on her switch from Democrat to Republican and on her campaign themes, especially education reform, housing, and economic competitiveness. She has also publicly backed Hilton’s campaign appearances, including his recent Del Taco stop in Barstow.
Fiona Ma v. Josh Fryday v. Michael Tubbs v. Gloria Romero. We ask. They answer.
John Seiler: Education reformer Gloria Romero aims for lieutenant governor
Matt Fleming: Can Steve Hilton win over Latino voters?
Steve Hilton visit to Barstow Del Taco sparks social media buzz
Endorsements
Endorsers of Gloria Romero for California Lieutenant Governor winner?
California Republican Assembly
Elected official
The California Republican Assembly endorsed Gloria Romero for lieutenant governor.
California Republican Party
Elected official
The California Republican Party endorsed Gloria Romero for lieutenant governor.
Reform California
Elected official
Reform California endorsed Gloria Romero for lieutenant governor.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Fundraising