California Governor Race Kicks Off at NUHW Leadership Conference

California's gubernatorial race took a significant step forward as four prominent candidates shared the stage at the NUHW’s annual Leadership Conference in San Francisco. This marked the first joint appearance for the contenders, who addressed key questions from journalists and union members.

A non-binding straw poll conducted by the NUHW, which included over 300 of its leaders present at the conference and additional members participating remotely, indicated State Superintendent for Public Instruction Tony Thurmond as the leading candidate. However, the union plans to make an official endorsement after next year's Leadership Conference in Los Angeles.

NUHW President Sophia Mendoza expressed appreciation for the candidates' participation, stating, “We are very appreciative to the candidates who took the time to meet our members this weekend and discuss the issues that are of concern to healthcare workers and California’s working families.” She added that the forum was an impressive start to the gubernatorial campaign.

The NUHW Leadership Conference has increasingly become a pivotal event for initiating major statewide elections, drawing 19,000 members from across California. In previous years, the union hosted first forums for the 2018 governor's race and the 2024 U.S. Senate race. This year's forum was co-presented with the Los Angeles Times, the union's official media partner.

The event caught the attention of multiple news organizations, including the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, CalMatters, and Politico.

Joining Thurmond at the forum were State Senator Toni Atkins, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, and former State Controller Betty Yee. The candidates tackled significant topics, including housing affordability, public safety, and healthcare policies.

A consensus emerged among the candidates regarding the future of healthcare in California. They all backed the initiative for a single-payer, Medicare for All-style system as outlined in SB 770. This legislation, signed by Governor Newsom last year and supported by Healthy California Now, encourages state and federal discourse to establish the first Medicare-for-All system in the U.S.

The candidates also shared their plans to expedite health plan investigations, aligning with the requirements of AB 3221. This bill, supported by NUHW and recently signed by Governor Newsom, mandates quicker regulatory processes by bodies like the California Department of Managed Health Care.

The discussion was moderated by Lisa Matthews, Associated Press National Planning Editor, alongside Politico’s Melanie Mason and Los Angeles Times’ Laurel Rosenhall. The NUHW is scheduled to host another forum at its 2025 conference in Los Angeles on September 28, where a binding endorsement vote will follow.

NUHW President Emeritus Sal Rosselli remarked, “We’re proud that NUHW has become the launching point for major statewide races, and we’re excited for our members to continue to learn more about the candidates who are running to be our next governor before they decide our union’s endorsement.”

The forum is available for viewing on NUHW’s YouTube channel and will also be rebroadcast on C-SPAN. Viewers can check www.C-SPAN.org for scheduling details.

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