La Opinión endorses Becerra, Bass, and five ballot measures

La Opinión has released its official endorsements for the November 2026 general election. The newspaper supports Xavier Becerra for governor and Karen Bass for mayor of Los Angeles. It also backs five specific ballot measures while opposing three others.

The publication stated that voters can rely on Becerra for leadership. The guide notes that past presidents and governors trusted him with major cabinet roles. The paper argues that California needs a governor capable of facing the Trump administration. For the vice governor race, the endorsement goes to Fiona Ma.

In other statewide races, the newspaper supports Shirley N. Weber for Secretary of State and Rob Bonta for attorney general. For the Los Angeles mayoral race, the guide endorses Karen Bass. The paper argues that a vote for Bass represents a move toward solutions rather than a continuation of existing problems. It adds that the opposing candidate has not convinced the editors.

Local endorsements include Marissa Roy for Los Angeles city attorney. Roy promised to protect workers and immigrants. She stated that the largest theft involves companies withholding minimum wage, overtime, and rest periods from employees. The paper also supports Robert Luna for Los Angeles County sheriff and Ben Allen for insurance commissioner.

Several congressional candidates received endorsements. The list includes Hilda Solís in the 38th District, Luz Rivas in the 29th, and Gil Cisneros in the 31st. Other supported representatives are Jimmy Gómez in the 34th, Norma Torres in the 35th, Linda Sánchez in the 41st, Robert García in the 42nd, and Nanette Díaz Barragán in the 44th.

The newspaper voted yes on Proposition 38 to fund disease prevention and research. It opposes Proposition 39, which would require government ID to vote, calling the measure a tool to limit voting rights. Proposition 40, a tax on billionaires, also received a no vote. The editors agreed with opponents that the tax should be decided at the national level.

Voters are urged to approve Proposition 41 to prevent capital from leaving California. Proposition 42, which stops taxing the mere ownership of assets, also received a yes. The paper opposes Proposition 44 because it would penalize community clinics for essential staff costs. It supports Proposition 45 to speed up environmental reviews and construction of affordable housing and infrastructure.

State legislative endorsements include Caroline Menjivar for the 20th Senate District and John Erickson for the 24th. Sara Hernández is supported in the 26th Senate District. Rick Chávez Zbur is endorsed for the 51st Assembly District. The guide also lists endorsements for local city council members in Cudahy, Inglewood, Jurupa Valley, Lynwood, Pico Rivera, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood. School district races in Culver City, Pasadena City College, and Saugus are also included.