Former California Assemblymember and Bitcoin advocate Ian Calderon has kicked off his campaign for California governor in 2026, entering a crowded and competitive race to replace Gavin Newsom.
Calderon confirmed his bid for governor in a post to X on Tuesday, centering most of his promises around affordable homes, groceries and gas while positioning himself as a Bitcoin (BTC) proponent.
“My generation pays bills on our phones, we send money to each other with Venmo and we save in Bitcoin — but the people running our government, they’re trying to use yesterday’s ideas to solve today’s problems, and it isn’t working,” he said.
It’s time for a new generation of leadership in California. pic.twitter.com/WmXIJcC1j1
— Ian Calderon (@IanCalderon) September 23, 2025
Calderon placed extra emphasis on Bitcoin in a separate X post, stating: “California has always been a leader on technology. It’s time for us to get back to our roots and make California the undisputed leader on Bitcoin.”
Lawmakers at the federal and state levels have more widely promised crypto-friendly policies in their campaigns after the crypto lobby emerged as a top donor during the 2024 elections, spending millions on successful bids from Donald Trump and multiple lawmakers.
Calderon entered California’s legislature in 2012 at 27 years old, making him the youngest member at the time. He served until 2020, leading California’s Blockchain Working Group and laying the foundation for the state’s blockchain roadmap.
California is the most populous US state with a $4.3 trillion economy. State lawmakers recently moved forward with a bill that would allow state agencies to accept crypto for payments, but it hasn’t seen the same level of support and progress for a Bitcoin reserve as other states.
Calderon hints at promise of state Bitcoin reserve
During a livestream on X, Calderon said he believed that “California should be holding Bitcoin on its balance sheet.”
“Once I’m governor, I’m going to make sure that we hold Bitcoin on our balance sheet,” he added.
Calderon also said he’d push for California to use Bitcoin as a way to pay for state programs.
Calderon faces fierce competition
California will go to the polls for its gubernatorial election on Nov. 3, 2026. Calderon is a long shot to win as several more established candidates are vying to succeed Newsom, who cannot seek reelection at the end of his second term.
The race opened up in late July when former Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed that she wouldn’t run for the position.
Related: California moves forward bill to accept crypto for state payments
Polling shows former Democratic Congresswoman Katie Porter is the current frontrunner, followed by Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is running as a Republican, and former Republican political adviser and FOX News contributor Steve Hilton.
Calderon wanted Bitcoin as legal tender in California
While out of politics for the past five years, Calderon worked with Satoshi Action Fund CEO Dennis Porter to introduce a bill exploring Bitcoin as legal tender in early 2022.
However, the proposal has made little to no progress since then.
Magazine: US risks being ‘front run’ on Bitcoin reserve by other nations: Samson Mow