Tony Thurmond

Office sought: Governor
Party: Democratic
Ballot designation: Superintendent of Public Instruction

Background

Biography. Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography. Thurmond earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Temple University. He went on to earn his master’s degree in social work and master’s in law and social policy from Bryn Mawr College. [1] Professionally, Thurmond has pursued a career in social work. At the time of his tenure, he was the youth education director at the Lincoln Child Center. He served on the Richmond City Council from 2005 to 2008 and as Council Liaison to Richmond’s Youth Commission and Workforce Investment Board and the Council Liaison to the West Contra Costa Unified School District. He was also a member of the California League of Cities Environmental Policy Committee and the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee. He was a Fellow in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Children and Family Fellowship program. [1] Additionally, he served on the West Contra Costa County School Board from 2008 to 2012. [1]

Prior offices and election history

2026

See also: California gubernatorial election, 2026 California gubernatorial election, 2026 (June 2 top-two primary) General election The primary will occur on June 2, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary. Nonpartisan primary election Nonpartisan primary for Governor of California The following candidates are running in the primary for Governor of California on June 2, 2026. Candidate Akinyemi Agbede (D) Mohammad Arif (D) Submit photo James Athans Jr. (R) Submit photo Larry D. Azevedo (D) Submit photo Naomi Bar-Lev (No party preference) Xavier Becerra (D) Chad Bianco (R) Carolina Buhler (D) Submit photo Joseph Cabrera (No party preference) Submit photo Elaine Culotti (No party preference) Submit photo Louis De Barraicua (D) Patricia De Luca Basualdo (R) Submit photo LivingForGod DeMott (No party preference) Submit photo Randeep Dhillon (R) Submit photo Sophia Edum-a-Sam (D) Serge Fiankan (No party preference) Submit photo Lukasz Filinski (No party preference) Max Fomin (No party preference) Derek Grasty (D) Don Grundmann (No party preference) Submit photo Jon Henderson (No party preference) Lewis Herms (No party preference) Submit photo Rafael Hernandez (R) Steve Hilton (R) Joel Jacob (D) Submit photo Dawit Kellel (No party preference) Submit photo Gary Kidgell (D) Anne Komarovsk (No party preference) Submit photo Alicia Lapp (R) Submit photo Matthew Levy (D) Submit photo Duane Loynes Jr. (No party preference) Matt Mahan (D) Amanda Martin (No party preference) Submit photo Brent Maupin (No party preference) Daniel Mercuri (No party preference) Submit photo Leo Naranjo IV (R) Tim Nelson (R) Mauro Alberto Orozco (No party preference) Thunder Parley (D) Katie Porter (D) Raji Rab (D) Submit photo Satish Rao (D) Ramsey Robinson (Peace and Freedom Party) Reza Safarnejad (No party preference) Submit photo Sam Sandak (No party preference) Christine Sarmiento (No party preference) Frederic Schultz (No party preference) Barack D. Obama Shaw (D) Submit photo Scott Shields (D) Submit photo Gretha Solórzano (R) Thomas Steyer (D) Eric Swalwell (D) (Unofficially withdrew) Tony Thurmond (D) Submit photo Margaret Trowe (No party preference) Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Tom Woodard (L) Betty Yee (D) (Unofficially withdrew) Nancy Young (No party preference) Leo Zacky (R) Submit photo Erin Zezulak (D) Submit photo David Zickefoose (R) Butch Ware (G) (Write-in) There are no incumbents in this race. = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. Withdrawn or disqualified candidates Ché Ahn (R) Leonard Jackson (No party preference) Kyle Langford (R) Ebony Taylor (R) Toni Atkins (D) Sharifah Hardie (R) Eleni Kounalakis (D) Ethan Agarwal (D) Brandon Jones (R) Jesse Alberti (No party preference) Javen Allen (No party preference) Nicholas Thompson (L) George Slivka (D) Jon Slavet (R) Tony Fitzpatrick (No party preference) Ian Charles Calderon (D) Michael Younger (D)

2026 — Endorsements

Thurmond received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here . Abolish ICE: join the pledge! (Sway voting group by Conscious Lee) Abolish ICE: join the pledge! (Sway voting group by Monte Mader) Abolish ICE: join the pledge! (Sway voting group by Qasim Rashid) Abolish ICE: join the pledge! (Sway voting group by Rachel Cohen) Ba’ath Party of California (Sway voting group by Alan Wang) CalMatters Voter Guide (Sway voting group by CalMatters) California Faculty Association’s Voting Group (Sway voting group by California Faculty Association) East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club’s Voting Group (Sway voting group by East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club) Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club’s Voting Group (Sway voting group by Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club) KQED Voter Guide (Sway voting group by KQED) New Deal Dems (Sway voting group by Hunter Dunn) iVoterGuide California (Sway voting group by iVoterGuide)

2022

See also: California Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2022 General election General election for California Superintendent of Public Instruction Incumbent Tony Thurmond defeated Lance Christensen in the general election for California Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 8, 2022. Candidate % Votes ✔ Tony Thurmond (Nonpartisan) 63.7 5,681,318 Lance Christensen (Nonpartisan) 36.3 3,237,785 Incumbents are bolded and underlined . The results have been certified. Source Total votes: 8,919,103 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. Nonpartisan primary election Nonpartisan primary for California Superintendent of Public Instruction The following candidates ran in the primary for California Superintendent of Public Instruction on June 7, 2022. Candidate % Votes ✔ Tony Thurmond (Nonpartisan) 45.9 2,881,684 ✔ Lance Christensen (Nonpartisan) 11.9 745,003 Ainye Long (Nonpartisan) 11.1 699,331 George Yang (Nonpartisan) 11.1 694,073 Marco Amaral (Nonpartisan) 8.7 547,389 Jim Gibson (Nonpartisan) 7.5 468,078 Joseph Campbell (Nonpartisan) 3.9 241,984 Incumbents are bolded and underlined . The results have been certified. Source Total votes: 6,277,542 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: California Superintendent of Public Instruction election, 2018 General election General election for California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond defeated Marshall Tuck in the general election for California Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 6, 2018. Candidate % Votes ✔ Tony Thurmond (Nonpartisan) 50.9 5,385,912 Marshall Tuck (Nonpartisan) 49.1 5,198,738 There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source Total votes: 10,584,650 (100.00% precincts reporting) = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. Nonpartisan primary election Nonpartisan primary for California Superintendent of Public Instruction Marshall Tuck and Tony Thurmond defeated Lily Ploski and Steven Ireland in the primary for California Superintendent of Public Instruction on June 5, 2018. Candidate % Votes ✔ Marshall Tuck (Nonpartisan) 37.0 2,223,784 ✔ Tony Thurmond (Nonpartisan) 35.6 2,136,919 Lily Ploski (Nonpartisan) 16.4 984,932 Steven Ireland (Nonpartisan) 11.0 658,786 There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Total votes: 6,004,421 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018 — Endorsements

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) California Teachers Association The Los Angeles Times [3] The Sacramento Bee [4] Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.) Congressman Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Calif.) Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.) Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.) Congressman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) Congressman Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) Congresswoman Norma Torres (D-Calif.) Congressman Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) Click here for full list of Thurmond’s supporters.

2016

See also: California State Assembly elections, 2016 Elections for the California State Assembly took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 25, 2016, for candidates filing with signatures. The deadline for candidates using a filing fee to qualify was March 11, 2016. [5] Incumbent Tony Thurmond defeated Claire Chiara in the California State Assembly District 15 general election. [6] [7] California State Assembly, District 15 General Election, 2016 Party Candidate Vote % Votes Democratic Tony Thurmond Incumbent 89.38% 189,530 Republican Claire Chiara 10.62% 22,528 Total Votes 212,058 Source: California Secretary of State Incumbent Tony Thurmond and Claire Chiara were unopposed in the California State Assembly District 15 Blanket primary. [8] [9] California State Assembly, District 15 Blanket Primary, 2016 Party Candidate Democratic Tony Thurmond Incumbent Republican Claire Chiara

2014

See also: California State Assembly elections, 2014 Elections for the California State Assembly took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014 . The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 7, 2014. Elizabeth Echols (D) and Tony Thurmond (D) defeated Clarence Hunt (D), Sam Kang (D), Pamela Price (D), Rich Kinney (R), Eugene E. Ruyle (Peace & Freedom) and Bernt Rainer Wahl (I) in the blanket primary. Thurmond defeated Echols in the general election. [10] [11] [12] California State Assembly, District 15, General Election, 2014 Party Candidate Vote % Votes Democratic Tony Thurmond 54.3% 66,661 Democratic Elizabeth Echols 45.7% 56,071 Total Votes 122,732 California State Assembly, District 15 Blanket Primary, 2014 Party Candidate Vote % Votes Democratic Elizabeth Echols 31.1% 21,664 Democratic Tony Thurmond 24.4% 16,963 Democratic Pamela Price 17.1% 11,898 Republican Rich Kinney 10.8% 7,531 Democratic Sam Kang 6.7% 4,630 Democratic Clarence Hunt 4.8% 3,329 Peace and Freedom Eugene E. Ruyle 3.5% 2,426 Independent Bernt Rainer Wahl 1.6% 1,132 Total Votes 69,573

Issue positions (campaign themes)

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses See also: Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Tony Thurmond has not yet completed Ballotpedia’s 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Tony Thurmond asking him to fill out the survey . If you are Tony Thurmond, click here to fill out Ballotpedia’s 2026 Candidate Connection survey . Who fills out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey? Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate’s Ballotpedia profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for. More than 28,000 candidates have taken Ballotpedia’s candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here . You can ask Tony Thurmond to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing tony@tonythurmond.com.

2022

Tony Thurmond did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2018 — Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia’s candidate surveys Tony Thurmond participated in Ballotpedia’s candidate survey on May 19, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Tony Thurmond’s responses follow below. [13] What would be your top three priorities, if elected? “ 1. Lead California’s fight against Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos’s anti-education agenda: I will fight to keep public schools public, protect California’s ban on school vouchers, and eliminate for-profit charter schools. 2. Invest in great teachers: We should give teachers the flexibility to do more than just teach to the test. I believe schools should teach students creativity and critical thinking skills, including improved arts and music education. 3. Prepare students for the jobs of the 21st century: I will ensure every California student has the resources they need to develop their capabilities in science, technology, engineering, and math to succeed in our fast-growing, 21st century economy. [14] [15] ” What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why? “ I am passionate about improving public education for all of California’s kids. Education saved my life, enabling me to overcome humble beginnings. My mother emigrated from Panama to San Jose to teach, and raised four children on her own until she lost her battle to cancer. I was raised by a cousin whom I’d never met and who ensured I received a great education. It was my public school education that prepared me for college, where I became student body president, and for a twenty-year career as a social worker and twelve years working in schools. Ultimately I was inspired to serve on the West Contra Costa Unified School District Board, the Richmond City Council, and now in the California State Assembly, where I have moved millions of dollars into local public schools. As Superintendent, I’ll work to make California’s public schools the best in the nation so that every child can succeed. Learn more about my plan at www.tonythurmond.com. Cite error: Invalid tag; invalid names, e.g. too many [15] ”

2014

Thurmond submitted the following statement to Ballotpedia” [1] “ I am running for Assembly because I believe that California can do better—in public education, job creation, worker protections, crime prevention and healthcare accessibility and affordability. If I am elected, I plan to continue my work of improving our schools, reducing dropout rates, providing youth with alternatives to crime and drugs, promoting family wellness and access to affordable healthcare, supporting the rights of California’s teachers and public employees and creating sustainable jobs and job-training programs to give youth real opportunities to succeed in a 21st century workforce. [15] ”

Committee assignments

Committee assignments — 2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees: California committee assignments, 2017 • Education • Health • Human Services • Labor and Employment , Chair • Water, Parks and Wildlife

Committee assignments — 2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Thurmond served on the following committees: California committee assignments, 2015 • Budget • Education • Health • Human Services • Labor and Employment

Endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia’s coverage scope . Notable candidate endorsements by Tony Thurmond Endorsee Election Stage Outcome Ahmad Anderson source (Nonpartisan) Mayor of Richmond (2026) – Chelsea Bonini source (Nonpartisan) San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools (2026) – Tia Ramirez source (Nonpartisan) Superior Court of San Diego County (2026) Primary – Trinidad Arredondo source (Nonpartisan) Coachella Valley Unified School District school board Trustee Area 1 (2025) General – Sandré Swanson source (D) California State Senate District 7 (2024) Primary Lost Primary Lateefah Simon source (D) U.S. House California District 12 (2024) Primary Won General Laura Friedman source (D) U.S. House California District 30 (2024) Primary Won General Dave Min source (D) U.S. House California District 47 (2024) Primary Won General Barbara Lee source (D) U.S. Senate California (2024) Primary Lost Primary Cheryl Cook-Kallio source (Nonpartisan) Alameda County Board of Education Trustee Area 7 (2022) Primary Won Primary Christy Smith source (D) U.S. House California District 27 (2022) Primary Lost General Kamala D. Harris source President of the United States (2020) Withdrew in Convention Notable ballot measure endorsements by Tony Thurmond Measure Position Outcome California One-Time Wealth Tax for State-Funded Healthcare, Education, and Food Assistance Programs Initiative (2026) source Support Signatures submitted California Proposition 13, School and College Facilities Bond (March 2020) source Support Defeated California Proposition 15, Tax on Commercial and Industrial Properties for Education and Local Government Funding Initiative (2020) source Support Defeated California Proposition 16, Repeal Proposition 209 Affirmative Action Amendment (2020) source Support Defeated California Proposition 22, App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative (2020) source Oppose Approved California Proposition 2, Public Education Facilities Bond Measure (2024) source Support Approved California Proposition 32, $18 Minimum Wage Initiative (2024) source Support Defeated California Proposition 35, Managed Care Organization Tax Authorization Initiative (2024) source Support Approved California Proposition 50, Use of Legislative Congressional Redistricting Map Amendment (2025) source Support Approved California Require Personal Finance Course for High School Graduation Initiative (2024) source Support Not on the ballot California Second Mortgage Homebuyer Program and Revenue Bond Initiative (2026) source Support Qualified for the ballot

Enrichment source: Ballotpedia — https://ballotpedia.org/Tony_Thurmond

Sources

• CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide
• Ballotpedia (enrichment, when available)