Sen. Alex Padilla will not run for California governor , he said Tuesday, adding that he wants to “stay in this fight” as a member of the U.S. Senate.

The decision by Padilla, a former California secretary of state and state lawmaker, ends weeks of speculation that he could shake up the relatively low-key 2026 race to lead the nation’s largest state. Padilla was seen as a strong contender given his strong support from the state’s labor unions, his statewide name recognition and his close relationship with Gov. Gavin Newsom.

He is California’s first Latino senator.

“I choose not just to stay in the Senate — I choose to stay in this fight, because the Constitution is worth fighting [for], our fundamental rights are worth fighting for,” Padilla said in remarks to reporters at the U.S

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