Incumbent Democratic governor Jerry Brown ran for re-election to a second consecutive and fourth overall term in office.

Under California's nonpartisan blanket primary law, all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party.

He won the largest gubernatorial victory since 1986, "despite running a virtually nonexistent campaign.

[6] Endorsed Tim Donnelly[28] Brown won easily, by nearly twenty points.

As expected, Brown did very well in Los Angeles and in the San Francisco Bay Area.