(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) When Californians head to the voting booth on June 2 for the state’s open gubernatorial primary, they may come across a familiar name among the long list of candidates seeking to advance to the runoff: Barack Obama.
But the candidate is not former President Barack Hussein Obama. It is Barack D. Obama Shaw, a Democrat and self-described business owner who studied music and says he is running to unite California.
“It’s great people who are running for governor. But if you don’t like those people, don’t vote for them. Vote for Barack D. Obama Shaw,” Obama, 56, said on Instagram.
Obama previously ran for mayor of Alameda in 2022 but was unsuccessful.
“I am really excited about the opportunity to make a difference in the area of politics,” Obama wrote on his campaign website. “I am a certified Gubernatorial candidate running for Governor of California in 2026 and my goal is to bring harmony and confidence to the state of California. My background as an Army Reservist and training to be a Sergeant is the cornerstone of my leadership and execution of big objectives.”
The Next Governor of California: Vote for Barack D. Obama Shaw 2026 #BarackdObamaShaw4govca2026 pic.twitter.com/xIRCQNWpzZ
— Rev. Barack D. Obama Shaw for Gov. CA 2026 (@obamashawbarack) January 2, 2026
Despite limited name recognition and support, Obama appeared in an Orange County Register candidate questionnaire on May 4 and has submitted responses to Ballotpedia.
Obama is among 61 candidates on the ballot, which also includes frontrunners Steve Hilton, a Republican and former Fox News contributor, and Democrats Xavier Becerra, Tom Steyer and Katie Porter.
Becerra, a former California attorney general, is the former HHS secretary under the Biden administration. Steyer is a left-wing billionaire and Porter served as a Democrat memb er of Congress.
Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress and suspended his gubernatorial campaign following allegations of sexual misconduct, is also expected to appear on the ballot.
The latest polling averages show Hilton and Becerra effectively tied at the top, a result of California’s open primary system and a crowded Democratic field that is splitting the vote.
