EDITORIAL: Fiona Ma, California lieutenant governor candidate, answers Bay Area News Group's primary questionnaire

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Ahead of the June primary election, the Bay Area News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates for lieutenant governor. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and clarity.

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Name: Fiona MaCurrent job title: California state treasurerDate of birth: March 4, 1966

Political party affiliation: DemocratOther political positions held: San Francisco Board of Supervisors member, California State Assembly member (District 12) and California State Board of Equalization member (District 2) City where you reside: San Francisco

What are the top three problems you're seeking to solve if elected?

1. Higher education affordability: One of my top priorities will be to build more affordable housing units on and around college campuses so that students do not have the burden of commuting long distances to school or sleeping in cars. I have also been working to improve our state financial aid system.

2. The environment: I will work to keep our coastlines clean and protect our water from pollution.

3. Health care: Access to quality, affordable health care is something every Californian deserves, regardless of their zip code or income level.

Why are you uniquely qualified to solve these problems?

Because I have actually done it before.

On housing: I have a deep understanding of how to work with universities and community colleges, having already built relationships with these institutions throughout my career.

On the environment: I have authored and passed legislation protecting our environment and clean water.

On health care: I have spent my entire career fighting to expand access to quality care for all Californians, from my early days in the assembly where I passed landmark health care legislation, to my work as state treasurer financing critical health care infrastructure across the state.

What differentiates you from your most serious competitors for this seat?

I am the only candidate in this race who has served in statewide office, having been California's state treasurer for over six years. I am also the only candidate who has balanced a statewide budget. But what truly sets me apart is the broad coalition of support I have built over more than two decades of public service. I have earned the endorsement of the California Labor Federation and over 50 labor unions. I have the support of 75% of the state legislature and over 600 local officials across California.

What did Eleni Kounalakis do right as California's lieutenant governor?

Eleni Kounalakis was a tireless advocate for housing, education and the environment, and she used the office to its fullest potential by actively engaging with the university and community college systems to expand access to higher education. She fought to protect California's natural resources and represented our state with distinction on the national and international stage. She also worked hard to strengthen California's economic relationships abroad and was a champion for working families throughout her tenure. I am proud to have Eleni's endorsement.

In what ways did Eleni Kounalakis fail as California's lieutenant governor?

Eleni Kounalakis took office just before a global pandemic that created unprecedented challenges for California's economy, higher education system and health care infrastructure. While there are clear limits on the authority of the lieutenant governor position, I do believe that she could have utilized her position as president of the California State Senate to influence legislation to a greater degree. California continues to struggle with affordability and homelessness, which are deeply structural problems that require sustained, long-term solutions. And our coastlines and water systems continue to face serious threats that demand even greater attention and action.

The lieutenant governor sits on bodies including the California State Lands Commission and the UC Board of Regents, and can influence land-use policy. How would you use those roles to help address California's housing shortage - particularly on state-owned land or university property?

On the State Lands Commission: I will push to identify and prioritize state-owned parcels that are suitable for housing development, particularly affordable and workforce housing, and I will work to cut through the bureaucratic red tape that too often slows these projects down.

On the UC Board of Regents: I will push the University of California system (as well as the California State University and California Community College systems) to do more to house its students, faculty and staff on or near campus. When students have to commute long distances, it impacts their academic performance, mental health and financial stability.

California continues to face concerns about business costs and outmigration. What specific policies would you advocate to improve the state's economic competitiveness while still maintaining California's labor and environmental standards?

First, I will advocate for streamlining the permitting and regulatory process for businesses, particularly small and mid-sized businesses.

Second, I will use my seat on the Commission for Economic Development to target investments in industries where California has a natural competitive advantage - clean energy, technology, agriculture and health care.

Third, my commitment to building affordable housing around college campuses and on state-owned land is not just a housing policy - it's an economic development strategy.

And finally, I will work every single day to ensure that we keep good-paying union jobs here while creating innovative opportunities for small businesses to thrive.

The lieutenant governor serves on the University of California Board of Regents, which helps shape policy for one of the largest public university systems in the world. What reforms would you support to improve affordability, expand access for California students and align higher education with workforce needs?

On affordability: I will push to hold down tuition increases and expand financial aid for middle and lower income students. And I will work to strengthen California's state grant system.

On access: I will fight to ensure that California students, particularly those from underserved and low-income communities, have a clear and affordable pathway into the UC system.

On housing: I have long championed building affordable housing units.

On workforce alignment: I will be a strong advocate for expanding apprenticeship programs and creating clear career pathways that start in high school, move through community college and connect directly to good-paying careers.

Through the State Lands Commission and other boards, the lieutenant governor has influence over coastal policy, offshore energy and conservation. What role should California play in developing offshore wind and other renewable energy projects while protecting coastal ecosystems and communities?

I will be a strong advocate for developing offshore wind projects in a way that works for our coastal communities, our fishing industries and our marine ecosystems. But development must be done right. The State Lands Commission has a responsibility to ensure that any offshore energy project undergoes rigorous environmental review and that the voices of coastal communities are heard and respected throughout the process. I will work to protect California's coastal ecosystems from pollution, overdevelopment and the growing threats posed by climate change.

Critics sometimes argue the lieutenant governor's role is largely ceremonial. If elected, what initiatives would you personally lead to make the office more influential in solving California's biggest challenges?

I will personally lead initiatives on affordable housing around college campuses, strengthening our state grant system to protect students from federal funding cuts, expanding apprenticeship programs and career pathways for young Californians, protecting our coastlines from pollution and overdevelopment and growing California's clean energy economy with good-paying union jobs. I will also use the visibility of this office to be a loud and consistent voice for the issues that matter most to Californians, particularly as we navigate an increasingly hostile federal environment.

While serving as lieutenant governor and acting as governor when Jerry Brown was in China, Gavin Newsom declared the avocado as California's official state fruit. What's the first thing you're doing as acting governor in the governor's absence?

The first thing I would do is make sure that the business of California continues without interruption. If there are bills on the desk that need to be signed, I will review them carefully and act on them. If there is a crisis or an emergency that arises, I will be ready to respond immediately and decisively. But if you are asking me what issue I would want to use that platform to elevate and draw attention to, it would be the financial security of California's students.

To the extent you haven't already addressed this, in what ways would you use this office to benefit the Bay Area?

The Bay Area is my home and holds a very special place in my heart.

On housing: I will push for more affordable housing development.

On economic development: I will make sure that we are investing in the Bay Area's continued growth and competitiveness.

On the environment: I will fight against pollution, protect our waterways and ensure that development along our coast is done responsibly and sustainably.

On higher education: I will fight for affordability, expand access for Bay Area students and create stronger pathways from our community colleges into four-year universities and good-paying careers.

Please tell us anything else we should know about why you're the best candidate for California lieutenant governor.

I am polling at 28% while my closest competitors are at 7% and 4%, and that is not an accident. It is a reflection of the trust that Californians have placed in me after more than 20 years of delivering results in public service. I have raised $9 million from everyday Californians - not from special interests, but from real people across this state who believe in this campaign and what we are fighting for. And I have built one of the broadest and most diverse coalitions this race has ever seen.

Lastly, name your favorite California restaurant.

My favorite California restaurant is Fermentation Lab in Japantown, San Francisco. It is owned by a Korean woman who was my former assistant pastor many years back, and I am so proud of everything she has built. Supporting women-owned small businesses has always been close to my heart, and this is a perfect example of the kind of entrepreneurial spirit that makes California so special. And if you are asking about my favorite cuisine, that is an easy one - sushi. I could have it anytime, any day. There is nothing better!

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 5:43 PM.