EDITORIAL: Gloria Romero, 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.

You can read our endorsement in this race here.

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Name: Gloria RomeroCurrent job title: Educator / businesswomanDate of birth: July 10, 1955

Political party affiliation: RepublicanOther political positions held: Los Angeles Charter Reform Commission, California State Assembly and California State SenateCity where you reside: Los Angeles

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

1. End one-party monopoly rule in Sacramento in order to bring common sense and affordability back to California. By providing for "mixed" government and a multiplicity of political points of view in Sacramento, a new era of bipartisanship and working across the aisle can be achieved.

2. End the disconnect between K-12 and higher education by establishing an educational pipeline under the auspices of the lieutenant governor's office.

3. I will lead a sex and human trafficking division under my jurisdiction to combat California - and Los Angeles in particular - being the epicenter of trafficking of young girls and women.

Why are you uniquely qualified to solve these problems?

I am a former Democrat who tried for years to reform and bring change to the Democratic Party, particularly on issues pertaining to our educational system and lack of school choice options. My understanding of the educational crises we face in California will bring about a more robust and successful public education system.

My service in the field of public safety and longstanding activism for the rights of women in the criminal justice system give me a unique understanding of why we need to end the shameful modern-day enslavement and selling of girls and women in California.

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

I worked in the real world and after a long period of time chose to return to the electoral arena given the severe financial, political and moral challenges facing California and an out-of-touch political ruling class. I have shown my tenacity and backbone in challenging the status quo and while not being beholden to powerful special influences that dominate Sacramento. I am a representative of significant communities in California - being a former Democrat and a Latina - both of which are amongst the largest sectors walking away from one-party rule in California and seeking alternative choices for representation.

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

Her record is slim, uneventful and has few accomplishments. What she will be remembered for is choosing not to run for Governor - but only because she thought that Kamala Harris would be running instead.

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

She had the opportunity - and the responsibility - to lead as a regent of the University of California system. She failed to speak out for girls and women's sports and defend Title IX. She failed to defend Jewish students after the assaults on them due to antisemitism following October 7. She failed to call out the gross incompetence and mismanagement by Governor Newsom and the Democrats in dealing with fire prevention, mitigation and mismanagement. She could have been a leading voice to change course from just rubber-stamping what Gavin Newsom was doing and letting the people of California burn to death.

The lieutenant governor sits on bodies including the California State Lands Commission and the University of California 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?

Given the crisis of homelessness in California, there have been many proposals to utilize state-owned land, including university property, to house and provide treatment services for the unhoused. I would want our commissions and boards to examine this. We have numerous policy institutes, and I would like to collaborate with them in each of our systems to not only develop and share their ideas and perspectives, but also engage in audits and examinations of waste, fraud and abuse, which is rampant. California is paying for its housing industrial complex, but not benefiting from its outcomes.

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?

The lack of affordability in housing is largely attributable to misplaced priorities and overregulation of building, zoning and running a business. Many of these boards and commissions should be reevaluated - including California Air Resources Board, the California Coastal Commission and laws that have only deteriorated the quality of life for most Californians, including California Environmental Quality Act. They have only contributed to hardships for everyday Californians seeking to build, rebuild or start businesses. Not all current labor and environmental standards should be maintained, including Project Labor Agreements that have driven up the costs of housing and business.

The lieutenant governor serves on the UC 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?

I want to be a regent who will advocate for and lead on meritocracy at all levels and hold all levels of our educational pipeline accountable. Hence, as lieutenant governor, I will initiate and lead a K-16 education pipeline to ensure we move towards implementing recommendations from previous Master Plans of Education and ensure that students are learning as they progress through the system.

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?

California must engage in developing renewable energy projects, particularly oil exploration, which can be clean and efficient. It makes no sense that in the name of "climate change" we are transporting oil from Iraq and the Amazon rainforests on diesel-spewing ships bound for California. These are not either-or choices. We must not worship at the environmental altars of the past which have contributed to much death and destruction in California (the wildfires in Paradise, Palisades, Eaton Canyon, etc.)

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?

Strong character, a strong backbone, integrity, honesty and a willingness to take on the special interests in Sacramento is what is needed and that is what I have. I will be a strong lieutenant governor who is able to actually function as the president of the Senate because I served there and understand the relationships and rules of that body, particularly with regard to moving nominations to confirmation. I am not running to wait to "fail up." I am genuinely interested in and expertly prepared to do the job of the lieutenant governor.

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?

If I am serving at the end of the session when bills are being sent to the governor's desk, then I will not have hesitation to sign or veto them. If this occurs much earlier in the session, then I would not hesitate to call for an Extraordinary Session of the Legislature on Waste, Fraud and Abuse, or an Extraordinary Session on Combatting Human and Sex Trafficking in California. I'll lead, speak up, show up, stand up and deliver in English and Spanish and leave no area of California behind.

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 a significant area of California in terms of trade, innovation, education, tourism and natural beauty. I intend to be very present in the region and work with all for the betterment of the entire state.

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

I'm a fighter and independent. I understand politics from both parties now, and I'm extremely well-qualified to serve in this position. I'm not looking to "fail up" to become governor. I'm focused on being number two - and I'll always try harder.

Lastly, name your favorite California restaurant.

Hecho en Mexico - a little place in East Los Angeles where I live and where everybody knows your name and the handmade tortillas are the best! It's the best place to just be Gloria from the block.

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