Sacramento Bee Endorses Josh Fryday for Lieutenant Governor Of California
The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board endorsed Josh Fryday for lieutenant governor of california, adding a major newspaper endorsement to his campaign. The board said his record on affordability, education access and service programs makes him the strongest choice in the race.
Josh Fryday and the Senate
Fryday is California’s chief service officer, a former Novato mayor and a former Judge Advocate General’s Corps lawyer. He also leads California Volunteers, which the Bee reported has grown into the largest service corps in the nation, bigger than the Peace Corps and providing more than 10,000 jobs annually.
The office he is seeking is not limited to ceremony. The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate and holds voting seats on the UC Board of Regents, the CSU Board of Trustees, the California Community College Board of Governors and the Calbright College Board of Trustees.
Bee Interview Findings
The board said Fryday stood out in interviews by focusing on California’s affordability gap. It also said he proposed cheaper access to higher education and expanding state service corps programs.
Fryday’s endorsements include Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, former Sen. Barbara Boxer, former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, the California Teachers Association and California Environmental Voters. Those names place him among the most visibly backed candidates in the field.
Fiona Ma and the Field
Other candidates in the race include state Treasurer Fiona Ma, former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, David Fennell and Gloria Romero. The Bee noted that Ma’s term was marred by a sexual harassment lawsuit that ended in a $350,000 state settlement.
The endorsement now gives Fryday a clearer lane with voters weighing experience, statewide office and the duties that come with the job. For a post that can shape Senate proceedings and university governance, the board has put its weight behind the candidate it said best matched the office.
