2014 California gubernatorial election

The 2014 California gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor of California, concurrently with elections for the rest of California's executive branch, as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Jerry Brown ran for re-election to a second consecutive and fourth overall term in office. Although governors are limited to lifetime service of two terms in office, Brown previously served as governor from specifically 1975 to 1983, and the law only affects terms served after November Tuesday 6, 1990.

A primary election was held on June 3, 2014. Under California's nonpartisan blanket primary law, all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. In the primary, voters may vote for any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation. The top two finishers — regardless of party — advance to the general election in November, even if a candidate manages to receive a majority of the votes cast in the primary election. Washington is the only other state with this system, a so-called "top two primary" (Louisiana has a similar "jungle primary"). Brown and Republican Neel Kashkari finished first and second, respectively, and contested in the general election, which Brown won. He won the largest gubernatorial victory since 1986, "despite running a virtually nonexistent campaign." This was the first time since 1978 that a Democrat carried Nevada County.

Primary election
A certified list of candidates was released by the Secretary of State on March 27, 2014. The primary election took place on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, from 7am to 8pm.

Declared

 * Akinyemi Agbede, candidate for Mayor of Orange County, Florida in 2010
 * Jerry Brown, incumbent governor of California

Withdrew

 * Geby Espinosa, gym owner
 * Hanala Sagal, author and fitness personality
 * Michael Strimling, attorney

Declined

 * Kamala Harris, Attorney General of California (ran for re-election)
 * Gavin Newsom, Lieutenant Governor of California (ran for re-election)
 * Hilda Solis, former United States Secretary of Labor and former U.S. Representative (ran for Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors)
 * Antonio Villaraigosa, former Mayor of Los Angeles

Declared

 * Richard Aguirre, real estate investor and Democratic candidate for governor in 2010
 * Glenn Champ, businessman and engineer
 * Tim Donnelly, state assemblyman and Minuteman founder
 * Neel Kashkari, former Acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Stability
 * Alma Marie Winston

Withdrew

 * Andrew Blount, Mayor of Laguna Hills
 * Dennis Jackson, manufacturer
 * Abel Maldonado, former Lieutenant Governor of California, candidate for Controller in 2006, and candidate for CA-24 in 2012

Declined

 * Kevin McCarthy, U.S. Representative and House Majority Whip
 * John Moorlach, Orange County Supervisor
 * Steve Poizner, former Insurance Commissioner of California and candidate for governor in 2010
 * George Radanovich, former U.S. Representative
 * Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett-Packard, former CEO of eBay and nominee for governor in 2010

Declined

 * James P. Gray, former Orange County Superior Court Judge and Libertarian Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in 2012

Declared

 * Luis J. Rodriguez, author, progressive activist and Justice Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in 2012

American Independent Party
Endorsed Tim Donnelly

Withdrew

 * Robert Ornelas, American Independent Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in 2012

Declared

 * Cindy Sheehan, anti-war activist and Peace and Freedom Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in 2012

Declared

 * Bogdan Ambrozewicz, small business owner, Independent candidate for the State Senate in 2012 and Republican candidate for the State Assembly in 2011
 * Janel Buycks, minister/business owner
 * Rakesh Kumar Christian, small business owner, independent candidate for governor in 2010
 * Joe Leicht, golf course operator
 * Robert Newman, psychologist, farmer and Republican candidate for governor in 2003, 2006, and 2010

Debates

 * Complete video of debate, September 4, 2014 - C-SPAN

Results
Brown won easily, by nearly twenty points. He outperformed his majority margin from 2010. As expected, Brown did very well in Los Angeles and in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kashkari conceded defeat right after the polls closed in California.

Results by County
{|class="wikitable sortable" style=" font-size:100%" ! width="1%" | County ! width="1%" | Brown ! width="1%" | % ! width="1%" | Kashkari ! width="1%" | %
 * - bgcolor=lightgrey
 * align="center" |Alameda
 * align="center"|293,081
 * align="center"|82.2
 * align="center"|63,593
 * align="center"|17.8
 * align="center" |Alpine
 * align="center"|284
 * align="center"|61.9
 * align="center"|175
 * align="center"|38.1
 * align="center" |Amador
 * align="center"|5,682
 * align="center"|44.6
 * align="center"|7,071
 * align="center"|55.4
 * align="center" |Butte
 * align="center"|29,520
 * align="center"|47.8
 * align="center"|32,249
 * align="center"|52.2
 * align="center" |Calaveras
 * align="center"|6,870
 * align="center"|43.7
 * align="center"|8,841
 * align="center"|56.3
 * align="center" |Colusa
 * align="center"|1,789
 * align="center"|42.7
 * align="center"|2,398
 * align="center"|57.3
 * align="center" |Contra Costa
 * align="center"|174,403
 * align="center"|68.6
 * align="center"|79,660
 * align="center"|31.4
 * align="center" |Del Norte
 * align="center"|3,488
 * align="center"|49.6
 * align="center"|3,539
 * align="center"|50.4
 * align="center" |El Dorado
 * align="center"|27,916
 * align="center"|45.5
 * align="center"|33,443
 * align="center"|54.5
 * align="center" |Fresno
 * align="center"|76,143
 * align="center"|47.6
 * align="center"|83,744
 * align="center"|52.4
 * align="center" |Glenn
 * align="center"|2,049
 * align="center"|34.4
 * align="center"|3,908
 * align="center"|65.6
 * align="center" |Humboldt
 * align="center"|24,003
 * align="center"|64.6
 * align="center"|13,146
 * align="center"|35.4
 * align="center" |Imperial
 * align="center"|13,457
 * align="center"|64.3
 * align="center"|7,484
 * align="center"|35.7
 * align="center" |Inyo
 * align="center"|2,317
 * align="center"|42.7
 * align="center"|3,112
 * align="center"|57.3
 * align="center" |Kern
 * align="center"|54,269
 * align="center"|40.9
 * align="center"|78,417
 * align="center"|59.1
 * align="center" |Kings
 * align="center"|8,752
 * align="center"|39.2
 * align="center"|13,575
 * align="center"|60.8
 * align="center" |Lake
 * align="center"|10,722
 * align="center"|61.3
 * align="center"|6,775
 * align="center"|38.7
 * align="center" |Lassen
 * align="center"|2,213
 * align="center"|32.4
 * align="center"|4,609
 * align="center"|67.6
 * align="center" |Los Angeles
 * align="center"|978,142
 * align="center"|66.8
 * align="center"|485,186
 * align="center"|33.2
 * align="center" |Madera
 * align="center"|9,974
 * align="center"|37.2
 * align="center"|16,825
 * align="center"|62.8
 * align="center" |Marin
 * align="center"|69,751
 * align="center"|79.4
 * align="center"|18,147
 * align="center"|20.6
 * align="center" |Mariposa
 * align="center"|2,499
 * align="center"|38.2
 * align="center"|4,038
 * align="center"|61.8
 * align="center" |Mendocino
 * align="center"|17,340
 * align="center"|71.8
 * align="center"|6,825
 * align="center"|28.2
 * align="center" |Merced
 * align="center"|18,945
 * align="center"|50.1
 * align="center"|18,848
 * align="center"|49.9
 * align="center" |Modoc
 * align="center"|770
 * align="center"|27.2
 * align="center"|2,061
 * align="center"|72.8
 * align="center" |Mono
 * align="center"|1,632
 * align="center"|53.1
 * align="center"|1,442
 * align="center"|46.9
 * align="center" |Monterey
 * align="center"|51,315
 * align="center"|69.4
 * align="center"|22,591
 * align="center"|30.6
 * align="center" |Napa
 * align="center"|25,846
 * align="center"|68.2
 * align="center"|12,059
 * align="center"|31.8
 * align="center" |Nevada
 * align="center"|20,976
 * align="center"|54.6
 * align="center"|17,419
 * align="center"|45.4
 * align="center" |Orange
 * align="center"|275,707
 * align="center"|44.4
 * align="center"|344,817
 * align="center"|55.6
 * align="center" |Placer
 * align="center"|51,241
 * align="center"|45.4
 * align="center"|61,604
 * align="center"|54.6
 * align="center" |Plumas
 * align="center"|2,966
 * align="center"|41.7
 * align="center"|4,139
 * align="center"|58.3
 * align="center" |Riverside
 * align="center"|165,340
 * align="center"|47.1
 * align="center"|185,805
 * align="center"|52.9
 * align="center" |Sacramento
 * align="center"|202,416
 * align="center"|62.3
 * align="center"|122,342
 * align="center"|37.7
 * align="center" |San Benito
 * align="center"|8,654
 * align="center"|63.5
 * align="center"|4,969
 * align="center"|36.5
 * align="center" |San Bernardino
 * align="center"|134,417
 * align="center"|46.9
 * align="center"|152,458
 * align="center"|53.1
 * align="center" |San Diego
 * align="center"|346,419
 * align="center"|51.1
 * align="center"|331,942
 * align="center"|48.9
 * align="center" |San Francisco
 * align="center"|196,745
 * align="center"|88.2
 * align="center"|26,442
 * align="center"|11.8
 * align="center" |San Joaquin
 * align="center"|62,614
 * align="center"|53.5
 * align="center"|54,331
 * align="center"|46.5
 * align="center" |San Luis Obispo
 * align="center"|46,606
 * align="center"|54.3
 * align="center"|39,186
 * align="center"|45.7
 * align="center" |San Mateo
 * align="center"|120,280
 * align="center"|75.2
 * align="center"|39,615
 * align="center"|24.8
 * align="center" |Santa Barbara
 * align="center"|64,912
 * align="center"|58.3
 * align="center"|46,503
 * align="center"|41.7
 * align="center" |Santa Clara
 * align="center"|288,732
 * align="center"|72.9
 * align="center"|107,113
 * align="center"|27.1
 * align="center" |Santa Cruz
 * align="center"|56,977
 * align="center"|78.6
 * align="center"|15,499
 * align="center"|21.4
 * align="center" |Shasta
 * align="center"|21,509
 * align="center"|38.1
 * align="center"|35,007
 * align="center"|61.9
 * align="center" |Sierra
 * align="center"|679
 * align="center"|44.2
 * align="center"|857
 * align="center"|55.8
 * align="center" |Siskiyou
 * align="center"|6,103
 * align="center"|44.2
 * align="center"|7,717
 * align="center"|55.8
 * align="center" |Solano
 * align="center"|57,874
 * align="center"|64.6
 * align="center"|31,754
 * align="center"|35.4
 * align="center" |Sonoma
 * align="center"|107,328
 * align="center"|74.8
 * align="center"|36,249
 * align="center"|25.2
 * align="center" |Stanislaus
 * align="center"|46,566
 * align="center"|51.5
 * align="center"|43,786
 * align="center"|48.5
 * align="center" |Sutter
 * align="center"|8,688
 * align="center"|42.7
 * align="center"|11,644
 * align="center"|57.3
 * align="center" |Tehama
 * align="center"|5,408
 * align="center"|35.2
 * align="center"|9,952
 * align="center"|64.8
 * align="center" |Trinity
 * align="center"|1,711
 * align="center"|44.2
 * align="center"|2,163
 * align="center"|55.8
 * align="center" |Tulare
 * align="center"|23,708
 * align="center"|38.4
 * align="center"|37,996
 * align="center"|61.6
 * align="center" |Tuolumne
 * align="center"|7,951
 * align="center"|46.7
 * align="center"|9,058
 * align="center"|53.3
 * align="center" |Ventura
 * align="center"|106,072
 * align="center"|53.1
 * align="center"|93,797
 * align="center"|46.9
 * align="center" |Yolo
 * align="center"|31,431
 * align="center"|69.1
 * align="center"|14,043
 * align="center"|30.9
 * align="center" |Yuba
 * align="center"|5,166
 * align="center"|41.6
 * align="center"|7,245
 * align="center"|58.4
 * align="center"|107,328
 * align="center"|74.8
 * align="center"|36,249
 * align="center"|25.2
 * align="center" |Stanislaus
 * align="center"|46,566
 * align="center"|51.5
 * align="center"|43,786
 * align="center"|48.5
 * align="center" |Sutter
 * align="center"|8,688
 * align="center"|42.7
 * align="center"|11,644
 * align="center"|57.3
 * align="center" |Tehama
 * align="center"|5,408
 * align="center"|35.2
 * align="center"|9,952
 * align="center"|64.8
 * align="center" |Trinity
 * align="center"|1,711
 * align="center"|44.2
 * align="center"|2,163
 * align="center"|55.8
 * align="center" |Tulare
 * align="center"|23,708
 * align="center"|38.4
 * align="center"|37,996
 * align="center"|61.6
 * align="center" |Tuolumne
 * align="center"|7,951
 * align="center"|46.7
 * align="center"|9,058
 * align="center"|53.3
 * align="center" |Ventura
 * align="center"|106,072
 * align="center"|53.1
 * align="center"|93,797
 * align="center"|46.9
 * align="center" |Yolo
 * align="center"|31,431
 * align="center"|69.1
 * align="center"|14,043
 * align="center"|30.9
 * align="center" |Yuba
 * align="center"|5,166
 * align="center"|41.6
 * align="center"|7,245
 * align="center"|58.4
 * align="center"|69.1
 * align="center"|14,043
 * align="center"|30.9
 * align="center" |Yuba
 * align="center"|5,166
 * align="center"|41.6
 * align="center"|7,245
 * align="center"|58.4
 * align="center"|58.4

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

 * Del Norte (largest community: Crescent City)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

 * Merced (largest community: Merced)
 * Mono (largest municipality: Mammoth Lakes)
 * Nevada (largest town: Truckee)
 * San Luis Obispo (largest town: San Luis Obispo)
 * San Diego (largest community: San Diego)
 * Stanislaus (largest community: Modesto)
 * Ventura (largest city: Ventura)

By congressional district
Brown won 41 of the 53 congressional districts, including two held by Republicans.