Sacramento's Mayor Darrell Steinberg is announcing he will not seek a third term as mayor. The announcement was made during a press conference Thursday morning and notes that he will finish out his term, which concludes at the end of 2024. He says the decision stems from person reasons not political. Steinberg was first elected mayor in 2016 and served two terms. He previously served as state Senate pro tem and has an extensive political career with over 30 years of experience. He has not endorsed anyone yet to fill his role. Steinberg told the SacBee that he is considering to continue his career in politics with a possible run for another elected office, saying he would consider a run for the state's Attorney General if current AG Rob Bonta steps up to run for governor in 2026. In the meantime, Steinberg has been appointed as the lead advisor to Governor Newsom's plan to transform San Quentin State Prison into a rehabilitation center.
So far, five people have come forward to fill the mayor's position. The first to formally announce was Flo Cofer, who is an epidemiologist and an activist against police brutality. The second to announce their run was Maggy Krell, who currently serves as a special advisor to the state's Attorney General and is former deputy for four attorney generals, specializing in sex trafficking prevention according to the SacBee. Two others have filed paperwork to raise funds for campaigning but have yet to formally announce. Jeff Harris is a former city councilman who lost his seat due to redistricting last year. Steve Hansen is also a former city council member and lost his seat in the 2020 election to Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela. Hansen was the city's first openly gay council member, also according to the SacBee. Just following Steinberg's announcement, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty sent a statement to KFBK saying that he is now running for Sacramento Mayor:
"I’m running for Mayor of Sacramento! I’m a homegrown Sacramentan ready to lean in to tackle our problems head-on. We need real solutions to address homelessness and housing affordability, grow our economy, support our workers and families while improving neighborhood safety and livability. I’ll bring my experience as a neighborhood leader, Housing and Redevelopment Commissioner, City Councilmember and State Assemblymember to build partnerships and deliver results for Sacramento."