# Fiona Ma *candidate · Lieutenant Governor · Democratic* — November 3, 2026 General Election (2026-11-03), Los Angeles County, California Research pack generated 2026-10-30T23:52:30+00:00 by ballotscope. Summaries are LLM-generated from the linked originals and may contain errors; check the originals before relying on anything. Sources span 2022-10-04 to 2026-10-03. ## Overview (as of 2026-10-28, from 21 sources) Fiona Ma, a Democrat and California's State Treasurer since 2019, faces Republican Gloria Romero for lieutenant governor on November 3, 2026 [Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero; California lieutenant governor: Who's running and why it matters]. She finished first in the June 2 top-two primary with 19.1% of the vote, narrowly ahead of Romero [Fiona Ma and Gloria Romero advance to lieutenant governor general election; Press Release: Primary Results Confirm Fiona Ma's Dominant Position in Race for Lieutenant Governor; Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero]. Before becoming Treasurer she served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (2002-2006), in the Assembly (2006-2012, including as Speaker pro Tempore) and on the Board of Equalization [About Fiona; 2026 General Election: California lieutenant governor race explainer; California lieutenant governor: Who's running and why it matters]. Her campaign centers on affordability, housing finance and higher-education costs; in her 2026 questionnaire she proposes a zero-interest loan fund for workforce housing on school and college land, an offshore wind hub, abolishing the Board of Equalization and a joint ticket for governor and lieutenant governor [Lieutenant Governor Candidate Statements (Official Voter Information Guide); GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)]. She is backed by the California Labor Federation, the building trades, the California Democratic Party (per her own lists and the Los Angeles Times as of fall 2026) and several newspapers, and GrowSF recommends her for the general election [Lieutenant Governor Candidate Statements (Official Voter Information Guide); Endorsements; California Lieutenant Governor — November 2026 Election; Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero; California lieutenant governor: Who's running and why it matters]. News coverage throughout 2026 notes that a former employee's 2021 sexual harassment lawsuit against her was settled by the state for $350,000 in 2024; Ma denies the allegations and has called the suit frivolous [California to pay $350K to settle sexual harassment claims against state Treasurer Fiona Ma; Meet the candidates for California lieutenant governor: 'A job about nothing'; California election result: Two candidates in tie for lt. governor; Fiona Ma and Gloria Romero advance to lieutenant governor general election]. NBC San Diego also reports scrutiny of her ties to Pegasus California School, adding that an audit did not accuse her of wrongdoing [Fiona Ma and Gloria Romero advance to lieutenant governor general election]. As of the October 2026 Los Angeles Times guide, she opposes Propositions 40 and 39 [Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero]. ### Record highlights - Elected State Treasurer on November 6, 2018 and re-elected in 2022; her campaign says she is the first woman of color and first woman CPA in the post. [About Fiona; California lieutenant governor race: Fiona Ma, Gloria Romero lead on election night; Fiona Ma and Gloria Romero advance to lieutenant governor general election] - Served in the Assembly 2006-2012, including as Speaker pro Tempore 2010-2012; her campaign says she authored 60 bills signed into law, including a ban on phthalates in baby products. [About Fiona; GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026); California lieutenant governor race: Fiona Ma, Gloria Romero lead on election night] - As Board of Equalization chair in 2016, ordered three external audits of the agency. [About Fiona; Who's running for California lieutenant governor and what does the job look like?; California lieutenant governor race: Fiona Ma, Gloria Romero lead on election night] - As Treasurer, oversaw the first bonds for community-college student housing and launched the Dream for All down-payment program, per CalMatters (2022) and GrowSF. [What would Fiona Ma do next as California treasurer?; California Lieutenant Governor — November 2026 Election] - In March 2020 the state narrowly avoided wiring $457 million to a fraudulent mask vendor after banks flagged the transfer to Ma's office; she later called it 'a lesson learned' (CalMatters, 2022). [What would Fiona Ma do next as California treasurer?] - In 2021 she supported a pension bill that her office helped draft for Santa Ana police union president Gerry Serrano; it was signed in September 2021 (CalMatters, 2022). [What would Fiona Ma do next as California treasurer?] - A 2021 sexual harassment lawsuit by former employee Judith Blackwell was settled by the state for $350,000 in August 2024, after a judge had dismissed the discrimination and wrongful-termination claims; Ma denied the allegations and called the settlement a vindication. [California to pay $350K to settle sexual harassment claims against state Treasurer Fiona Ma; Meet the candidates for California lieutenant governor: 'A job about nothing'; California election result: Two candidates in tie for lt. governor] - Finished first in the June 2, 2026 primary with 1,616,298 votes (19.1%), per her campaign's reading of Secretary of State results. [Fiona Ma and Gloria Romero advance to lieutenant governor general election; Press Release: Primary Results Confirm Fiona Ma's Dominant Position in Race for Lieutenant Governor; Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero] ### Stated positions - Housing is 'the defining issue'; proposes a zero-interest revolving loan fund from 5% of Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund revenue for school and college workforce housing (April 2026 questionnaire). [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] - Would make higher education more affordable, audit the full cost of attendance, track graduation rates by income, strengthen transfer pathways and expand paid internships. [Lieutenant Governor Candidate Statements (Official Voter Information Guide); GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] - Wants Cal State campuses to raise revenue outside the general fund through private partnerships, such as leasing unused facilities. [Meet the candidates for California lieutenant governor: 'A job about nothing'; California election result: Two candidates in tie for lt. governor] - Proposes abolishing the Board of Equalization and a constitutional amendment requiring governor and lieutenant governor to run on a joint ticket, targeted for the 2027-28 session. [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026); California Lieutenant Governor — November 2026 Election] - Would champion a commercial-scale offshore wind hub off Morro Bay and Humboldt, aiming for active construction and 10,000+ union jobs. [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] - Calls for reforming the ballot-initiative process with a post-election review mechanism. [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] - Opposes Proposition 40 (one-time 5% tax on billionaires' assets) and Proposition 39 (voter ID), as of October 2026. [Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero] - In 2022, as Treasurer, she opposed a wealth tax, higher top-earner rates and further minimum-wage increases, and supported universal basic income; these statements predate her lieutenant governor campaign. [What would Fiona Ma do next as California treasurer?] ### Where sources disagree - Ma's own materials give different dates for her Board of Equalization service: 2015 to 2019 in her questionnaire versus 2014-2018 on her campaign site and in CalMatters-produced guides. [About Fiona; GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026); 2026 General Election: California lieutenant governor race explainer; California lieutenant governor: Who's running and why it matters] - Her campaign pages give different Treasurer's-office figures: more than $3 trillion in payments and a portfolio over $124 billion (About page), $3.7 trillion and $150-$250 billion (Why I Am Running), and about $3 trillion and $155-$175 billion (June 2026 press releases). [Why I Am Running; About Fiona; Press Release: New California Elections and Policy Poll Shows Fiona Ma Leading Lieutenant Governor Field; Press Release: Primary Results Confirm Fiona Ma's Dominant Position in Race for Lieutenant Governor] - Who paid the harassment settlement: CBS Sacramento and CalMatters say the state paid $350,000, while Inside California Politics items say Ma 'ultimately settled' the lawsuit. [California to pay $350K to settle sexual harassment claims against state Treasurer Fiona Ma; Meet the candidates for California lieutenant governor: 'A job about nothing'; Who's running for California lieutenant governor and what does the job look like?; California lieutenant governor race: Fiona Ma, Gloria Romero lead on election night] - Democratic Party endorsement: an April 2026 CalMatters correction says the party had not endorsed in the race, while her later SoS statement, endorsement page and the October Los Angeles Times guide list the California Democratic Party as backing her, which suggests the endorsement came after April. [Lieutenant Governor Candidate Statements (Official Voter Information Guide); Endorsements; Meet the candidates for California lieutenant governor: 'A job about nothing'; Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero] - Count of local officials endorsing her: 500+ (SoS statement, questionnaire) versus over 600 (June 1 press release). [Lieutenant Governor Candidate Statements (Official Voter Information Guide); GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026); Press Release: New California Elections and Policy Poll Shows Fiona Ma Leading Lieutenant Governor Field] ### Gaps - No debate or forum transcripts or recordings for the general election were found. - No full interview transcripts; candidate quotes come from reporters' excerpts (CalMatters 2022, Los Angeles Times 2026). - No official Treasurer's-office records (audits, bond ratings, program data) were collected to check the record she describes. - No campaign-finance filings for the general election; the Los Angeles Times fundraising section did not render. - The Sacramento Bee stories on the harassment allegations failed to load (timeouts), and no document on the Pegasus audit was collected. - No editorial-board endorsements or critiques were collected directly; newspaper endorsements are known only from Ma's own lists. - Web search was unavailable for most of this session, so sources were found mainly by following links from stored pages. ### Arguments for / praise - GrowSF says Ma is 'the clear choice', citing her record across offices, her housing-finance work as Treasurer, and specific plans for the office's tools, including BOE abolition. — *GrowSF* [California Lieutenant Governor — November 2026 Election] - Ma argues her CPA training and record as Treasurer make her ready to serve on day one, and that 'California does not need someone learning on the job right now.' — *Fiona Ma* [Lieutenant Governor Candidate Statements (Official Voter Information Guide); Why I Am Running; GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] - Her campaign points to broad backing: the California Labor Federation, building trades, nurses, firefighters, about three-quarters of the Legislature, hundreds of local officials and newspapers including the Mercury News, Bakersfield Californian and San Francisco Chronicle. — *Fiona Ma campaign* [Lieutenant Governor Candidate Statements (Official Voter Information Guide); Endorsements; Press Release: New California Elections and Policy Poll Shows Fiona Ma Leading Lieutenant Governor Field; Press Release: Primary Results Confirm Fiona Ma's Dominant Position in Race for Lieutenant Governor] ### Arguments against / criticism - A former employee alleged in a 2021 lawsuit that Ma sexually harassed her; the state paid $350,000 to settle in 2024. Ma denies the allegations and calls the suit frivolous. — *Judith Blackwell (plaintiff), as reported by CBS Sacramento and CalMatters* [California to pay $350K to settle sexual harassment claims against state Treasurer Fiona Ma; Meet the candidates for California lieutenant governor: 'A job about nothing'] - CalMatters reports that Tubbs supporters made the harassment allegations an issue during the primary. — *Supporters of Michael Tubbs, per CalMatters* [California election result: Two candidates in tie for lt. governor; Democrat Ma and Republican Romero in a Close Race for Lieutenant Governor] - NBC San Diego reports her ties to Pegasus California School drew scrutiny after an audit of the school, and that she received campaign donations from its founder; the audit did not accuse Ma of wrongdoing. — *NBC 7 San Diego* [Fiona Ma and Gloria Romero advance to lieutenant governor general election] - CalMatters' 2022 reporting raised questions about a near-miss $457 million mask payment in 2020 and a 2021 pension bill drafted with her office's involvement for a police union president. — *CalMatters* [What would Fiona Ma do next as California treasurer?] ## Analysis of their own words (as of 2026-10-28) Coverage: Six samples, all position_statement: the GrowSF candidate questionnaire (S3, written answers due 2026-04-07, the longest and most substantive), two campaign press releases (S2, 2026-06-01, with one direct quote from Ma; S1, 2026-06-15, written in the campaign's third-person voice), two undated campaign web pages (S4 'About Fiona', third-person biography; S5 'Why I Am Running', first person), and her undated paid statement in the Secretary of State's official voter guide (S6). All are prepared, campaign-period texts from 2026. Missing: any unscripted speech (interview transcripts, debate or forum transcripts), any official statements or writing from her time as Treasurer, and anything dated after mid-June 2026. Reported interview quotes in news coverage were not used as samples. Ma's expressed views place her within the mainstream of the Democratic Party on most issues the samples address, with a fiscal-management emphasis. She favors government-financed affordable and workforce housing, debt-free paths to higher education, need-based aid, labor-aligned job creation ('over 10,000 union jobs'), clean energy including offshore wind, and socially responsible, climate-smart pension investing (S3, S5). She frames her candidacy against federal funding cuts and, per her campaign, 'opposition to the Trump agenda' (S1). She also proposes structural government reforms - abolishing the Board of Equalization, same-ticket election of governor and lieutenant governor, and post-election review of ballot measures (S3) - described in terms of accountability and cutting waste rather than ideology. The samples do not address many contested social issues directly, beyond endorsements she lists from Planned Parenthood and Equality California (S6). Articulation: **adequate**. Judged on prepared texts only; no unscripted speech was available. The questionnaire (S3) is clearly organized and often specific: it names funding sources and percentages for its loan fund, cites a bill number (SB 769), sets numeric goals (two ports, 10,000 union jobs) and lays out three measurable outcomes for her first two years. It shows command of the office's formal powers (board seats, Senate tie-breaking vote, acting-governor authority). Against that, many answers lean on résumé and endorsement counts rather than on how a stated goal would be achieved, several key claims are asserted without support (for example that she 'helped grow California from the seventh to the fourth-largest economy in the world'), and some answers are repetitive across questions. Shorter pieces (S5, S6) are clear but general. The press releases (S1, S2) are mostly campaign framing. Consistency: **adequate**. Her stated priorities - affordability and housing, higher-education cost and career pathways, fiscal stewardship, and her immigrant-family story - are the same across S3, S5 and S6, and the endorsement claims broadly line up. All samples fall within the 2026 campaign, so they say little about consistency over time. Self-reported facts and figures vary between her own materials: Board of Equalization service is given as 2014-2018 (S4) and 2015 to 2019 (S3); annual payments processed as 'more than $3 trillion' (S4), 'approximately $3 trillion' (S1, S2) and '$3.7 trillion' (S5); the investment portfolio as 'more than $124 billion' (S4), '$150-$250 billion' (S5) and '$155 billion to $175 billion' (S1, S2); local-official endorsements as 500+ (S3, S6) and over 600 (S2). These differences may reflect different dates or definitions, but the samples do not explain them. No change of policy position appears in the samples. - Housing affordability: Calls housing the defining affordability issue and proposes state financing tools, including a zero-interest revolving loan fund from Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund revenue, for workforce housing on school and college land. - "Affordability sits at the top of that list, and housing is the defining issue." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - "I will also advocate for the creation of a zero-interest revolving loan fund, which would be funded by setting aside 5 percent of the annual revenue generated by the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - "And as a real estate tax accountant, I am committed to build more housing so everyone can afford to live in our great state." [Why I Am Running] (undated) - Higher education costs and governance: Would use UC/CSU/community college board votes to audit the full cost of attendance, push graduation-rate metrics by income and first-generation status, strengthen transfer pathways and oppose fee increases not matched by need-based aid. - "I will push for measurable reductions in non-tuition costs and oppose fee increases that are not accompanied by commensurate expansions in need-based aid." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - "Access without completion is not equity, and I will fight to deliver both." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - "As Lieutenant Governor, I will make higher education more affordable, expand paid internships, and strengthen career pathways." [Lieutenant Governor Candidate Statements (Official Voter Information Guide)] (undated) - Structural government reform: Proposes abolishing the Board of Equalization and a constitutional amendment requiring governor and lieutenant governor to run on a joint ticket. - "First, I have announced a plan to abolish the California State Board of Equalization (BOE)." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - "Second, I have proposed "Same-Ticket Reform," a constitutional amendment that would require the Governor and Lieutenant Governor to run together on a joint ticket" [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - Clean energy and State Lands Commission: Would champion a commercial-scale offshore wind hub off Morro Bay and Humboldt, with port upgrades and union jobs. - "As a member of the California State Lands Commission, I will champion the buildout of California's first commercial-scale offshore wind hub." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - "My short term goal is to have offshore wind under active construction, at least two fully upgraded ports, and over 10,000 union jobs created" [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - Ballot initiative process: Calls for reforming the initiative process, including a post-election review and adjustment mechanism, while preserving direct democracy. - "One of the most important long-term challenges California must solve is the urgent need for structural reform to our initiative process." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - "By introducing a mechanism for post-election review and adjustment, we can minimize negative fiscal surprises" [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - Economic development and trade: Would use the trade role to deepen investment ties (UK, Japan) and track foreign-direct-investment-supported job creation in green energy, aerospace and technology; describes tariffs as a tax on residents. - "It is my goal to improve FDI-supported job creation, with a focus on growing employment in green energy, aerospace, and technology." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - "making clear that trade barriers function as a direct tax on our residents and a threat to our agricultural exports" [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - Transparency: Pledges plain-language, multilingual public information and real-time disclosure of her board votes. - "When I take action on a board or cast a vote, people should know in real time." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) - "Access must be substantive, not merely symbolic." [GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026)] (2026-04-07) Limitations: All samples are prepared campaign materials from 2026, some written in the campaign's third-person voice (S1, S4); none show Ma speaking unscripted or answering follow-up questions. The analysis cannot assess her record as Treasurer, only how she describes it, and cannot verify her statistics. Undated web pages may have been edited at any time. ## Timeline (newest first) - **2026-10-03** — Published: California lieutenant governor: Who's running and why it matters (LAist) - **2026-10-01** — Published: Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero (Los Angeles Times) - **2026-10-01** — LA Times publishes general-election guide with candidate interviews (Los Angeles Times) - **2026-07-21** — Published: California Lieutenant Governor — November 2026 Election (GrowSF) - **2026-07-21** — GrowSF updates its endorsement to Fiona Ma for the general election (GrowSF) - **2026-06-15** — Published: Press Release: Primary Results Confirm Fiona Ma's Dominant Position in Race for Lieutenant Governor (Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor) - **2026-06-15** — Ma campaign releases primary-results analysis after AP called the top two (Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor) - **2026-06-10** — Published: Fiona Ma and Gloria Romero advance to lieutenant governor general election (NBC San Diego) - **2026-06-10** — NBC News projects Ma and Romero advance; Fryday concedes (NBC San Diego) - **2026-06-03** — Published: California lieutenant governor race: Fiona Ma, Gloria Romero lead on election night (KGET / Inside California Politics) - **2026-06-03** — Published: State Treasurer Fiona Ma leading in wide-open lieutenant governor race (Local News Matters) - **2026-06-03** — Published: Democrat Ma and Republican Romero in a Close Race for Lieutenant Governor (KQED) - **2026-06-02** — Ma leads primary-night returns (KGET / Inside California Politics) - **2026-06-02** — Early primary returns show Ma and Romero leading (Local News Matters) - **2026-06-02** — Published: California election result: Two candidates in tie for lt. governor (CalMatters) - **2026-06-02** — Primary election; early returns show Ma and Romero leading (CalMatters) - **2026-06-02** — Primary election held (KQED) - **2026-06-01** — Published: Press Release: New California Elections and Policy Poll Shows Fiona Ma Leading Lieutenant Governor Field (Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor) - **2026-06-01** — Ma campaign releases poll results showing her leading the field (Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor) - **2026-05-29** — Published: Who's running for California lieutenant governor and what does the job look like? (FOX 5 San Diego) - **2026-05-07** — Published: California Lieutenant Governor: Who's running in the June 2 primary and why it matters (LAist) - **2026-05-04** — Published: 2026 General Election: California lieutenant governor race explainer (KPBS) - **2026-04-30** — Published: Meet the candidates for California lieutenant governor: 'A job about nothing' (CalMatters) - **2026-04-07** — Published: GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026) (GrowSF) - **2026-04-07** — Questionnaire responses due to GrowSF for the June 2 primary (GrowSF) - **2024-08-30** — Published: California to pay $350K to settle sexual harassment claims against state Treasurer Fiona Ma (CBS Sacramento) - **2024-08-30** — State's $350,000 settlement reported; agreement filed the prior Friday (CBS Sacramento) - **2024** — State settles lawsuit for $350,000 (CalMatters) - **2022-10-04** — Published: What would Fiona Ma do next as California treasurer? (CalMatters) - **2022-09-28** — Ma interviewed at CalMatters offices (CalMatters) - **2022** — Re-elected State Treasurer (Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor) - **2021-09** — Pension rule bill signed into law (CalMatters) - **2021-07** — Former employee files harassment lawsuit against Ma (CalMatters) - **2021** — Former employee accuses Ma of sexual harassment (CalMatters) - **2021** — Former employee Judith Blackwell files harassment lawsuit against Ma (CBS Sacramento) - **2020-03** — State narrowly avoids wiring $457 million to a fraudulent mask vendor (CalMatters) - **2018-11-06** — Elected State Treasurer (Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor) - **2016** — Became BOE chair and ordered three external audits (Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor) ## Sources ### California lieutenant governor: Who's running and why it matters - LAist · voter guide · published 2026-10-03 · stance: neutral - LAist's general-election guide (with CalMatters, published October 3 and updated October 19, 2026) explains the lieutenant governor's duties and profiles Ma and Romero. - Explains the office: acting governor, Senate president (no tie vote since 1996), higher-education boards and the State Lands Commission. - Ma: Treasurer since 2019 with a long record in state and local office. - Key endorsements for Ma: California Labor Federation, State Building and Construction Trades Council, AFSCME. - Reference: Ma campaign site - Reference: Ma endorsements - Reference: California Constitution, Article V ### Your guide to the California lieutenant governor race: Ma vs. Romero - Los Angeles Times · voter guide · published 2026-10-01 · stance: neutral - The Los Angeles Times' October 1, 2026 guide to the Ma-Romero race reports primary results, biographies, how each would approach the job, their positions on Propositions 40 and 39, and how they would work with opponents, with quotes from interviews with the Times. - Ma finished first in the primary with 19.1% of about 8.5 million ballots; Romero had 17.8%. - The California Democratic Party backs Ma. - Ma pledges to use the 'bully pulpit' and cites her accounting and finance background. - Ma opposes Prop. 40 (one-time 5% tax on billionaires' assets), saying the state needs its billionaires and that most do not have liquid money. - Ma opposes Prop. 39 (voter ID), saying 'We are trying to make voting accessible and easier.' - Ma says she has 'a reputation of working across the aisle'. ### California Lieutenant Governor — November 2026 Election - GrowSF · endorsement · published 2026-07-21 · stance: support - GrowSF, a San Francisco advocacy group, recommends voting for Fiona Ma for lieutenant governor in November 2026 (page last updated July 21, 2026). It had endorsed Josh Fryday in June. It cites her record across offices, her Treasurer role in housing finance, and her plans for workforce housing, offshore wind and abolishing the Board of Equalization. - GrowSF calls Ma 'the clear choice' in a Ma-versus-Romero general election. - It cites her 60+ bills, Speaker pro Tempore role, a BOE term and two terms as Treasurer, and notes GrowSF endorsed her for Treasurer in 2022. - It highlights her chairing the tax-credit committee, sitting on the CalHFA board, the first bonds for community-college student housing and the Dream for All down-payment program. - It endorses her proposals for workforce housing on school and college land, an offshore wind hub, and abolishing the BOE. - Reference: Ma GrowSF questionnaire (June 2026) - Reference: Romero GrowSF questionnaire (November 2026) - Reference: CalMatters 2022 Treasurer story ### Press Release: Primary Results Confirm Fiona Ma's Dominant Position in Race for Lieutenant Governor - Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor · position statement · published 2026-06-15 · stance: support - A June 15, 2026 Ma campaign release analyzing the primary: Ma led with 1,616,298 votes (19.1%) and Romero was second with 1,511,200 (17.9%), per the Secretary of State. It credits labor endorsements and a positive campaign, compares independent-expenditure spending, and characterizes Romero as tied to Steve Hilton with 'extreme positions'. - Ma finished first in most coastal counties plus Mono and Imperial, the release says. - It says Ma won twice as many endorsement votes as her Democratic opponents combined at the state party convention. - It says Tubbs was supported by $5.7 million and Fryday by $1.35 million in independent expenditures, versus $107,222 for Ma. - It says Ma's ads featured her record, immigrant-family background and 'opposition to the Trump agenda'. - It calls Romero 'attached to the hip' of Hilton's 'Golden Ticket' and says she 'has limited crossover appeal because of her extreme positions'. ### Fiona Ma and Gloria Romero advance to lieutenant governor general election - NBC San Diego · news · published 2026-06-10 · stance: neutral - NBC 7 San Diego reports Ma and Romero advanced to the general election, with Ma at 19.1% and Romero at 18% at about 94% of the vote counted. It covers Ma's record and pledges, the harassment lawsuit and scrutiny of her ties to Pegasus California School. - Ma pledges to support small businesses, create jobs and focus on affordability. - It says her career was 'marred by controversy': the 2021 harassment suit settled for $350,000, which she says was false. - Her ties to Pegasus California School were scrutinized after an audit of the school; the audit did not accuse Ma of wrongdoing, but she received campaign donations from its founder. ### California lieutenant governor race: Fiona Ma, Gloria Romero lead on election night - KGET / Inside California Politics · news · published 2026-06-03 · stance: neutral - Inside California Politics/FOX40 (via KGET) election-night report: Ma led the lieutenant governor primary, followed by Romero. It gives a brief Ma biography and notes the harassment lawsuit settled for $350,000. - Ma is serving her second term as Treasurer and is the first woman of color in the post. - As BOE chair in 2016 she ordered three external audits. - It says she 'has denied any wrongdoing and ultimately settled the lawsuit for $350,000'. ### State Treasurer Fiona Ma leading in wide-open lieutenant governor race - Local News Matters · news · published 2026-06-03 · stance: neutral - Local News Matters teaser on primary-night returns: Ma and Romero led early results, with Ma leading the Democratic field. The rest of the article is behind a sign-in wall. - Ma and Romero were leading in early returns. ### Democrat Ma and Republican Romero in a Close Race for Lieutenant Governor - KQED · news · published 2026-06-03 · stance: neutral - KQED's republication of CalMatters' June 2026 primary-night story on the lieutenant governor race; the text matches the CalMatters original: Ma and Romero near 20% each in early returns, Ma's labor backing and $2.8 million raised, and the $350,000 harassment settlement she calls frivolous. - Ma and Romero led early returns with nearly 20% each. - Ma's run is described as shadowed by 2021 sexual harassment allegations. - Ma wants CSU campuses to find private-partnership revenue. - Reference: CalMatters original ### California election result: Two candidates in tie for lt. governor - CalMatters · news · published 2026-06-02 · stance: neutral - CalMatters election-night coverage of the June 2, 2026 primary: Ma and Romero were virtually tied near 20% each, with Fryday at about 14%. It notes Ma's labor endorsements, $2.8 million raised and the harassment allegations, and summarizes candidates' higher-education plans. - Ma had raised about $2.8 million; Fryday nearly $4 million. - Her run is 'shadowed by 2021 sexual harassment allegations' that Tubbs supporters used; the state paid $350,000 to settle. - Ma wants Cal State universities to find revenue through partnerships with private companies. - Ma 'has framed the job as another bulwark against the Trump administration'. - Reference: 2026 CalMatters race preview - Reference: Sacramento Bee: 2021 allegations ### Press Release: New California Elections and Policy Poll Shows Fiona Ma Leading Lieutenant Governor Field - Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor · position statement · published 2026-06-01 · stance: support - A June 1, 2026 Ma campaign press release announcing that a California Elections and Policy Poll by researchers at CSU Long Beach, USC and Cal Poly Pomona showed Ma leading the lieutenant governor field, with Gloria Romero second at 11 percent. It includes one quote from Ma and lists her endorsements. - The release says Ma held a nearly 2-to-1 lead over her Democratic rivals, who polled in single digits. - Ma is quoted: 'Californians understand that experience matters.' - It claims endorsements from more than 50 labor organizations, over 600 local elected officials and about 75 percent of the Legislature. ### Who's running for California lieutenant governor and what does the job look like? - FOX 5 San Diego · news · published 2026-05-29 · stance: neutral - Inside California Politics/FOX40 (via FOX 5 San Diego) overview of the primary field, published May 29, 2026, with a short Ma biography and a note on the harassment lawsuit. - Ma is in her second term as Treasurer, a CPA and daughter of Chinese immigrants. - She served six years in the Assembly and four on the BOE. - It notes the harassment lawsuit and $350,000 settlement, which she denies. - Reference: CBS: settlement report - Reference: Ma's platform ### California Lieutenant Governor: Who's running in the June 2 primary and why it matters - LAist · voter guide · published 2026-05-07 · stance: neutral - LAist's June-primary voter guide (CalMatters content) profiling the full lieutenant governor field, including Ma's background and key endorsements. - Ma: Treasurer since 2019, BOE 2014-2018, former SF supervisor and four-term Assemblymember. - Key endorsements: California Labor Federation, State Building and Construction Trades Council, AFSCME. - Lists the full primary field, including Fryday (CTA-backed) and Tubbs (SEIU-backed). ### 2026 General Election: California lieutenant governor race explainer - KPBS · voter guide · published 2026-05-04 · stance: neutral - KPBS republication of CalMatters' lieutenant governor explainer (first published May 4, updated September 14, 2026), with short neutral profiles of Ma and Romero and their top endorsements. - Ma has been Treasurer since 2019; previously BOE 2014-2018, SF supervisor, and four terms in the Assembly. - Top endorsements: California Labor Federation, State Building and Construction Trades Council, AFSCME. - Reference: Ma campaign site - Reference: CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide ### Meet the candidates for California lieutenant governor: 'A job about nothing' - CalMatters · news · published 2026-04-30 · stance: neutral - CalMatters' April 30, 2026 primary preview of the lieutenant governor race describes each major candidate's plans. For Ma, it reports her idea of raising Cal State revenue through private partnerships, her record and endorsements, and the 2021 harassment allegation settled by the state for $350,000, which she denies. - Ma would look to raise CSU revenue outside the general fund, such as leasing campus theaters to private companies. - She said issuing housing bonds to universities gave her 'a different perspective' on student housing. - She was accused of sexual harassment by a former employee in 2021; the state settled for $350,000 in 2024; Ma denies the claims and called the suit 'frivolous'. - A correction says Ma had not received the Democratic Party endorsement; the party had not endorsed in the race at that time. - Reference: Sacramento Bee: harassment accusation ### GrowSF candidate questionnaire: Fiona Ma (June 2026) - GrowSF · position statement · published 2026-04-07 · stance: support - Fiona Ma's long-form written answers to GrowSF's candidate questionnaire for the June 2026 primary (due April 7, 2026). She sets out priorities on housing affordability, higher education costs, economic development and structural reforms, explains how she would use each of the lieutenant governor's board seats, and proposes abolishing the Board of Equalization and a same-ticket constitutional amendment for governor and lieutenant governor. - Ma names housing affordability, economic opportunity, access to education and restoring trust in government as the state's defining challenges. - She proposes a zero-interest revolving loan fund, funded by 5% of Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund revenue, to help school districts and colleges build workforce housing. - She proposes abolishing the Board of Equalization, on which she served, and a 'Same-Ticket Reform' amendment so governor and lieutenant governor run jointly, both targeted for the 2027-28 session. - On UC/CSU boards she pledges audits of the full cost of attendance, graduation-rate metrics by income and first-generation status, stronger transfer pathways and opposition to fee increases not matched by need-based aid. - On the State Lands Commission she pledges to champion a commercial-scale offshore wind hub off Morro Bay and Humboldt, with a goal of active construction, two upgraded ports and 10,000+ union jobs. - She identifies initiative-process reform, including post-election review of measures, as the most important long-term challenge. - She tracks foreign-direct-investment-supported job creation as her economic indicator. ### California to pay $350K to settle sexual harassment claims against state Treasurer Fiona Ma - CBS Sacramento · news · published 2024-08-30 · stance: neutral - CBS Sacramento reports that the state agreed to pay $350,000 to settle a 2021 lawsuit by former state tax official Judith Blackwell alleging that Treasurer Fiona Ma sexually harassed her. Ma denied the allegations and called the settlement a vindication. - The settlement was filed in Sacramento County Superior Court; a trial had been scheduled for September. - Blackwell alleged Ma exposed herself and climbed into her bed while they shared hotel rooms and a rental unit. - A judge had earlier dismissed racial discrimination and wrongful termination claims but let the harassment claims go to trial. - Ma called it 'a frivolous lawsuit filed by a disgruntled employee who fabricated claims'. ### What would Fiona Ma do next as California treasurer? - CalMatters · news · published 2022-10-04 · stance: neutral - A 2022 CalMatters article based on an hour-long interview with Treasurer Ma during her re-election campaign. It covers her housing finance record, positions on taxes and wages, the then-pending harassment lawsuit, a near-miss $457 million mask wire transfer in 2020, and a 2021 pension bill tied to a police union leader. - Ma opposed a wealth tax, higher top-earner rates and Proposition 30 (2022), and opposed further minimum wage increases while supporting universal basic income. - She cited record tax-credit approvals for new housing construction, the first community-college student housing bonds and the Dream for All program. - She opposed AB 2305, which would have centralized affordable housing funding, calling it 'bureaucratic and not needed'. - She said she no longer stays overnight in Sacramento for work or shares hotel rooms with subordinates. - On the 2020 mask transaction she called it 'a lesson learned'. - On a 2021 pension bill her office helped draft for Santa Ana police union president Gerry Serrano, she said 'I like to try to fix problems'. ### 2021 sexual harassment allegations against Fiona Ma - Sacramento Bee · news · published undated · stance: unknown - ### Fiona Ma accused of sexual harassment - Sacramento Bee · news · published undated · stance: unknown - ### Lieutenant Governor Candidate Statements (Official Voter Information Guide) - California Secretary of State · position statement · published undated · stance: support - The Secretary of State's official voter guide page for lieutenant governor reprints Fiona Ma's paid candidate statement. Ma frames the race around affordability, cites her accounting credentials and her record as State Treasurer, says she will make higher education more affordable and expand paid internships, and lists her endorsements. The page also briefly describes the office's duties and carries Gloria Romero's statement. - Ma says Californians are being priced out by rising costs for housing, groceries, gas, insurance and healthcare, and that 'government red tape' delays housing. - She cites being a CPA since 1992 with degrees in accounting, taxation and finance. - She says that as Treasurer she financed a record number of affordable housing units, expanded down-payment assistance, saved distressed hospitals and attracted investment. - As lieutenant governor she pledges to make higher education more affordable, expand paid internships and strengthen career pathways. - She lists endorsements including the California Labor Federation, State Building Trades Council, California Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood, CA Teachers Association, CA Farm Bureau and two newspapers. ### Why I Am Running - Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor · position statement · published undated · stance: support - Ma's campaign page 'Why I Am Running' is a first-person statement of her background and goals. She describes her immigrant family, her offices held, her legislative record, her role as Treasurer and on the CalPERS and CalSTRS boards, and pledges to grow the economy, make college more affordable, expand healthcare access, support first responders and build housing. - Ma says she can 'make California affordable again' with more than two decades of experience. - She cites legislation on human trafficking in massage parlors, domestic-abuse survivors' courtroom rights and banning toxic chemicals in baby products, plus nearly 60 other proposals signed into law. - She says as Treasurer she oversees $3.7 trillion in disbursements per year and that California keeps top bond ratings under her leadership. - She describes herself as an activist for socially responsible and climate-smart investing on the CalPERS and CalSTRS boards. - She ties healthcare access to her own pre-existing condition and public safety to being a firefighter's spouse. ### About Fiona - Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor · position statement · published undated · stance: support - The 'About Fiona' campaign page is a third-person biography of Ma: State Treasurer since 2019 (re-elected 2022), Board of Equalization member 2014-2018, Assemblymember 2006-2012 including Speaker pro Tempore, and San Francisco supervisor 2002-2006, with her legislative and Treasurer-office accomplishments, education and honors. - Ma was first elected Treasurer on November 6, 2018 and re-elected in 2022; the page says she is the first woman of color and first woman CPA in the post. - As BOE chair from 2016 she ordered three external audits of the agency. - She authored 60 bills signed by two governors, including a phthalates ban that the page says became a model for federal legislation. - Her final bills let domestic-abuse survivors serving life without parole seek rehearing using Battered Women's Syndrome evidence. - Treasurer's office figures: more than $3 trillion in payments a year, a portfolio of more than $124 billion, $93 billion in outstanding bonds. ### California lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2026 - Ballotpedia · voter guide · published undated · stance: neutral - ### Endorsements - Fiona Ma for Lieutenant Governor · endorsement · published undated · stance: support - Ma's campaign endorsements page lists hundreds of endorsers for lieutenant governor: labor unions, organizations, members of Congress, statewide officials, legislators, local officials and newspapers. - Labor endorsers include the California Federation of Labor Unions, State Building and Construction Trades Council, California Teachers Association, California Nurses Association, California Professional Firefighters, Teamsters California and AFSCME. - Organizational endorsers include the California Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and California YIMBY. - Federal endorsers include Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla. - Statewide endorsers include Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Controller Malia Cohen. - Newspaper endorsements listed: The Bakersfield Californian, The Mercury News, East Bay Times, The Korea Times, Sing Tao Daily, The San Francisco Chronicle. ## Suggested use Ask me neutral questions about this subject using the material above. Distinguish what the sources say from your own background knowledge, cite the source titles you rely on, and say when information may be out of date given the dates shown.