Progressive Group Our Revolution Endorses Billionaire Tom Steyer in Tight California Governor Race

Our Revolution, the progressive organization founded as an outgrowth of Bernie Sanders’s 2016 presidential campaign, announced on Monday that it is endorsing billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer in the race for governor of California. The endorsement represents a notable break from the group’s long-standing rhetoric about the influence of extreme wealth in politics and comes as the primary race has tightened and candidates have withdrawn.

In announcing the endorsement, Our Revolution’s executive director Joseph Geevarghese acknowledged the tension between the group’s anti-billionaire posture and Steyer’s status as a wealthy donor, but said the decision was rooted in electoral strategy. “While yes, he is a billionaire, and that’s a real and important concern, it’s equally important to recognize how he’s used his wealth and power,” Geevarghese said, according to reporting highlighted by other outlets.

The Intercept, in a piece headlined “Progressive Group Founded by Bernie Sanders Endorses Billionaire for California Governor,” noted that the endorsement marks the organization’s first backing of a billionaire candidate. The outlet reported that Our Revolution’s leadership cited the recent shakeup in the race following Rep. Eric Swalwell’s exit and warned that if progressives failed to consolidate around a single candidate they risked handing the governorship to a Republican.

Tom Steyer, a hedge-fund billionaire and philanthropist who has spent heavily on political causes and candidacies, has positioned himself in the Democratic field as a proponent of progressive policies on climate, health care and taxation. Our Revolution’s public messaging accompanying the endorsement emphasized those policy priorities, tweeting: "We're backing Tom Steyer for Governor of California!

Tom is leaning into universal solutions like single-payer healthcare, taxing extreme wealth, climate action, and ending the outsized influence of corporations in our democracy.

Yes, he’s a billionaire. But he’s using his… pic.twitter.com/PkM4OZsoZ"

The endorsement has prompted criticism and questions over consistency from commentators and opponents who pointed to the organization’s prior statements about billionaire influence. One social media post cited in coverage juxtaposed past rhetoric with the new endorsement: "March: Billionaires have quite literally bought the government.

April: Vote for Tom Steyer who quite literally bought his entire campaign. pic.twitter.com/RpLra4nDsH" The comment reflects a broader debate over whether progressive groups should back wealthy candidates who pledge progressive policy commitments.

The Gateway Pundit article also reiterated allegations about Steyer’s policy stances on immigration enforcement, writing that Steyer "has advocated a radical, anti-ICE platform that includes bringing illegals back into the country and jailing ICE agents." That characterization has circulated in partisan coverage; Steyer and his campaign have highlighted his positions on immigration enforcement and reforms in different terms. The endorsement and attendant criticism come as the California race draws heightened national attention because of the state’s size and political significance.

Our Revolution’s backing of Steyer underscores tensions within the progressive movement between purity on principles about corporate and billionaire influence and pragmatic calculations about electability. With Democratic voters in California facing a crowded field and the potential for a split progressive vote, the group’s leadership said they prioritized preventing a Republican win over maintaining a strict anti-billionaire posture. The endorsement may influence fundraising, volunteer mobilization and voter decisions as the campaign moves closer to the primary, and it is likely to prompt further scrutiny of how progressive organizations evaluate candidates with significant personal wealth.