2022 California State Controller election
The 2022 California State Controller election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the California State Controller. Due to strict absolute lifetime term limit laws, incumbent Democratic State Controller Betty Yee was ineligible to run for a third term. Democrat Malia Cohen won the election, defeating Republican Lanhee Chen. Despite Chen's loss, the race was the closest of the 2022 elections in California, and Chen received more votes than any Republican candidate in the 2022 national election cycle. Chen flipped ten counties, the most that any candidate had flipped in California that year. Chen also won four congressional districts held by Democrats, while Cohen won no congressional districts held by Republicans.
Candidates
Democratic Party
Advanced to general election
- Malia Cohen, Chair of the California State Board of Equalization and former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Eliminated in primary
- Ron Galperin, Los Angeles City Controller
- Steve Glazer, state senator from the 7th district
- Yvonne Yiu, mayor of Monterey Park
Republican Party
Advanced to general election
- Lanhee Chen, Stanford University professor, former advisor to the NRSC, former policy advisor for Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign and Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign
Green Party
Eliminated in primary
- Laura Wells, financial and business analyst and perennial candidate
Fundraising
Of the 2022 California statewide races, the race for controller had the largest total amount of money spent.By October 2021, Chen had received over $1 million from 307 donors, including Jerry Yang, Steve Poizner, and John T. Chambers. Glazer's campaign was financially supported by the California Chamber of Commerce. Yiu gave more than $5 million to her own campaign.