Former California lawmaker, a millennial, joins the governor's race

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Former state Assemblymember Ian Calderon is the latest Democrat to jump into the crowded race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom next year.

Calderon, 39, cast himself as the voice of a new, younger generation as the youngest majority leader in state history. The governor’s race has already has drawn a large field of candidates, including former Biden administration Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, former U.S. House member Katie Porter, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, among others.

Calderon was the first millennial elected to the Assembly at 27 years old in 2012. He chose to not seek reelection in 2020 to spend more time with his wife and young children.

“California should be the best place in the world to raise a family, buy a home and build a future, but to get there, we need a new generation of leadership,” Calderon said.

He has vowed to tackle gas prices, housing affordability and child care costs in a social media video announcing his campaign to replace Newsom, whose term runs through early January 2027.

On the GOP side, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton have announced their bids.

Calderon is also positioning himself as a tech-friendly politician and said Tuesday that he'd push the state to use cryptocurrency like bitcoin to pay for various state programs. He made the comments during a social media livestream called “Crypto Town Hall.”

“Once I’m governor, I’m going to make sure that we hold bitcoin on our balance sheet,” Calderon said.

Democrats are expected to hold the seat in a state where they outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 2 to 1. Republicans have not won a statewide election in California in nearly two decades.

Calderon's family has long-held ties in California politics. He replaced his father, Charles Calderon, in the Assembly. Two of his uncles, Ron Calderon and Tom Calderon, also served in the state Legislature, though both were convicted on public corruption charges in 2016. His stepmom Lisa Calderon, succeeded him in the Assembly.

FILE - Assemblyman Ian Calderon, D-Whittier, urges lawmakers to approve a measure to give new wage and benefit protections at the so-called gig economy companies like Uber and Lyft, during the Assembly session in Sacramento, Calif., Sept. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

DODOMA, Tanzania (AP) — Tanzania’s president has, for the first time since the disputed October election, commented on a six-day internet shutdown as the country went through its worst postelection violence.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday expressed “sympathy” to diplomats and foreign nationals living in the country, saying the government would strive to ensure there is never a repeat of the same.

Hassan won the October election with more than 97% of the vote after candidates from the two main opposition parties were barred from running and the country’s main opposition leader remained in prison facing treason charges.

Violence broke out on election day and went on for days as the internet was shut down amid a heavy police crackdown that left hundreds of people dead, according to rights groups.

Hassan blamed the violence on foreigners and pardoned hundreds of young people who had been arrested, saying they were acting under peer pressure.

Speaking to ambassadors, high commissioners and representatives of international organizations on Thursday in the capital, Dodoma, she sought to reassure envoys of their safety, saying the government would remain vigilant to prevent a repeat of the disruption.

“To our partners in the diplomatic community and foreigners residing here in Tanzania, I express my sincere sympathy for the uncertainty, service restrictions and internet shutdowns you experienced,” she said.

Hassan defended her administration, saying the measures were taken to preserve constitutional order and protect citizens.

“I assure you that we will remain vigilant to ensure your safety and prevent any recurrence of such experiences,” the president told diplomats on Thursday.

Tanzania has, since the October elections, established a commission of inquiry to look into the violence that left hundreds dead and property worth millions of shillings destroyed in a country that has enjoyed relative calm for decades.

Foreign observers said the election failed to meet democratic standards because key opposition figures were barred.

FILE - Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan delivers remarks during a campaign rally ahead of the general elections in Iringa, Tanzania, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo, File)