PRESS RELEASE: Herb Morgan for CA Controller: 16 Newspaper Endorsements
Herb Morgan Surges as Ballots Begin Arriving, Barnstorming California With 16 Newspaper Endorsements, and a Single-Digit Poll
San Diego — Republican state controller candidate Herb Morgan is entering the final 29 days of the campaign with a burst of activity across California, editorial endorsements appearing in 16 of the state’s daily newspapers, and a poll reported by POLITICO showing him eight percentage points behind Democratic incumbent Malia Cohen.
Morgan has been crisscrossing the state everyday for campaign events, GOTV events, and interviews with the press, with recent stops spanning Northern and Southern California.
Herb Morgan — 16 Newspaper Endorsements
McClatchy Media
The Sacramento Bee — https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/election-endorsements/article315579810.html
The Modesto Bee — https://www.aol.com/articles/california-state-controller-republican-superior-170000000.html
Merced Sun-Star — https://www.aol.com/articles/california-state-controller-republican-superior-170000000.html
The Fresno Bee — https://www.aol.com/articles/california-state-controller-republican-superior-170000000.html
San Luis Obispo Tribune — https://www.aol.com/articles/california-state-controller-republican-superior-170000000.html
Southern California News Group
Orange County Register — https://www.ocregister.com/2026/09/06/endorsement-herb-morgan-for-state-controller/
Los Angeles Daily News — https://www.dailynews.com/2026/09/06/endorsement-herb-morgan-for-state-controller/
The Press-Enterprise
San Bernardino Sun
Daily Breeze
Long Beach Press-Telegram
Pasadena Star-News
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Whittier Daily News
Redlands Daily Facts
The collective editorial boards of The Sacramento Bee, Modesto Bee, Merced Sun-Star, Fresno Bee and San Luis Obispo Tribune endorsed Morgan last week, writing that he is the more qualified candidate for the controller’s office and pointing to his financial career, pension oversight experience and proposals to modernize state financial reporting.
Morgan also has the endorsement of the Southern California News Group editorial board, whose endorsement is carried across 11 daily newspapers: The Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, The Press-Enterprise, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Daily Breeze, The San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. SCNG’s editorial board cited Morgan’s four decades in finance, experience helping oversee San Diego’s public pension system and proposals for greater transparency in state spending.
A Sept. 24 report in POLITICO California Playbook highlighting an internal Morgan campaign poll that showed Cohen leading Morgan by eight points. POLITICO wrote that the result gave the campaign grounds to argue the contest is competitive despite California’s Democratic advantage and noted that some Republicans view Morgan as the party’s strongest opportunity for a statewide breakthrough.
Four years ago, Cohen defeated Republican Lanhee Chen, POLITICO noted that Republicans came closer in that contest than in several other statewide races that year.
“This campaign is going everywhere and talking to everyone because the controller’s office is about competence, accountability, and what happens to the public’s money,” Morgan said. “In the last few weeks, we have seen editorial boards across California examine this race, look at the qualifications and reach the conclusion that I am the best candidate for the job. We have also seen polling showing that this race is in play. I’m going to keep traveling the state, meeting Californians, and laying out exactly why they should vote for me for controller.”
Morgan has made his professional background central to his candidacy. He spent nearly four decades in finance, founded Efficient Market Advisors and grew the firm to approximately $1.5 billion in assets under management before its acquisition. He subsequently served as chief investment officer for the acquiring firm.
Morgan also served on the San Diego City Employees’ Retirement System board after being appointed by then-Mayor Jerry Sanders in 2009. His fellow trustees twice elected him board chair.
The controller serves as California’s chief fiscal officer and accountant, oversees the disbursement and reporting of state funds and sits on dozens of boards and commissions, including the boards governing California’s major public pension systems.
Morgan’s campaign has focused on what he calls “radical transparency,” including more aggressive financial audits, modernization of FI$Cal and public access to state spending information closer to real time. His campaign has also developed demonstrations of technology intended to make government and campaign financial transactions easier for the public to examine.
Those proposals featured prominently in both sets of newspaper endorsements. The Bee editorial boards pointed specifically to Morgan’s proposal to transform FI$Cal from a system that largely reconciles expenditures after the fact into one capable of monitoring financial information closer to real time.
The Southern California News Group editorial board similarly highlighted Morgan’s financial experience and his argument that the controller can make broader use of the office’s auditing authority. Its endorsement also cited California State Auditor findings concerning late financial reporting and material errors in recent state financial reports.
California counties are required to begin mailing vote-by-mail ballots to every active registered voter by Monday, Oct. 5.
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Paid for by Herb Morgan for State Controller 2026
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