Sharifah Hardie

Sharifah Hardie

Republican Party

Candidate, Governor of California

Elections and appointments

Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

High school

Downtown Business Magnet School

Personal

Birthplace

District of Columbia

Religion

Spiritual

Profession

Politician

Contact

Campaign website

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Personal website

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Sharifah Hardie (Republican Party) is running for election for Governor of California. She declared candidacy for the 2026 election.^[source]

Hardie completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Sharifah Hardie was born in Washington, D.C.. She earned a high school diploma from Downtown Business Magnet School. Her career experience includes working as a politician. She has been affiliated with Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, Black Business Co-Op, and 1 Me Foundation.

Elections

2026

See also: California gubernatorial election, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for Governor of California

The following candidates are running in the general election for Governor of California on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Toni Atkins (D)
		Eleni Kounalakis (D)
		Katie Porter (D)
		Raji Rab (D)
		Tony Thurmond (D)
		Antonio Villaraigosa (D)
		Betty Yee (D)
		Michael Younger (D)
	Submit photo	Chad Bianco (R)
		Sharifah Hardie (R)
		Brandon Jones (R)
		Kyle Langford (R)
		Leo Zacky (R)
		Javen Allen (American Independent Party)
	Submit photo	Nicholas Thompson (L)
	Submit photo	Tony Fitzpatrick (No party preference)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2024

See also: California State Senate elections, 2024

General election

General election for California State Senate District 33

Incumbent Lena Gonzalez defeated Mario Paz in the general election for California State Senate District 33 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lena Gonzalez (D)	69.9	217,560
		Mario Paz (R)	30.1	93,574

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 311,134
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Senate District 33

Incumbent Lena Gonzalez and Mario Paz defeated Sharifah Hardie in the primary for California State Senate District 33 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lena Gonzalez (D)	68.6	86,226
✔		Mario Paz (R)	17.1	21,470
		Sharifah Hardie (R)	14.4	18,061

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 125,757
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Hardie in this election.

2020

See also: City elections in Long Beach, California (2020)

General election

General election for Long Beach City Council District 6

Suely Saro defeated incumbent Dee Andrews in the general election for Long Beach City Council District 6 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Suely Saro (Nonpartisan)	59.8	7,799
		Dee Andrews (Nonpartisan)	40.2	5,246

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 13,045
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Long Beach City Council District 6

The following candidates ran in the primary for Long Beach City Council District 6 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Suely Saro (Nonpartisan)	44.8	2,819
✔		Dee Andrews (Nonpartisan)	28.6	1,799
	Submit photo	Ana Arce (Nonpartisan)	18.7	1,180
		Josephine Villasenor (Nonpartisan)	3.4	216
	Submit photo	Craig Ursuy (Nonpartisan)	2.6	162
		Sharifah Hardie (Nonpartisan)	1.9	118

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,294
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sharifah Hardie completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hardie's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Sharifah Hardie is a business consultant, talk show host and serial entrepreneur. She is Editor-In-Chief at Long Beach Black News and Co-Founder of the Black Business CoOp.

Hardie was a candidate for Long Beach City Council in the March 2020 Primary Election and ran for CA State Senate District 33 in the 2024 general election. She intends to run for California Governor in the 2026 election.

Hardie is Host of Ask Sharifah Videocast & Podcast, and The Round Table Talk Show. She is the author of Signs You Might Be An Entrepreneur, Path to Politics; How to Run for Political Office and Make a Difference, How to Obtain Investors; Strategies the Rich Don’t Want You to Know About Raising Money for Your Business, the ebook, Everything You Need to Know About Social Media Marketing.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Sharifah Hardie believes every American should be able to earn a living wage and support their families.
• Sharifah Hardie believes every American should be able to afford housing.
• Sharifah Hardie believes that love is the answer.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Sharifah Hardie believes California should change its policies in regards to employment, housing, mental health and drug abuse. The high cost of living, taxes and inflation are the main reason California businesses and individuals are leaving in a mass exodus.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Malia M. Cohen, California State Controller. I have never fangirled in my life until I met Mrs. Cohen. When I met her it was like meeting the Queen. She is amazing, incredible, brilliant and just knowing she exists has given me the motivation to keep fighting for the American people.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

A film that would allow people to understand my thought process is the piercing, Oscar-nominated film from Ava DuVernay, 13th. It is an excellent representation of where America is today. Another incredible movie is Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore. People often are unaware of America's true history and tend to just vote based on emotions.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The characteristics most important for an elected offical are honesty, compassion and love for the American people.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities for an elected official is concern for the people. Politicians must always put the best interest of the people at the forefront of every decision.

What legacy would you like to leave?

The legacy I would love to leave is to turn California Red.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event that I remember happening in my life was Trans World Airline's Boeing 747-100 that exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on July 17, 1996, at approximately 8:31 p.m. EDT, 12 minutes after takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport, on a scheduled international passenger flight to Rome with a stopover in Paris. I was a Customer Service Supervisor in the TWA Los Angeles Reservations Center at the time. At a young age I understood loss. I understood pain. I spoke with parents who had lost their children on that flight. It's bad enough when you lose someone's luggage, but when you blow up someone's child and then call them and ask them to trust you and get back on another TWA airplane and fly to New York City. Toughest experience I have ever had in my life. Now, I always make sure to allow love to lead me. To always tell everyone how much I love them and that tomorrow is not promised.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was working as a Customer Service representative for our family business Jordan's Rooter and Plumbing at 11 years old. I have worked with my father and my family off and on over the last 40 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Bible, The Quran, The Torah. Equally.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Kygo & Whitney Houston - Higher Love

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

The biggest struggle in my life is getting people to understand that no matter the question, love is the answer. Whatever you do. Do it with love!

What do you love most about your state?

What I love the most about California is... IT'S CALIFORNIA!! People travel from around the world to visit our great state. Depending on where you are in California you might live by the beach. In other parts you may live by the mountains or snow. California is a melting pot of foods, languages, cultures, individuals, races, temperatures, weathers, religions and there is no place like it on Earth and I was born in Washington D.C. I choose to live in California. After I moved back to Washington D.C. in 1995, and the blizzard of 1996 hit, I came right back to California and promised never to leave it again. There's just something about waste high snow on my commute that had me running for the next airport out of the nation's capital for sunnier pastures.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The greatest challenge California faces is not prioritizing its citizens. By allowing more and more private prisons to be built, our current focus is on punitive action instead of just simply loving our neighbor.

Tell us your favorite joke.

How do you make God laugh?

Tell him your plans.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

The government is made up of individuals and people. Everyone needs to be transparent and have accountability for our actions. Just because we are the government, we can't then just operate with impunity.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2024

Sharifah Hardie completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hardie's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a lover of the Lord and of my fellow Man. I was raised Muslim, but currently consider myself Spiritual. Sharifah in Arabic means "honest" or "of honor" and I try my best to always speak the truth. I am a Mother of two, with the hopes of having grandchildren. I want to create the best possible world for them. I am a .com baby. I built my first website in 1994 and have helped build companies ever since. I have been laid off over eight times, yet I didn't quit. I used those experience and knowledge I gained to benefit the businesses I now consult.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Stop California's Mass Exodus - Bring People, Corporations & Companies Back to California!
• Reduce Crime & Lawlessness in California Caused by High Inflation & Lack of Jobs!
• Create Opportunities with a Living Wage to Reduce Homelessness & the Threat of Being Unhoused!

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Sharifah Hardie is passionate about criminal justic reform, housing reform and the government's healthcare policy.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to Malia Cohen, California State Controller. Meeting her was a life altering experience. I was impressed by how casual, laid back and open she was. When I asked her how she became the State Controller her response was, "Hard Work." I love it and I seek to follow her example.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I have been working since I was 11 years old. I began my work career as a Customer Service Representative for my Father's business. Jordan's Rooter & Plumbing.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

My biggest struggle is what motivated me to run for political office; gainful emplyment. I learned that many people today suffer with maintaining employment. I have been laid off 8 times. I've never been fired. I worked for companies that relocated, companies that downsized, companies that went on hiring freezes forcing me to either take a new position or leave and I've worked for companies that simply ran out of funding. Many Americans are dealing with the same issues. I know what it's like to be homeless. I know what it's like not to have enough to eat. I know what it's like to not have enough money in the bank. I know what it's like to be a teenage mom struggling to take care of your children. All of these problems are avoidable. We just have to focus on what's in the best interest of the people and not just focus on the bottomline.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

California's greatest challenge is rebranding our image. Our current image is of a place that only the rich can afford to live in. We have to bring back the middle class, and make California a more inclusive place for everyone.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I do not believe that's necessarily beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics. I believe the most important experience is life experience. We need state legislators who have lived. Who have experienced life. Who have seen some things and been through some things, so that they are able to empathize and make decisions in the best interest of their constituents.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Sharifah Hardie did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Sharifah Hardie campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	California State Senate District 33	Lost primary	$0	$0
Grand total			$0	$0
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

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