"I'm running to be California's next state insurance commissioner because I believe at my core that California needs a strong defender, and a counterpuncher, who will stand up to fight our bullying President, Donald Trump, and his increasingly reckless federal government on issues from healthcare access to economic security and more,” Lara said in a statement.On November 6, 2018 Lara narrowly led former Republican Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, who ran as an Independent.