Villaraigosa says he won’t run for Boxer’s Senate seat

FILE - In this April 16, 2013 file photo, then Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa speaks before the Sacramento Press Club in Sacramento, Calif. Villaraigosa is among those on a long list of possible contenders for U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer's seat. Boxer announced in January that she would not seek a fifth term. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) less FILE - In this April 16, 2013 file photo, then Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa speaks before the Sacramento Press Club in Sacramento, Calif. Villaraigosa is among those on a long list of possible ... more Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Villaraigosa says he won’t run for Boxer’s Senate seat 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

SACRAMENTO — Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, long viewed as a likely candidate for Sen. Barbara Boxer’s U.S. Senate seat, announced Tuesday that he won’t run, leaving Kamala Harris as the only major candidate so far.

“I am humbled by the encouragement I’ve received from so many to serve in the United States Senate,” Villaraigosa, 62, said. “But as I think about how best to serve the people of this great state, I know that my heart and my family are here in California, not Washington, D.C. I have decided not to run for the U.S. Senate and instead continue my efforts to make California a better place to live, work and raise a family.”

While a flurry of Democrats are expected to compete for Boxer’s seat — the first open Senate seat since 1992 — so far, only Harris is headlining the 2016 race. Billionaire activist Tom Steyer and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom already squelched speculation that they would run. Earlier this month, Newsom formed a committee to explore a run for governor in 2018.

With Villaraigosa also staying out of the Senate race, political insiders say it’s looking more likely that he has his eyes set on being governor. Like Newsom, Villaraigosa issued a statement posted to his Facebook page citing family and a desire to focus on California as reasons for not running for the Senate.

Villaraigosa was a state assemblyman from 1994 to 2000, spending two years as speaker of the lower house. He was a Los Angeles city councilman from 2003 until he was elected mayor in 2005. He left office in 2013 due to term limits and now works as a high-priced consultant.

“I think he read the writing on the wall,” said Democratic strategist Steve Maviglio. “His name hasn’t been on the ballot for six years, and you have to raise a lot of money, which is difficult when you haven’t been an officeholder in a while. And in his heart I think he wants to be governor.”

A recent Field Poll showed Villaraigosa was the top choice among Latino voters for Boxer’s seat at 60 percent, but he was well behind Harris among both Southern California and Northern California voters.

Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney, won a second term as attorney general in November. She has been lining up major endorsements in recent weeks for her Senate race.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez