Lewis Herms is not a career politician. And that’s by design.
An Independent candidate for Governor of California, Herms brings decades of private-sector leadership experience to a race defined by frustration with politics as usual. A California native and first-time political candidate, he is running with support from across the political spectrum, focused on practical solutions that put people over politics. His campaign is grounded in a simple belief: government should answer to We the People, not entrenched political interests or party machinery.
Built on responsibility, not privilege
Growing up in working neighborhoods across Southern California, Lewis was raised by a single mother on food stamps. Those early years shaped his sense of self-reliance and accountability. Despite hardship, his childhood reflected a belief in the California Dream many residents still remember, rooted in close-knit communities and traditions like the Rose Parade.
Learning how things actually work
Lewis started working young, delivering newspapers in Los Angeles and taking on responsibility when it mattered. He learned by doing. As a teenager, he spent countless hours fixing cars and learning mechanics from the ground up, building practical skills and instincts that would later define his approach to problem-solving.
He legally signed off to work forty hours a week in a factory during summers, balancing a full-time job with school and athletics. While still in his teens, Herms began performing at a high level in professional environments, setting sales records at major corporations including General Motors and Montgomery Ward. Results, not titles, became the measure of success.
Fixing what no one else could
Before entering public life, Herms built his career in the private sector through hands-on, unglamorous work. He started as a drain cleaner before working his way up to manage operations across Southern California. Known for his ability to diagnose and repair failing organizations, Lewis stepped into complex environments others avoided, bringing teams together around workable solutions.
His career later included leadership roles at national organizations such as 24 Hour Fitness and Gold’s Gym, where he was repeatedly assigned to struggling locations. By bringing people together around clear goals and practical solutions, one such club rose to become the top-performing location in a global franchise of more than 600 clubs. It was named Club of the Year, recognition earned through measurable results rather than rhetoric.
Solving problems at the source
Herms’ record also includes working effectively within government systems to deliver results. At a failing facility in Oxnard, he stepped into an operation stalled by permitting delays and bureaucratic resistance. Rather than bypassing the process or accepting paralysis, Lewis worked directly with local leadership to resolve obstacles, secure approvals, and rebuild the operation.
A personal sacrifice
Later, Herms founded and ran his own multi-million-dollar company, applying the same accountability-driven approach as an owner and executive. As he watched California change during the lockdowns, Lewis became increasingly concerned by institutional failure, corruption, and a widening disconnect between government and everyday life. He ultimately chose to leave his business behind, giving up stability and long-term security to step into public responsibility.
From accountability to action
After decades of fixing broken systems in business, Herms went into communities across California to learn directly from the people living with the consequences of policy failure and from those working on real solutions. Rather than relying on bureaucrats, political insiders, or media filters, he focused on listening first and building understanding before offering solutions.
Herms’ civic work expanded beyond organizing into long-form examination of institutional power and public accountability. He founded and led several grassroots initiatives, including Screw Big Gov, Freedom in Action, Remember Your Oath, The Truth Tour, and The Unity Tour. As part of that work, he produced documentary films including 20/20 Vision, Watch the Water, and Cages, examining institutional power, public trust, and the real-world consequences of systemic failure.
Guardian of California
Herms is running for Governor of California because he believes the state’s challenges are not abstract or unsolvable. They are the result of systems that no longer serve the people they were meant to help. With support from Californians across the political spectrum, he is uniquely positioned as an Independent to govern a truly unified state and rebuild institutions so they once again work for We the People.
Lewis lives in California with his wife and their seven children. Raising a family here deepens his appreciation for the Golden State as one of the most extraordinary places in the world, defined by its diversity, natural beauty, and sense of possibility. He is running to help restore the California Dream, rebuilding a state where hard work leads to opportunity and communities can thrive again.