Rob Bonta, the Democratic incumbent, is running for reelection as California attorney general in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican Michael E. Gates.

Bonta was sworn in on April 23, 2021, as the 34th attorney general of California, according to the California Department of Justice. He was the first person of Filipino descent to hold the office.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: California Attorney General
  • Born: Sept. 22, 1971, in Quezon City, Philippines; immigrated to California as an infant
  • Education: Bachelor's in history, Yale University (1993); politics, philosophy and economics, University of Oxford; J.D., Yale University (1998)

Experience and public service

Bonta clerked for Judge Alvin W. Thompson at the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut from 1998 to 1999, then was a litigation associate at Keker & Van Nest from 1999 to 2003, according to his Wikipedia entry.

He served as deputy city attorney for the County of San Francisco from 2003 to 2012, according to his BallotReady profile. He was also a director at Alameda Health Care District/Alameda Hospital from 2007 to 2010.

Bonta won a seat on the Alameda City Council in 2010. He represented District 18 in the California State Assembly from 2012 to 2021, becoming the first Filipino American in the state Legislature. He has served as attorney general since 2021.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Bonta's campaign website and his BallotReady questionnaire responses. They reflect the candidate's own claims.

Criminal justice and public safety: Bonta said he is "advancing solutions that work to make our communities safer …" and wants to bring more fairness to the justice system.

Gun safety: Bonta said he is defending California's gun safety laws, including the assault weapons ban, from legal challenges. He said he co-authored legislation to strengthen regulations on high-capacity ammunition magazines.

Healthcare: Bonta said he believes health care is a human right. He said he is defending the Affordable Care Act from legal challenges, pursuing justice for opioid victims and defending reproductive health care access.

Worker protections: Bonta said he has prioritized cases against employers who abuse workers and steal wages. He said he helped increase the minimum wage to the highest in the country.

Immigration: Bonta said he is fighting to ensure every Californian knows their rights and is treated with dignity regardless of immigration status.

Endorsements

The following endorsements were claimed by the endorsers, according to his BallotReady profile:

  • AFSCME
  • AFSCME Local 3299
  • Alameda County Democrats
  • Alice B Toklas Democratic Club
  • American Nurses Association of California
  • Asian American Action Fund PAC
  • Bay Area Reporter Editorial Board
  • Brady: United Against Gun Violence
  • California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
  • California School Employees Association
  • California Teachers' Association
  • California Young Democrats
  • California - Orange County Democrats
  • CHIRAL Action Fund
  • Communication Workers of America
  • Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood Orange San Bernardino Counties
  • Contra Costa County Democrats
  • East Bay Times Editorial Board
  • Fresno County Democrats
  • Fresno Stonewall Democrats
  • Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
  • Heart of LA Democratic Club
  • Jane Fonda Climate PAC
  • Los Angeles County Democrats
  • Los Angeles Stonewall Democrats
  • Mercury News Editorial Board
  • North State Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
  • Pacific Palisades Democratic Club
  • Planned Parenthood of Orange, San Bernadino
  • Planned Parenthood of San Diego, Riverside, Imperial
  • Random Length News Editorial Board
  • Riverside County Democrats
  • Sacramento County Democrats
  • San Diego Building & Construction Trades Council
  • San Diego County Democratic Party
  • San Diego Democrats for Equality
  • San Francisco Bay Times Editorial Board
  • San Francisco Examiner Editorial Board
  • San Francisco Women's Political Committee
  • San Jose Mercury News Editorial Board
  • Santa Barbara Independent Editorial Board
  • Santa Clara County Democrats
  • South Bay Labor Council
  • State Building and Construction Trades Council of California
  • The United Democratic Club
  • United Farm Workers
  • YIMBY Action

Candidate positions are based on materials submitted to BallotReady and statements on the candidate's campaign website. The Newport Signal does not endorse candidates.