Republican Tony Strickland is running for re-election to California State Senate District 36, which covers parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties including Newport Beach.
He faces Democrat Chris Duncan in the Nov. 3 general election.
Strickland was elected to a second term in the state Senate in 2025, according to his official Senate page.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: California State Senate, District 36
- Education: Bachelor's degree in political science from Whittier College, where he was named a Nixon Scholar, according to his campaign website
- Personal: Strickland said on his campaign website that he was born at Fort Ord, California, and is the son of an Army drill sergeant.
Experience and public service
Strickland has held elected office at the local and state level. He served as a member of the California State Assembly beginning in 1998, where he was vice chair of the Health and Governmental Organization committees, according to his Senate page. He also served as a Huntington Beach council member and mayor, according to BallotReady.
He previously served in the state Senate beginning in 2008, holding the vice chair role on the Health and Environmental Quality committees. He was also a visiting scholar at the USC Jesse M. Unruh School of Public Policy.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Strickland's campaign website and his responses on BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Taxes and budget
Strickland said he has authored a bill to eliminate the gas tax (SB 94) and has pushed to defund the High Speed Rail project. He said he sought to redirect High Speed Rail funds to statewide road repairs, which he said would allow elimination of the gas tax.
He said he helped reduce property taxes for disabled veterans through SB 296 and worked to make solar energy systems on homes permanently tax-deductible through SB 710. Strickland said he has protected Proposition 13 from attempts to undermine the state's cap on property taxes.
He also said he sought to prohibit unelected state agencies from adopting major regulations with significant fiscal impacts without legislative approval through SB 885.
Criminal justice and public safety
Strickland said on his campaign website that he would fight to toughen penalties for criminals and support police and prosecutors. He listed keeping communities safe and supporting public safety as a key priority on BallotReady. He also listed election integrity as a priority, according to his campaign website.
Endorsements
Strickland has drawn several endorsements. He has received backing from the California GOP, the Republican Party of Orange County, the Los Angeles County GOP, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the California Rifle and Pistol Association, the California Republican Assembly and the California Congress of Republicans, according to BallotReady.
Candidate information was gathered from the candidate's official Senate page, campaign website and BallotReady. Policy positions reflect the candidate's own statements unless otherwise noted.
