Former U.S. Department of Justice Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Gates is running for California Attorney General.
Gates launched his challenge to Attorney General Rob Bonta on Wednesday.
Driving the news: Gates served as the elected City Attorney for Huntington Beach from 2014 to 2025.
- Following his decade-plus in Huntington Beach Gates was appointed as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division last year.
State of the race: Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton and Lieutenant Governor candidate Gloria Romero joined Hilton for his announcement in Huntington Beach, positioning themselves as a slate of Republicans seeking statewide offices.
- The announcement comes after Bonta announced this week that he will not run for governor – following months of rumors – and will instead seek reelection as Attorney General.
What he’s saying: “Californians are fed up with a state government that protects criminals, wastes billions in taxpayer dollars, strips cities of local control, and spends enormous sums on homelessness programs that produce little to no results,” Gates said. “As a City Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General, I have always followed this core principle: Always fight for the people. If we are not safe, nothing else matters.”
- Gates said he will put public safety first if elected Attorney General.
- “I will enforce the law and back our police – not defund them,” Gates said. “I will demand accountability from homelessness programs and force cities to enforce anti-camping and anti-drug policies already on the books. I will protect our environment from reckless Sacramento mandates and enforce our election laws to restore public confidence. My loyalty will always be to California residents – not Sacramento special interests.”
