Andrae Gonzales
Candidate for Assembly District 35
Andrae Gonzales sits on the Bakersfield City Council for Ward 2. He was first elected in 2016 and has been re-elected since. His current term runs through 2028. Before joining the council, he served on the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education. He served there from 2010 to 2016, including as board president. Gonzales works as an executive at nonprofit groups. He founded Faith in Action Kern County and is chief executive of the nonprofit Stewards Inc. His campaign says he helped create the Brundage Lane Navigation Center, a homeless services center, and set up the valley's first community land trust. Gonzales is running for the open California State Assembly District 35 seat. The general election is on November 3, 2026. The seat became open when incumbent Jasmeet Bains chose to run instead for a seat in Congress, District 22. Gonzales advanced from the June 2, 2026 top-two primary. His opponent in that race is Republican Saul Ayon. He says he is the only District 35 candidate the state Democratic Party has endorsed. His campaign also lists other endorsers. One is a labor group, the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO. He is also backed by a teachers group, the California Teachers Association. Home: He lives in Bakersfield, California, Ward 2. Occupation: He directs nonprofit groups for a living. He is also a Bakersfield City Councilmember for Ward 2. Prior office / incumbency: He has held the Bakersfield City Council seat for Ward 2 since 2016. He was previously on a local school board, the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education, from 2010 to 2016. He served as its president too. He has no prior state legislative office; this is his first run for Assembly.
On the issues
- Economy & Jobs
Supports helping businesses grow while ensuring jobs come with competitive wages and benefits.
Source → - Taxes & Cost of Living
Prioritizes reducing the cost of living, citing gas, groceries, and prescription drug prices, but has not stated a specific position on state tax policy.
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Supports building new housing, assisting first-time homebuyers, and expanding homeless outreach and navigation services, drawing on his record establishing a homeless navigation center and a community land trust in Bakersfield.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Prioritizes faster police, fire, and ambulance response times as a public safety focus, and has worked on neighborhood safety initiatives as a councilmember.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Supports expanding healthcare access in Kern County and establishing a medical school there; has also been described as backing state mental-health/substance-use crisis response measures including CARE Court and SB 43.
Source → - Education & Schools
Supports improving local K-12 schools, expanding early education access, and reducing barriers to higher education; as school board president he emphasized parent/community engagement and STEAM programs.
Source → - Family & Social Services
Supports lowering childcare costs and expanding family leave programs.
Source → - Water & Natural Resources
Supports ensuring clean water access in every community through investment in wells and water storage infrastructure.
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.