Jeff GonzalezIncumbent
Candidate for Assembly District 36
Jeff Gonzalez is a Republican who holds the seat for Assembly District 36. The district covers Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. He took office on December 2, 2024. He won that seat after beating Democrat Joey Acuña Jr. in the November 2024 general election. He ran for the 56th District Assembly seat in 2018 and lost to Democrat Eduardo Garcia, then the incumbent. Gonzalez served over two decades in the U.S. Marine Corps. This included combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also had embassy protection duty in Honduras and the Czech Republic. After his military career, he became a pastor. He now runs three small businesses in the Coachella Valley area. He also serves on local nonprofit boards. He is married and has four children. One of his children has cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder. He says this shapes his focus on disability services. In the Assembly, he is Vice-Chair of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. He is also Vice-Chair of the Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee. He also sits on the Agriculture, Higher Education, and Arts committees. He advanced to the November 3, 2026 general election. He placed first in the June 2026 top-two primary, with 44.6% of the vote. He faces Democrat Ida Obeso-Martinez. Home: He lives in Indio, California. Occupation: He serves as a California State Assemblymember, the incumbent. He also owns a small business and works as a pastor. Prior office / incumbency: He has held the seat since December 2, 2024. He ran for the 56th District Assembly seat in 2018, but lost.
On the issues
- Economy & Jobs
Supports policies to create jobs, support working families, and foster an environment for local business growth, drawing on his experience as a small business owner.
Source → - Taxes & Cost of Living
Supports eliminating state taxes on gas and groceries and advocates for a large middle-class tax cut.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
States general support for public safety and a secure environment for residents, drawing on his military background, though without specific policy detail on policing.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Has worked to secure state funding for rural hospitals in his district and opposes proposed cuts to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS).
Source → - Education & Schools
Supports hiring more teachers, strengthening core academic skills, improving test scores and graduation rates, and enhancing school security.
Source → - Family & Social Services
Opposes proposed cuts to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), citing the program's importance for families with disabled members, including his own son.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Has authored legislation to reduce regulatory hurdles for geothermal power plant permitting and hazardous waste rules affecting geothermal/lithium operations in Imperial County, and generally favors less regulation, including regarding AI/data center water and environmental impacts.
Source → - Water & Natural Resources
Has been active in Colorado River water allocation discussions to ensure fair representation for the Imperial Valley region, and serves as Vice-Chair of the Assembly's Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee.
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
Emphasizes bipartisanship and cross-party cooperation, prioritizing what he calls good ideas regardless of political affiliation, rather than a specific elections/ethics reform agenda.
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.