Gracey Van Der Mark
Candidate for Assembly District 72
Gracey Van Der Mark sits on the Huntington Beach City Council. She was first elected in 2022. She later served as the city's mayor, and is said to be the first Latina to hold that post. Before the council, she sat on the Huntington Beach school district's bond oversight panel. She also served on the city's Finance Commission. Her campaign says she grew up poor in an immigrant family in LA. She has lived in Huntington Beach for more than 20 years. She lives there with her husband, Pieter Van der Mark. The couple runs a property firm there. On the council, she led the push for a voter ID measure. She also led the city's 'Parents' Right to Know' rule. She points to a drop in the city's homeless count during her term. She advanced from the June 2026 primary for the 72nd Assembly District. That district covers Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, and Seal Beach. She got about 37.7% of the vote, second to Democrat Chris Kluwe. She beat fellow Republican Matthew Harper for that spot. She faces Kluwe in November 2026. Her campaign lists low spending, parental rights, and public safety as top goals. The state GOP backs her, as does the group Reform California. Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes backs her too, along with fire unions. Home: Huntington Beach, California. Occupation: City Council member of Huntington Beach and former mayor. She also runs a property firm. Prior office: she has served on the council since 2022, and is a former mayor. This is her first run for the state Legislature.
On the issues
- Taxes & Cost of Living
Emphasizes fiscal responsibility in government management as a core campaign priority.
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Credits her leadership with a decline in Huntington Beach's homeless population through treatment and transition programs, suggesting support for a treatment/transition-focused approach to homelessness rather than housing-first or expanded subsidized housing.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Lists public safety as a core campaign priority and has been endorsed by Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes.
Source → - Education & Schools
Supports expanding parental notification and decision-making authority over children's education and upbringing ("Parents' Right to Know").
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
Supports voter ID requirements for local elections.
Source →
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