Rob Bonta, the Democratic incumbent, is running for re-election as California attorney general in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican Michael E. Gates, according to the California secretary of state’s official voter guide.
The attorney general leads the California Department of Justice, with responsibilities that include law enforcement, consumer protection, civil rights and representing the state in court. Those responsibilities affect Walnut Creek residents as voters, consumers, workers and users of state services.
Bonta’s campaign website says he is seeking another term to protect individual rights, challenge abuses of federal power and pursue cases involving corporate misconduct, gun violence and fentanyl trafficking.
Candidate information
Party: Democratic.
Education: Bonta attended Yale University and earned his law degree from Yale Law School, according to his official Department of Justice biography.
Family: His official biography identifies his wife, Mia Bonta, and their three children, Reina, Iliana and Andres.
Background: Bonta was born in Quezon City, Philippines, and immigrated to California with his family as an infant, according to his official biography.
Experience and public service
Bonta was sworn in as California’s 34th attorney general on April 23, 2021, becoming the first person of Filipino descent to hold the office, according to the Department of Justice.
Before becoming attorney general, he served for more than eight years in the California Assembly. He also served on the Alameda City Council.
His earlier legal career included working as a deputy city attorney for the City and County of San Francisco and in private practice.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Bonta’s campaign platform.
Public safety and gun violence: Bonta’s campaign emphasizes defending California’s gun safety laws, including its assault weapons ban. His platform also supports community violence prevention programs and the use of gun violence restraining orders.
His stated public safety priorities include pursuing criminal organizations involved in gun, drug and human trafficking and supporting services for crime victims.
Health care and reproductive rights: Bonta’s campaign says he supports defending the Affordable Care Act, California’s health care expansions and access to reproductive health care.
His platform also emphasizes legal action involving insurers’ denial of mental health benefits and accountability for companies involved in the opioid crisis.
Workers and wages: Bonta’s campaign identifies wage theft, unsafe working conditions and worker exploitation as enforcement priorities. His platform calls for bringing cases against employers who violate California’s worker protection laws.
Consumer protection: Bonta says his office should hold companies accountable for practices that harm consumers. His campaign identifies corporate misconduct and affordability as priorities.
Immigration: Bonta’s platform supports protecting immigrants’ rights and pursuing people who exploit immigrant families, including those who misrepresent their qualifications to provide immigration assistance.
His campaign says Californians should know their rights and be treated with dignity regardless of immigration status.
Environmental protection: Bonta’s campaign calls for enforcing environmental laws and pursuing polluters, with particular attention to communities harmed by pollution.
Federal litigation: Bonta’s campaign emphasizes challenging federal actions that he considers unlawful, including actions affecting health care, immigration, civil rights and federal funding.
Endorsements
Bonta’s campaign endorsement page lists supporters including the California Democratic Party, California Teachers Association, California School Employees Association, Sierra Club California and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.
The Walnut Creek Record candidate questionnaire was sent to Rob Bonta’s campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 16, 2026. The policy positions in this profile are drawn from his public campaign website and public records.
