Biography
Michael Gates is the Republican nominee, a former Huntington Beach city attorney who served in 2025 as a deputy assistant U.S. attorney general. He says the Attorney General's office should prioritize crime and law enforcement rather than lawsuits against the Trump administration.[1][2]
Gates was City Attorney for Huntington Beach, where he says he created a city criminal prosecutor program.[2] In 2025 he served as a deputy assistant U.S. attorney general at the Justice Department, and he launched his campaign in January 2026.[1]
According to his candidate statement, he is a husband and father of five.[2]
- 1.Bonta's battles with Trump define California attorney general race as GOP challenger tries to break through · Napa Valley Register (Orange County Register/TNS) News report
- 2.Attorney General Candidate Statements, June 2, 2026 Primary · California Secretary of State, Official Voter Information Guide Candidate's own words
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
On the ballot
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