Member of the State Assembly, 67

State 1 seat 2026-11-03

Fullerton voters whose address is in the 67th Assembly District. The district covers parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties. The Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times report the Orange County cities in it as Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton and La Palma, with Anaheim also named by LAist, and the Los Angeles County cities as Artesia, Cerritos and Hawaiian Gardens. Voice of OC describes the district as stretching from Cerritos to Disneyland and including parts of Fullerton. The contest is on the Orange County ballot for voters in the county and on the Los Angeles County ballot for voters there: the Orange County Registrar of Voters lists the 67th Assembly District among the contests qualified for the November 3, 2026 general election. Fullerton is split between Assembly districts, so a Fullerton voter sees this contest only if their address is in District 67. This file records the city lists from the sources named here and does not record which Fullerton precincts fall inside the district.

What this office does

A California Assembly member is one of 80 members who make up one half of the state Legislature. LAist's guide, produced for this election, says the Assembly is half of the Legislature and California's equivalent of Congress, that each district holds more than 400,000 constituents, and that members serve two-year terms, which it calls a much faster turnover than the 40-member state Senate.

It says a member introduces as many as 35 bills in a two-year session, casts as many as 3,000 votes a year, and takes part in passing a state spending plan, and that members sit on committees such as Appropriations, where bills can be decided together behind closed doors before a floor vote.

It says state lawmakers draft and pass laws that govern the entire state, such as paid family leave or in-state tuition rules, that they can impose statewide rules such as gun purchase restrictions, and that they can set minimum standards that cities and counties may go beyond, giving the example of the $16.90 state minimum wage against the higher city of Los Angeles rate.

LAist reports the current Assembly makeup as 60 Democrats and 19 Republicans with one seat vacant, that a two-thirds supermajority lets the majority pass tax increases or put constitutional amendments on the ballot without any Republican votes, and that Republicans would need at least eight seats to end that supermajority.

It lists the rank-and-file Assembly salary as $134,694 a year plus $236 a day for expenses while the Legislature is in session, with party leaders paid more, and says these races are decided by a simple majority. The Assembly's own salary schedule dated December 1, 2025 lists the member for the 67th District at $134,694 a year.

Courage California's voter guide says members may serve 12 years in total across the Assembly and the state Senate, which is that guide's description of the term limit. An Assembly member does not set local property tax rates, run city departments, run school districts or run county agencies, and does not control the state budget alone: the Legislature passes a budget that the Governor may sign, veto or reduce.^S5^S25^S27

Contest context

Two candidates qualified for this contest. The Secretary of State's certified list of candidates for the November 3, 2026 general election names Mark Pulido, Democratic, ballot designation City Councilmember, and Paulo Morales, Republican, ballot designation Law Enforcement Officer, as the 67th Assembly District candidates, in that order, and marks neither of them as an incumbent. The Orange County Registrar of Voters candidate proof list for the November 3, 2026 general election names the same two candidates with the same party preferences and designations, and records Sharon Quirk-Silva as the incumbent. CalMatters' 2026 voter guide lists the same two candidates for District 67 with the same designations, in the reverse order, which is the order that guide uses. This file lists the candidates in the order used by the certified list.^S1^S3^S6
The seat is open because the sitting member is termed out. LAist's guide says the incumbent, Democrat Sharon Quirk-Silva, is termed out, and the Orange County Register reports that she reached her term limit, that she was first elected to the Assembly in 2012, and that she serves on the Assembly Budget Committee and the Housing and Community Development Committee, where she has focused largely on homelessness.^S5^S11^S3
Six candidates ran in the June 2, 2026 primary. Official results in the Secretary of State's Statement of Vote were Paulo Morales, Republican, 28,372 votes, 31.6 percent; Mark Pulido, Democratic, 23,236 votes, 25.9 percent; Ada Briceño, Democratic, 21,241 votes, 23.7 percent; Ali Taj, Democratic, 6,967 votes, 7.8 percent; Adrian Oscar Ayub, Republican, 5,492 votes, 6.1 percent; and Paul Gonzales, Democratic, 4,498 votes, 5.0 percent. Under California's top-two primary, the two highest finishers advance to November regardless of party, so the general election ballot has one Democrat and one Republican. The Orange County Register reported on election night that Morales led with Pulido not far behind, and Voice of OC reported the same order while counting was under way; this file uses the certified figures.^S2^S10^S31
The Orange County Register reports that the district is open this cycle, that it covers portions of Los Angeles and Orange counties, and that the race to represent a district that includes the Los Angeles County cities of Hawaiian Gardens, Cerritos and Artesia and the Orange County cities of Cypress, Buena Park and Fullerton has been among California's most expensive. It reports that state voter registration data from April 2026 showed about 42 percent of voters in the district registered as Democrats, 28 percent as Republicans and about 25 percent as no party preference. LAist's guide gives the district registration as 41.7 percent Democrats, 27.5 percent Republicans and 25 percent no party preference, and Voice of OC describes the district as a chunk of northern Orange County stretching from Cerritos to Disneyland.^S10^S5^S31
Outside money has been a large part of this race. The Los Angeles Times reported in May 2026 that, according to campaign finance records through May 14, Pulido had benefited from about $4 million in independent expenditures, which under law cannot be coordinated with candidates, with Grow California, an anti-union PAC launched by crypto billionaire Christian Larsen and venture capitalist Timothy Draper, putting in $1.6 million in support of Pulido, a PAC called California Leads seeded by technology companies including Google and Meta pouring in almost $1.3 million for polling, television and web advertising supporting Pulido, and a PAC sponsored by Airbnb contributing about $675,000 backing Pulido. It reported that more than $1.9 million in independent expenditures had gone toward opposing Briceño's candidacy and that Morales had spent just $25,000, had neither benefited from nor been targeted by PAC spending. Voice of OC also reported that millions of special interest dollars had poured into the primary, with most of the money going against Briceño and in favor of Pulido. The figures in this paragraph are the newspapers' reports and are not the candidates' own committee totals.^S23^S31
Both candidates answered the same Orange County Register primary election questionnaire, published May 6, 2026 and updated May 7, 2026. The questionnaire asks about the budget and the projected deficit, a non-starter on budget cuts, the three most pressing state issues, a policy to improve the cost of living, state responses to federal immigration enforcement, health care costs and whether to expand state health programs, homelessness prevention and housing affordability, the California Energy Commission's decision to hold off on refinery penalties, Proposition 36 funding and oversight, gender affirming care, social media regulation for young people, artificial intelligence and jobs, and public safety. Both candidates answered every question, and each questionnaire also asks for a hidden talent. No general election questionnaire from the same news group was found for either candidate during this run, so the answers recorded in this file are from the primary questionnaire, together with each campaign's own website and the candidates' public records.^S7^S8
The Secretary of State's Official Voter Information Guide carries candidate statements for statewide offices and information about the ballot measures, so no official state guide statement exists for this legislative contest. The Orange County Registrar of Voters proof list for the November 3, 2026 general election is the official county record of this contest and its designations. No printed ballot statement text for either candidate in this contest was located in a fetchable form during this run, so the statement summary recorded for both candidates in this file is null.^S3^S4

Candidates

Listed in ballot order. Candidates are described with the same sections and level of detail; no ranking or endorsement is implied.

Mark Pulido

Democratic City Councilmember

Bio

The Secretary of State's certified list prints his party preference as Democratic and his ballot designation as City Councilmember, and does not mark him as an incumbent.^S1
The Orange County Registrar of Voters candidate proof list for the general election prints MARK PULIDO, Democratic, ballot designation City Councilmember, and lists Sharon Quirk-Silva as the incumbent of the seat.^S3
The City of Cerritos says on its official page for him that he was first elected to the Cerritos City Council in 2011 and served until 2020, that he was re-elected in 2015 and served as Mayor Pro Tem in 2013 and 2017 and as Mayor in 2014 and 2018, that after sitting out because of term limits he was elected to the council again in 2025, that he is a Cerritos resident since 1973, and that he served three terms on the ABC Unified School District Board of Education beginning in 2001, including as board president in 2007 and 2008. It says he worked nearly three decades in local, state and federal government as an Assembly consultant to the California Speaker, as a State Senate district director, and most recently as district chief of staff to Congressman Alan Lowenthal, retired, and that Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. appointed him to the California Volunteers Commission from 2013 to 2017, to the board of directors of the California Science Center and Exposition Park from 2017 to 2019, and to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission from 2017 to 2019. The page currently titles him Mayor Pro Tem of Cerritos.^S24
In the May 2026 questionnaire he gave his age as 57, said he lives in Cerritos, gave his current job title as Councilmember, City of Cerritos, listed his party affiliation as Democratic, marked the incumbent question no, and gave markpulido.com as his campaign website. He listed his other political positions as Cerritos City Councilmember for three terms, 2011 to 2015, 2015 to 2020 and 2025 to the present, Mayor of Cerritos for two terms, 2014 to 2015 and 2018 to 2019, and ABC Unified School District Board Member for three terms, 2001 to 2005, 2005 to 2009 and 2009 to 2011, including board president in 2007 and 2008, for a school district serving Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach and Norwalk. He listed his appointed positions as commissioner of the CaliforniaVolunteers Commission from 2013 to 2017, board director of the California Science Center and Exposition Park Board of Directors from 2017 to 2019, and commissioner of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission from 2017 to 2019.^S7
His campaign website says he is a 54-year resident of Cerritos and that he lives there with his wife Gloria and that they raised two children educated in local schools that he himself attended. It says his father and grandfathers were veterans of the United States Navy and Army and that his parents are founding members of the community and small business owners. It says that as a student leader at UCLA he fought for students' access to resources regardless of economic, social or ethnic barriers and that he led movements to fight discrimination, ensure access to jobs and education and create inclusiveness. These are the campaign's own descriptions.^S13
The Daily Titan, the Cal State Fullerton student newspaper, reported in October 2026 that he has 21 years of elected service, that he currently serves on the Cerritos City Council where he has held two terms as mayor, and that he previously served three terms on the ABC Unified School District Board.^S12
Voice of OC described him in June 2026 as the Mayor of Cerritos while the primary count was under way. The City of Cerritos page for him titles him Mayor Pro Tem. This file follows the city's own page for his current title and records the news description as the newspaper's wording.^S31^S24
Wikipedia's article on him, which is a user-edited source and is used here only for biographical background, says he was born on December 21, 1968 in Norwalk, moved to Cerritos in 1973, attended Whitney High School where he founded a Filipino club in 1984, received a bachelor's degree in history and Asian American studies from the University of California, Los Angeles and became the university's first Filipino-American student body president in 1992, and received a master's degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, where it says he was named a Woodrow Wilson National Fellow. It says he was the first Filipino-American to serve on the Cerritos City Council and as its mayor.^S26

Record in office

He served on the Cerritos City Council from 2011 to 2020 and was elected again in 2025, and he served three terms on the ABC Unified School District Board of Education from 2001 to 2011, according to the City of Cerritos and his questionnaire answers. He was Mayor of Cerritos in 2014 and 2018 and Mayor Pro Tem in 2013 and 2017, and the city's page now titles him Mayor Pro Tem.^S24^S7
His campaign website lists results it credits to him in office: improving public safety, which it says included reducing residential burglaries by 35 percent and maintaining the lowest emergency response time in Los Angeles County at under 3 minutes; funding neighborhood improvements including street repair, sidewalk fixes, pothole filling, park renovations and maintenance, and trimming 15,000 trees; strengthening the local economy in partnership with small business owners; and approving Cerritos Auto Square renovations and new business developments that it says brought 85 Degrees Bakery, In-N-Out, Nordstrom Rack, Harkins Theaters and Cheesecake Factory to town. These are the campaign's own claims about his record.^S13
In the May 2026 questionnaire he wrote that as a local elected official for 21 years he has kept the safety of neighborhoods, schools and businesses as his top priority and that he is proud of his track record on the city council with local law enforcement officers of helping reduce residential crime by 43 percent over the past year. That figure is his own statement, and his campaign website states a 35 percent reduction in residential burglaries, which is a narrower measure. Both are campaign statements, and this file records them as such rather than as verified city data.^S7^S13
The City of Cerritos says he worked nearly three decades in local, state and federal government, including as an Assembly consultant to the California Speaker, as a State Senate district director, and most recently as district chief of staff to Congressman Alan Lowenthal, retired. Wikipedia records the same roles and adds that he was a legislative consultant for Speakers Robert Hertzberg, Herb Wesson and Fabian Nunez.^S24^S26
He finished second in the June 2, 2026 primary with 23,236 votes, 25.9 percent, and advanced to the general election. He has not held state office.^S2

Positions

Taxes

He says balancing the state budget should rely on new revenue from large corporations and the wealthiest Californians rather than cuts to programs that serve vulnerable communities and working people. In the May questionnaire he wrote that the state must hold large corporations and the wealthiest Californians accountable to pay their fair share of taxes, that it is critical to increase revenue that way rather than through cuts to programs serving vulnerable communities and working people, and that this is the pragmatic way to balance the budget. Asked what is a non-starter for budget cuts, he answered that the state should keep its primary focus on protecting health care, public education, social services and public safety. He did not propose a specific tax rate or bill. The Daily Titan summarized his position as proposing that large corporations and high earners pay their fair share to resolve the state budget deficit, and opposing cuts to social safety nets, public education and health care.^S7^S12

Housing

He says the state is in a housing crisis on top of an affordability crisis and that it must work in partnership with local government and the private sector to build affordable housing. In the May questionnaire he said he supports state legislation he identifies as SB 423, which he says helps streamline the local approval process, SB 4, which he says allows faith-based institutions and nonprofit colleges to build housing on property they own, and SB 79, which he says increases transit-oriented development, and he said these recently enacted laws will help projects that meet standards get built more quickly. He called for reforming land use and zoning, for more multifamily, mixed-income and transit-oriented housing, for increasing supply to lower rents, for a streamlined development process that mitigates environmental impacts, for financial assistance and tax credits, for protecting renters from being adversely impacted, and for working with state agencies to identify underused state property for affordable housing. He also said in the questionnaire that what he calls a NIMBY attitude makes affordable housing difficult to develop in communities that do not want change. The Orange County Register's editorial board, which endorsed him, wrote that he has a pro-housing bent with an eye toward supply side solutions and that he recognizes the need for pro-housing policies such as SB 79 to get more housing built, while noting the importance he places on community input.^S7^S9

Cost of living

He says the high cost of living is the top concern for most Californians and that the housing shortage, high costs and rising homelessness are the center of the problem. In the May questionnaire he wrote that the majority of renters spend over 30 percent of their income on rent and many over 50 percent, which he called unsustainable, and that California's growing population with not enough homes built has produced low supply, high demand and very high home prices and rents. His proposed steps, in his words, are increasing the housing supply, streamlining development while mitigating environmental impacts, providing financial assistance and tax credits, and protecting renters. The Daily Titan summarized his position as supporting state financial partnerships with cities and developers to expand housing. He did not set out a position on grocery, utility or insurance prices in the materials reviewed, other than his housing and fuel answers.^S7^S12

Public safety

He says public safety is a top priority and cites his record on the Cerritos City Council with local law enforcement, saying in the May questionnaire that he helped reduce residential crime by 43 percent over the past year and that his campaign website records a 35 percent reduction in residential burglaries and an emergency response time of under 3 minutes. He says that as a legislator he will continue to keep public safety among his top priorities in partnership with local elected officials and law enforcement officers, and that he will work to address the societal factors that contribute to crime. On Proposition 36, which increased penalties for certain drug and retail theft crimes and offers drug treatment to some people who plead guilty to felony drug possession, he answered that he would push for increased funding for behavioral health treatment alongside implementation because in his view expanding penalties without expanding treatment risks worsening the underlying problems, and that he would require clear performance metrics such as treatment completion rates and reduced recidivism, regular independent audits, public reporting of outcomes, and funding tied to results. The Daily Titan summarized his position as supporting fully funded community policing based on his Cerritos record.^S7^S13^S12

Education

He says he is a product of California's public schools from kindergarten through community college to the University of California and that the greatest way to empower students is to fully fund, equip and modernize public education. In the May questionnaire he wrote that he would be honored to work to improve the education system for current and future students. Asked about social media and young people, he answered that he believes California has an important responsibility to regulate social media use to address adverse mental health effects on young people and that he would work to advance AI literacy education in public schools, teaching students how AI works, the risks involved and the ethical issues in its use. He did not set out a position in the materials reviewed on school funding formulas, the school facilities program or school choice.^S7

Health care

He says he will work to support and advocate for expanded health care access, to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and to expand Medicaid, which in California is Medi-Cal, to ensure access to quality and affordable care for all, and that he will support efforts to lower prescription drug costs and fight price gouging in the health care industry. He gave the same answer to the questionnaire question about lowering premiums and out of pocket costs and to the question about whether to expand state health programs to cover more residents, including those who are not citizens; he did not describe a funding mechanism for that expansion in his answer. On gender affirming care he answered that he supports policies to ensure patients and health care providers can access and provide the full scope of care in these institutions, such as gender affirming care. The Daily Titan summarized his positions as expansion of health care access under Medicaid.^S7^S12

Homelessness

He links homelessness to the shortage of affordable housing, writing in the May questionnaire that the housing crisis and the affordability crisis together cause the homelessness crisis and that a lack of affordable housing forces most households to spend more than a third of their income on rent or a mortgage. Asked how the state should prevent people from losing their homes, he pointed again to the three housing laws he supports, SB 423, SB 4 and SB 79, and to reforming land use and zoning, and said increasing the supply of housing will lower rents and make housing more affordable to working families. He also said he would push for dedicated ongoing funding for mental health and substance use programs, especially in underserved communities, as part of implementing Proposition 36. The Daily Titan summarized his housing and homelessness approach as partnering with local government and developers.^S7^S12

Transportation

He supports what he describes as transit-oriented development to shift people away from vehicle dependency and increase transit ridership, naming SB 79, and he says the state should invest in electric vehicles and public transit to reduce long term dependence on gasoline. On fuel prices, asked about the California Energy Commission's decision to hold off imposing penalties on oil companies after two refineries said they would shut down, he answered that he would take a balanced approach: profit caps should still exist but be triggered only during extreme price spikes rather than applied constantly; the state should strengthen supply stability by requiring fuel reserves and better coordination of refinery maintenance; it should manage refinery closures more carefully by encouraging companies to convert facilities to cleaner fuels instead of shutting down abruptly; and it should invest in electric vehicles and public transit. He did not set out positions on road funding, the state gas tax rate or high speed rail in the materials reviewed.^S7

Environment and energy

His main energy answer is the one described under transportation: profit caps triggered only during extreme price spikes, fuel reserves, coordination of refinery maintenance, encouraging conversion of refineries to cleaner fuels rather than abrupt closures, and investment in electric vehicles and public transit, which he frames as protecting consumers now while keeping California on track toward its climate goals. He did not set out positions in the materials reviewed on cap and trade, offshore drilling, the Low Carbon Fuel Standard or utility rates.^S7

Immigration

He says he opposes ICE agents entering sensitive places such as schools and houses of worship. In the May questionnaire he wrote that he does not believe ICE agents should have unrestricted access to these locations, which he says must be designated safe spaces for students, families and staff, and that families and students should keep the right to learn and worship without fear of being taken into custody. He said that as a state legislator he believes it is his duty to work to preserve the civil liberties of all Californians. He did not set out positions in the materials reviewed on state funding for legal services, on cooperation between state and federal agencies, or on the specific bills the question described.^S7

Economy and jobs

He names jobs and economic development as one of the three most pressing issues facing the state. In the May questionnaire he wrote that a strong economy is needed to sustain municipal services, and that a successful economic development strategy must include job preservation, job creation and expansion into emerging industries. On artificial intelligence he answered that he would advocate for worker protections so that jobs are not replaced with AI, that workers should be involved in how AI is introduced at work through the collective bargaining process, and that training and upskilling programs should be provided for affected employees. The Daily Titan summarized his position as advocating worker protections against artificial intelligence job displacement through collective bargaining. His campaign website says he worked to create good lasting jobs in his community and that his parents were small business owners.^S7^S12^S13

Local services

He points to his local record. The Daily Titan reports 21 years of elected service on a city council and a school board, and his campaign website lists neighborhood and infrastructure results in Cerritos and partnerships with small business owners as evidence of how he works. On housing he says the state must work in partnership with local government and the private sector, and he says the state should work with agencies to identify underused state property for housing. The Orange County Register editorial board, which endorsed him, described him as casting himself as a pragmatic problem solver willing to listen, and as giving a nod to the importance of a strong and vibrant business community; those are the newspaper's characterizations.^S12^S13^S7^S9

Water

He sets out no water supply, water rate or groundwater position in his May questionnaire answers, on his campaign website or in the news coverage reviewed for this file. The office matters to water indirectly because an Assembly member votes on water policy and on the state budget that funds water programs, but no stated position from this candidate was found.^S7^S13^S12

Other

Artificial intelligence: as described under economy and jobs, he argues for worker protections through collective bargaining and for training, and as described under education he would advance AI literacy teaching in public schools. Social media and young people: he answered that California has an important responsibility to regulate social media use to address adverse mental health impacts on young people, and that he would advance AI literacy education as his specific proposal rather than naming age limits or account restrictions. Hidden talent: he answered that he has a lifelong love of music, that he learned piano in Cerritos and accordion in Buena Park in the 1970s, played Little League baseball, AYSO soccer and varsity soccer, and has DJ'd high school and college dances, weddings and community events for over 40 years, including his high school class reunions every year. Reproductive health, gun policy and labor law beyond the AI question are not addressed in the materials reviewed.^S7

Endorsements

His campaign website's endorsement section lists, in its own categories, 29 labor endorsements, 15 organization and media endorsements, 77 local elected officials and 23 state Assembly endorsements, which the page labels as counts of its own lists. The labor list includes AFSCME District Council 36, AFSCME Local 619 for Cerritos city employees, AFSCME Local 2229 for ABC Unified classified employees, the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, the California Faculty Association, the California School Employees Association, the California Teachers Association, the Los Angeles School Police Management Association, the Los Angeles and Orange County Building and Construction Trades Council, Iron Workers locals 416 and 433, IBEW locals 11, 18, 40, 47 and 441, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 36, Operating Engineers Local 12, the California State Council of Laborers, the Southern California Council of Laborers, Laborers locals 300, 652 and 1309, SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local 105, Plumbers locals 78, 250, 582 and 761, and United Domestic Workers.^S13
The organization and media list on the same page includes the California Asian American and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce, CalAsian PAC, California Environmental Voters, the California Medical Association, La Opinion, the Los Angeles County Medical Association PAC, Los Cerritos Community News, the Personal Insurance Federation of California PAC, Asian Democrats of Los Angeles County, Friends of the Filipino American Community PAC, Long Beach Young Democrats, the Pilipino Action Center, Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats and The 21st Century Alliance. Its state Assembly list and its local elected officials list include Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Josh Lowenthal, Assemblymembers Patrick Ahrens, Mia Bonta, Jessica Caloza, Mike Fong, Corey Jackson, Al Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen and Cottie Petrie-Norris, retired Assembly speakers Anthony Rendon, Antonio Villaraigosa and Herb Wesson Jr., Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung, Fullerton Councilmember Jamie Valencia, Anaheim Councilmember Ryan Balius, Cerritos Mayor Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, Cerritos Councilmember Sophia Tse and a long list of current and former city officials, school board members and college trustees across Southern California. These are the endorsements the campaign itself publishes.^S13
Ballotpedia records California Teachers Association and California Environmental Voters among his endorsements, along with two voter guide recommendations it attributes to voting groups. Ballotpedia notes that he has not completed its 2026 Candidate Connection survey.^S28
Courage California's Progressive Voters Guide recommends him for the Assembly, describing him as endorsed by many groups including California Environmental Voters, the Filipino Action Center, the California Asian American and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, AFSCME District Council 36 and United Domestic Workers, and as supported by Attorney General Rob Bonta, Representatives Judy Chu and Mark Takano, Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Josh Lowenthal, Assemblymember Jessica Caloza and many local elected officials and commissioners. The guide's endorsements and its descriptions of the candidates are that organization's own publication.^S27
The Daily Titan reports that he is endorsed by the California Teachers Association, California Environmental Voters, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, numerous local elected leaders and Asian American political advocacy groups.^S12
The Orange County Register's editorial board published an endorsement of him on October 9, 2026, writing that the district has only one serious candidate in its view, that it was sure to disagree with him on many issues but that he gave a nod to the importance of a strong and vibrant business community, and that it appreciated his positioning as a pragmatic problem solver willing to listen and his pro-housing stance. The editorial also characterized his Democratic primary opponents. All of that is the newspaper's own view and is recorded here as the newspaper's statement, not as a finding about any candidate.^S9

Funding

Total raised: $499,188 ^S18^S19^S22^S23

Cash on hand: $214,838

As of: September 19, 2026

Top funders

Association of California School Administrators PAC $23,600 Cycle total of two itemized monetary contributions to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated August 27, 2026
California Teachers Association/Association for Better Citizenship $23,600 Cycle total of two itemized monetary contributions to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated March 11, 2026 and September 10, 2026
United Domestic Workers of America Action Fund $17,700 Cycle total of two itemized monetary contributions to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated March 13, 2026 and August 13, 2026
Laborers International Union of North America, Laborers Local 652 $17,700 Cycle total of three itemized monetary contributions to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated June 24, 2025, June 30, 2025 and September 18, 2026
SEIU California State Council $17,200 Cycle total of two itemized monetary contributions to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated August 13, 2026
Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16 PAC $14,800 Cycle total of two itemized monetary contributions to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated August 29, 2025 and May 28, 2026
Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council $14,300 Cycle total of two itemized monetary contributions to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated July 15, 2025 and July 17, 2026
Professional Engineers in California Government $13,300 Cycle total of two itemized monetary contributions to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated June 30, 2026 and August 21, 2026
Laborers Local 300 $11,800 Itemized monetary contribution to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated June 27, 2025
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices Local 250 $11,800 Itemized monetary contribution to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated June 30, 2025

The total raised and the cash on hand here are what the candidate's own committee, PULIDO FOR ASSEMBLY 2026; MARK (Cal-Access filer ID 1480471), reported for January 1 through September 19, 2026, as filed on September 24, 2026: $499,188.11 in total contributions, $644,293.09 in total expenditures and $214,837.61 in ending cash, with $245,365.17 in contributions and $25,787.98 in expenditures in the July 1 to September 19, 2026 period. The donor entries above come from the committee's Cal-Access itemized contributions received page sorted by amount, which displays in segments of 250 contributions across five pages. Only the first page was retrieved, so it holds the largest itemized entries on file, and those 250 entries total $788,514.25 and span dates from 2025 through September 2026. That page covers the 2025-2026 cycle while the reported contribution total covers the 2026 portion only, so the two figures are not directly comparable and the donor amounts should be read as the largest disclosed contributions rather than as a complete picture of the committee's money. Other entries in the same group of 11,800 dollar contributions include the California Dental Association PAC, the California State Council of Laborers PAC, the California New Car Dealers Association PAC, the California Medical Association PAC, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the Personal Insurance Federation of California PAC, the California Hotel PAC, the 21st Century Alliance Good Government PAC and the Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association PAC. Smaller corporate and association entries in the same list include Google Client Services LLC at $5,900, Kalshi Inc at $5,900, Meta Platforms Inc at $5,900, McDonald's USA LLC at $5,000, the Anaheim Police Association PAC at $2,500 and the AT&T employee federal PAC at $2,000. Spending by separate committees that support or oppose candidates is reported on a different schedule and is not included in the committee totals or the itemized list above. The Los Angeles Times reported in May 2026 that independent expenditures of about $4 million had been made to support him through May 14, 2026, including $1.6 million from Grow California, almost $1.3 million from a PAC called California Leads, and about $675,000 from an Airbnb-sponsored PAC; the Airbnb-sponsored committee, listed on Cal-Access as CITIZENS FOR AN AFFORDABLE CALIFORNIA SUPPORTING MARK PULIDO FOR ASSEMBLY 2026 SPONSORED BY AIRBNB (filer ID 1488009), reported $1,439,625.00 in total contributions, $1,397,478.86 in total expenditures and $46,601.75 in ending cash for January 1 through June 30, 2026, with its last report dated July 31, 2026. No independent expenditure total for this race as of October 2026 was found in the sources reviewed for this file.

What this could mean for your household

Homeowners and renters: he says the state must build affordable housing in partnership with local government and the private sector, supports the state laws he identifies as SB 423, SB 4 and SB 79, calls for reforming land use and zoning to allow more multifamily, mixed-income and transit-oriented housing, wants the development process streamlined while environmental impacts are mitigated, and would offer financial assistance and tax credits and move underused state property into housing. He also says most renters pay more than 30 percent of income on rent and many more than 50 percent, and that he wants to protect renters from being adversely impacted.^S7
Households paying rent or a mortgage who are worried about state taxes: he says the budget should be balanced mainly with new revenue from large corporations and the wealthiest Californians rather than cuts to health care, public education, social services and public safety, which he calls his non-starters for cuts. That is a statement about which taxes and cuts he favors in general terms; he did not name a rate, a bill or a dollar amount in the materials reviewed.^S7^S12
Households paying fuel and utility bills: he says profit caps on oil companies should exist but apply only during extreme price spikes, that the state should require fuel reserves and coordinate refinery maintenance to protect supply, and that refinery closures should be managed by encouraging conversion to cleaner fuels rather than abrupt shutdowns. He also says he supports investing in electric vehicles and public transit to reduce long term dependence on gasoline. He sets out no position on electricity or water rates, or on insurance prices, in the materials reviewed.^S7
Working households with children in public schools: he says he is a product of California public schools and wants them fully funded, equipped and modernized, and he proposes AI literacy education in public schools so students learn how AI works, its risks and its ethics. On higher education and college costs he sets out no specific position in the materials reviewed.^S7
Households that use state funded health coverage: he says he will advocate for expanded health care access, a strengthened Affordable Care Act and expanded Medicaid, which in California is Medi-Cal, wants prescription drug costs lowered and price gouging in the health care industry fought, and supports patient access to gender affirming care. He did not describe how a state coverage expansion would be funded.^S7^S12
Small business owners and their employees: he says a successful economic development strategy must include job preservation, job creation and expansion into emerging industries, and his campaign records Cerritos Auto Square renovations and new business development. On artificial intelligence he says workers should have protections so jobs are not replaced, should have a voice through collective bargaining over how AI is introduced, and should receive training and upskilling. His endorsement list includes small business associations and chambers of commerce such as the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce and the California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses PAC. These are the candidate's own statements and his campaign's own lists.^S7^S13

Campaign website

Paulo Morales

Republican Law Enforcement Officer

Bio

The Secretary of State's certified list prints his party preference as Republican and his ballot designation as Law Enforcement Officer, and does not mark him as an incumbent.^S1
The Orange County Registrar of Voters candidate proof list for the general election prints PAULO MORALES, Republican, ballot designation Law Enforcement Officer.^S3
In the May 2026 questionnaire he gave his age as 65, said he lives in Cypress, gave his current job title as Special Deputy, United States Marshals Service, listed his party affiliation as Republican, marked the incumbent question no, listed his other political positions as former Cypress Mayor and City Councilman from 2014 to 2022, and gave paulomoralesca.com as his campaign website.^S8
His campaign biography says he was born into a family that valued education, faith and service, that his parents moved the family to California when he was an infant and settled in Watts and then Compton, that he attended Our Lady of Victory Catholic School and St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, where he competed in football, track and field and cross country, took part in clubs and student government, was elected ASB president and was involved in the Junior Achievement business program and the Boy Scouts, that he earned a congressional appointment to the United States Naval Academy and attended its preparatory school before returning home to support his family and completing his service with an honorable discharge, and that he later studied finance and economics at California State University Long Beach. It says he spent a summer picking tomatoes at age ten, worked in an auto parts store, an oil refinery, a limousine company, as a teacher aide with the Long Beach Unified School District and as a code enforcement officer, joined the Cypress Police Department and trained at the Criminal Justice Training Academy at Golden West College, worked more than two decades in patrol operations, as a detective, training new officers and on the West Orange County SWAT team as a tactical member and later a hostage negotiations team member, became a court-recognized expert in impaired driving enforcement with more than 2,000 DUI arrests, volunteered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving as board president of the MADD Orange County affiliate, a member of the MADD California board and a national advisor and certified instructor, served as president of the Cypress Police Officers Association, worked more than three decades with the board at St. John Bosco High School helping secure scholarship opportunities, and served as a district chairman in the Boy Scouts of America Orange County Council. These are the campaign's own descriptions.^S15
The Daily Titan reports that he lives in Cypress, serves as a special deputy with the United States Marshals Service, served two terms on the Cypress City Council from 2014 to 2022 including two mayoral terms in 2017 and 2022, and has over 30 years in law enforcement as a court-recognized expert in impaired driving enforcement with more than 2,000 DUI arrests.^S12
The Orange County Register reported in December 2025, when he entered the race, that he is only a recent Republican, that he said he became a Republican two months earlier and that the political transition was a long time coming, that he grew up a Democrat but felt the party left him, and that before his time in city government he spent more than two decades working for the Cypress Police Department in roles including patrol operations and the West Orange County SWAT team. The same article quotes him saying that government as a whole can have an overreach problem and that in his view Republicans focus on letting the individual make the decision.^S11

Record in office

He served on the Cypress City Council from 2014 to 2022 and was Mayor of Cypress in 2017 and 2022, according to the Daily Titan and his own questionnaire answer listing his other political positions as former Cypress Mayor and City Councilman from 2014 to 2022. He has not held county, state or federal elective office.^S12^S8
His campaign biography describes more than two decades in the Cypress Police Department, including patrol operations, work as a detective, training new officers, the West Orange County SWAT team as a tactical member and later a hostage negotiations team member, and his role as a court-recognized expert in impaired driving enforcement with more than 2,000 DUI arrests. It also describes volunteer roles with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, including board president of the MADD Orange County affiliate, membership on the MADD California board, and service as a national advisor and certified instructor, and his service as president of the Cypress Police Officers Association. These are the campaign's own descriptions of his career.^S15
He finished first in the June 2, 2026 primary with 28,372 votes, 31.6 percent, and advanced to the general election. The Orange County Register reported that he said he felt humbled and grateful toward voters and would not take any voter's support for granted, that in his words Sacramento has lost its balance and one party control has left families paying more for housing, energy and groceries while feeling less safe, and that he would bring what he called bipartisan pragmatism to the State Assembly and is willing to work with anyone regardless of party affiliation.^S2^S10
The Los Angeles Times reported in May 2026, based on campaign finance records, that he had spent just $25,000 in campaigning for the Assembly seat and had neither benefited from nor been targeted by PAC spending.^S23

Positions

Taxes

He says balancing the budget requires a combination of cutting waste and improving efficiency in the Legislature while addressing affordability, and that the state should not solve its shortfall by increasing costs on families already struggling with housing, groceries, utilities and transportation. In the May questionnaire he wrote that with what he called an $18 billion shortfall the Legislature must look hard at how taxpayer dollars are spent, that too many programs keep receiving funding year after year without delivering meaningful results, that he would identify and eliminate wasteful or outdated programs and redirect those resources to core priorities such as education and public safety, and that he would lower what he calls unnecessary taxes and fees tied to ineffective spending. Asked for a non-starter on budget cuts, he answered that any reduction in public safety funding is a non-starter. His campaign website says he will work to lower burdensome taxes and fees and reduce wasteful spending; it does not name a specific tax or rate to change.^S8^S16

Housing

He says California needs to build more housing and that state created barriers drive up costs and slow development. In the May questionnaire he named meaningful reform of the California Environmental Quality Act, known as CEQA, as the policy he would champion, saying the process is too often used to delay or block projects rather than to protect the environment, that the delays drive up costs and reduce the number of homes built, that he would reform CEQA to prevent abuse and streamline approvals, and that he would empower local communities rather than restrict them, adding that top-down state housing mandates put cities in a difficult position without giving them flexibility or tools. He says increasing supply is the most effective way to improve affordability, that this is not an overnight fix, and that CEQA reform can have an immediate effect by unlocking stalled projects. His campaign website adds that he supports what it calls responsible development, that he would push for reforms that empower local communities and streamline approvals, and that he would give cities the ability to build without unnecessary delays.^S8^S16

Cost of living

He makes affordability one of his three most pressing issues and says the rising cost of housing, groceries, utilities and transportation is putting real pressure on household budgets at the same time as the state faces a major budget shortfall. In the May questionnaire the single policy he named to improve the cost of living was CEQA reform to increase housing production, which he says would unlock stalled projects immediately and lower costs over time as supply grows. He also says lowering what he calls unnecessary taxes and fees tied to ineffective spending is part of the solution, and that increasing housing supply through CEQA reform, streamlined approvals and empowering local communities will reduce cost pressures. His campaign website says he will work to lower burdensome taxes and fees, reduce wasteful spending and support efforts that make life more affordable for working families. He sets out no position in the materials reviewed on grocery pricing rules, utility rate setting or insurance costs.^S8^S16

Public safety

He says public safety funding should not be cut and that he strongly supports fully funding what voters approved under Proposition 36, the 2024 measure that increased penalties for certain drug and retail theft crimes and offers drug treatment to some people who plead guilty to felony drug possession. He answered that communities across California already have real concerns about crime and safety, that cutting public safety funding would strain law enforcement, reduce response capacity and leave families feeling less secure, and that law enforcement, emergency response and community safety programs need consistent funding. He says he would work with public safety professionals and community leaders on policies that reduce crime, address repeat offenders and ensure officers have the tools and training they need, and in a separate answer on why residents do not feel safe he said clear enforceable laws and consistent accountability matter, that Proposition 36 should be fully implemented and funded, and that people should feel safe where they live, work and raise families. On Proposition 36's treatment side he says the behavioral health and treatment options tied to the measure need to be real and accessible and that funding must come with accountability tied to clear outcomes and oversight. His campaign website says he would insist on clear, enforceable and fully funded laws and that he believes in prevention, diversion and treatment where appropriate.^S8^S16

Education

He names education as one of the three most pressing issues facing the state and says it must return to its core mission. In the May questionnaire he wrote that too many students are falling behind in reading, math and science, that he would support strong academic standards, curriculum transparency and policies that give families meaningful choices so resources follow the student, and that schools should strengthen partnerships with parents so every child has access to a high quality education. His campaign website expands on this: it says he wants to refocus the education system on fundamentals, strong standards and real-world skills rather than what it calls distractions or political agendas, that he supports curriculum transparency so parents can see what is taught and how resources are used, that families should have meaningful choices including both public and private options, that resources should follow the student rather than a large system, and that he supports safe and respectful campuses. It also cites his involvement with youth programs at St. John Bosco High School and the Boy Scouts of America. He does not set out a position in the materials reviewed on the state school funding formula, the school facilities program or special education funding.^S8^S16

Health care

He says health care costs are rising like housing, groceries and utilities and that any solution should lower costs without reducing the quality of care. In the May questionnaire he named three priorities: increasing transparency so patients know what they are paying for and can avoid unexpected bills, reducing waste and administrative inefficiencies because in his view too much money is spent on bureaucracy instead of patient care, and encouraging more affordable options and competition to drive costs down over time. Asked whether he would expand state health programs to cover more residents, including those who are not citizens, he answered that rather than expanding programs without a clear and sustainable funding plan the focus should be on improving how the current system serves patients, that strengthening community clinics and local providers is one of the most effective ways to help people get care, and that transparency and reducing inefficiencies should continue. On gender affirming care he answered that anyone going through questions about identity or mental health deserves compassion and respect, that the state's role should be limited to ensuring care is provided safely, legally and with proper medical standards, that decisions about gender affirming care should be made between patients and their doctors and that legal adults should be able to make choices about their own bodies with medical professionals, and that California should focus on problems here rather than trying to dictate what other states do.^S8

Homelessness

He says California needs to build more housing and that affordability starts with supply. In the May questionnaire, asked how the state should prevent people from losing their homes and how it should incentivize and expedite housing, he answered that state created barriers are driving up costs and slowing development, that CEQA reform is essential because the process is too often used to delay or block projects, that streamlining approvals and preventing abuse will get homes built faster, that state housing mandates often pigeonhole local communities without giving them flexibility or tools, that local governments should be empowered rather than restricted, and that building more housing is the best way to make housing more affordable and prevent homelessness. He does not set out a position in the materials reviewed on state funding for shelters, rental assistance, treatment beds or behavioral health programs for people who are already homeless, beyond the Proposition 36 treatment answer recorded under public safety.^S8

Transportation

He sets out no transportation position in his May questionnaire answers, on his campaign website or in the news coverage reviewed for this file, apart from his answers on fuel supply and refinery capacity, which are recorded under energy and environment. The office matters to transportation because an Assembly member votes on transportation funding and on the state budget, but no stated position from this candidate on roads, transit, high speed rail or the gas tax was found.^S8^S16^S12

Environment and energy

Asked about the California Energy Commission's decision to hold off imposing penalties on oil companies after two refineries representing nearly a fifth of state refining capacity said they would shut down, he answered that the decision highlights what he calls the real consequences of California's overregulatory environment, that when policies create uncertainty or add pressure on energy producers companies leave, capacity drops and prices rise, and that Californians already pay some of the highest gas prices in the nation. He said losing that capacity would tighten supply and drive costs higher for families already struggling, that California can pursue its climate goals while protecting consumers but needs a more practical approach, and that this means maintaining a stable in-state energy supply during the transition, providing clear and predictable regulations so businesses can plan, avoiding policies that unintentionally reduce production, and continuing investment in cleaner energy and infrastructure in a way that does not create sudden cost increases. He does not set out positions in the materials reviewed on cap and trade, offshore drilling, CEQA as an environmental statute beyond the housing context, or utility rate policy.^S8

Immigration

He says immigration is a deeply human issue and that many families in the community face fear and uncertainty, and he says that as a Hispanic man he understands how personal these challenges are. In the May questionnaire he answered that his priority as a state legislator is protecting the community and that people should feel safe going to work, taking their children to school and reporting crimes without fear, that California should not be in the business of federal immigration enforcement but that there also needs to be clear communication between agencies to avoid confusion or situations that put families at risk, and that the focus must be on protecting residents, upholding their rights and keeping communities safe, so that families are treated with dignity. He does not set out positions in the materials reviewed on the specific state bills the question described, such as restrictions on agents wearing masks or limits on federal officers working for public agencies.^S8

Economy and jobs

His economic answer is built on the budget: he says the state must cut waste, eliminate ineffective programs and redirect resources to core priorities, that lowering what he calls unnecessary taxes and fees tied to ineffective spending is part of the solution, and that improving affordability will strengthen the state's fiscal outlook over the long term. On artificial intelligence he answered that California is a global leader in innovation, that AI is changing how people live and work, that the focus should be on preparing the workforce rather than fearing the technology, that workers and students need to be educated on how to use AI as a tool that enhances productivity instead of replacing people, and that the state should invest in education, job training and skills development so workers can grow alongside new technology. He does not set out positions in the materials reviewed on the minimum wage, hiring rules, or specific business taxes.^S8^S16

Local services

He grounds his campaign in local experience: he served on the Cypress City Council from 2014 to 2022 and was mayor twice, and his campaign website says years in law enforcement and local government taught him that good policy starts with listening and that the most effective ideas come from residents, teachers, business owners and community leaders rather than from partisan agendas in Sacramento. On housing and budget policy he says state mandates do not work when cities lack the tools, resources or authority to meet them, and that he would push for reforms that empower local communities and streamline approvals so cities can build responsibly. His campaign says he will work across the aisle to empower local governments.^S12^S16^S8

Water

He sets out no water supply, water rate or groundwater position in his May questionnaire answers, on his campaign website or in the news coverage reviewed for this file. The office matters to water indirectly because an Assembly member votes on water policy and on the state budget that funds water programs, but no stated position from this candidate was found.^S8^S16^S12

Other

Social media and young people: he answered that social media is a major part of daily life for young people and brings real challenges including effects on mental health, increased bullying and the spread of misinformation, that many platforms already have age guidelines yet young children still create accounts, so the issue goes beyond rules on paper, that there needs to be more awareness about time spent online and using social media in moderation, and that education is key, with families, schools and communities having more conversations about responsible use and risks. He did not propose a specific state restriction such as an age ban. Artificial intelligence is covered under economy and jobs. Hidden talent: he answered that he is a court-recognized expert in impaired driving enforcement with more than 2,000 DUI arrests and that his favorite hobby is golf, including playing all of the major courses in Scotland. Reproductive health, gun policy and labor law are not addressed in the materials reviewed beyond the gender affirming care answer recorded under health care.^S8

Endorsements

His campaign's endorsements page, which it labels a partial list, names Cypress City Councilwoman Bonnie Peat, former Cypress Mayors Rob Johnson, Anne Mallari, Scott Minikus and Jon Peat, and Cypress Chief of Police Mark Lauderback, and invites supporters to add their names to a public list of supporters. These are the endorsements the campaign itself publishes, and the page itself calls the list partial. A separate line at the top of the page reads that they support Paulo Morales for Assembly.^S17
The Daily Titan reports that he is endorsed by the Orange County Republican Party, the Los Angeles County Republican Party, Cypress Chief of Police Mark Lauderback and several former Cypress mayors. Voice of OC reported during the primary count that he is endorsed by the Orange County Republican Party and the Los Angeles County Republican Party.^S12^S31
Reform California's published statewide voter guide lists Assembly District 67 as Paulo Morales. That guide is that organization's own publication.^S30
Ballotpedia records Reform California and a radio program, The Morning Answer with Jennifer Horn, among his endorsements and voter guide recommendations, along with two voter guide listings it attributes to voting groups. Ballotpedia notes that he has not completed its 2026 Candidate Connection survey.^S29
The Orange County Register's editorial board wrote in its October 9, 2026 endorsement of his opponent that he ignored multiple invitations from the editorial board, that in its view it has no idea what he thinks, and that his endorsement list consists solely of endorsements from his colleagues in Cypress. Those are the newspaper's characterizations in an editorial that endorsed the other candidate, and this file records them as the newspaper's statements rather than as findings about him. The editorial board also wrote that Cerritos is in better fiscal shape than Cypress, citing the California Policy Center's Local Fiscal Health Dashboard; that comparison is the newspaper's own.^S9

Funding

Total raised: $30,174 ^S20^S21^S23^S27

Cash on hand: $14,804

As of: September 19, 2026

Top funders

Heath Flora for Assembly 2026 $5,900 Itemized monetary contribution to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated December 31, 2025
Bonnie Peat $5,000 Itemized monetary contribution from an individual to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated December 18, 2025
Jon Peat $5,000 Itemized monetary contribution from an individual to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated December 18, 2025
Carl DeMaio for State Assembly 2026 $5,000 Itemized non-monetary contribution to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated September 3, 2026, in addition to a non-monetary contribution of $200 dated March 12, 2026
David Perez $2,500 Itemized monetary contribution from an individual to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated February 5, 2026
David Perez $2,500 Itemized monetary contribution from an individual to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated August 21, 2026
Brian Lochrie $1,000 Itemized non-monetary contribution to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated December 22, 2025
Stephen Fillet $1,000 Itemized monetary contribution from an individual to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated May 31, 2026
Rockey Murata Landscaping Inc $1,000 Itemized monetary contribution to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated June 2, 2026
Joshua Martin $1,000 Itemized monetary contribution from an individual to the committee listed on Cal-Access, dated August 20, 2026

The total raised and the cash on hand here are what the candidate's own committee, MORALES FOR ASSEMBLY 2026 (Cal-Access filer ID 1484996, FPPC number 1484996 as printed on his campaign site), reported for January 1 through September 19, 2026, as filed on September 24, 2026: $30,174.00 in total contributions, $47,472.94 in total expenditures and $14,804.08 in ending cash, with $19,899.00 in contributions and $14,453.10 in expenditures in the July 1 to September 19, 2026 period. His Cal-Access itemized contributions received page, sorted by amount, holds 90 entries totaling $48,950.00 that span December 2025 to September 2026 and include a $1,000 entry from Ginger Osman dated September 1, 2026, $500 entries from Jeanna Herrick, Nancy Johnson, Peter Grant, Maggie Gudino, Brian Healy, Angela Cesario, Gay Hannah, John Gonzales, William Brown, Andrea Baxter, Loretta Edwards and CJF Capital LLC, and a $250 loan he made to his own committee dated November 14, 2025. That itemized list covers the 2025-2026 cycle while the reported contribution total covers the 2026 portion only, so the two figures are not directly comparable. Unlike the larger committee in this race, his itemized list as retrieved does not paginate. The endorsements and donations recorded on his campaign site and in press reports include support from the Reform California organization run by Assembly candidate Carl DeMaio, whose own committee was among his contributors. Spending by separate committees that support or oppose candidates is reported on a different schedule and is not included in the committee totals or the itemized list above. The Los Angeles Times reported in May 2026 that he had spent just $25,000 and had neither benefited from nor been targeted by PAC spending. Courage California's Progressive Voters Guide states that his campaign had raised $49,374 and that it is not funded by fossil fuel, police, real estate or corporate contributions; that figure and characterization are the guide's own and differ from what his Cal-Access filings report, so this file records the guide's statement as the guide's and uses the Cal-Access totals above. No independent expenditure figure for this race as of October 2026 was found in the sources reviewed for this file.

What this could mean for your household

Homeowners and renters: he says California needs to build more housing, that state created barriers drive up costs, and that his central proposal is reform of the California Environmental Quality Act to prevent what he calls its abuse, streamline approvals and let local communities move projects forward responsibly. He says he would empower local governments rather than impose top-down mandates, and that increasing supply is the most effective way to improve affordability and prevent homelessness. He says this is not an overnight fix but that unlocking stalled projects can help sooner.^S8^S16
Households worried about state taxes and fees: he says the budget should be balanced with a combination of cutting waste and improving efficiency, that too many programs keep receiving funding without delivering results, that he would eliminate wasteful or outdated programs and redirect resources to education and public safety, and that he would lower what he calls unnecessary taxes and fees tied to ineffective spending rather than increase costs on families already struggling with housing, groceries, utilities and transportation. He did not name a specific tax, fee or rate he would change, and his non-starter for cuts is any reduction in public safety funding.^S8^S16
Households paying fuel and utility bills: he says California's regulatory environment has consequences when energy producers face uncertainty, that losing refinery capacity would tighten supply and raise prices for families, and that the state should maintain a stable in-state energy supply during the transition, provide clear and predictable regulations so businesses can plan, avoid policies that unintentionally reduce production, and continue investing in cleaner energy without sudden cost increases. He sets out no position on electricity rates, water rates or insurance prices in the materials reviewed.^S8
Families with children in public schools: he says he would focus education on fundamentals in reading, math and science, support strong academic standards and curriculum transparency so parents can see what is taught and how resources are used, give families meaningful choices including public and private options with resources following the student, and strengthen partnerships between schools and parents. He does not set out a position on state school funding levels.^S8^S16
Households that use state funded health coverage: he says he would not expand state health programs without a clear and sustainable funding plan, and would instead focus on improving how the current system serves patients, strengthening community clinics and local providers, increasing price transparency so patients know costs upfront, and reducing administrative waste and inefficiencies. He says legal adults should be able to make their own decisions about gender affirming care with their doctors and that the state's role should be limited to ensuring care is provided safely and legally.^S8
Small business owners and their employees: he says the most effective ideas come from residents, teachers, business owners and community leaders rather than partisan agendas, that he would work across the aisle, and that he wants state policies that empower local communities and avoid mandates cities cannot carry out. His campaign's published endorsements are from Cypress officials, including the current chief of police and several former mayors, and the Los Angeles Times reported that he had spent about $25,000 and had neither benefited from nor been targeted by PAC spending. He does not set out positions in the materials reviewed on the minimum wage, business taxes or permit rules.^S16^S17^S23

Campaign website

Sources

Certified List of Candidates, November 3, 2026, General Election California Secretary of State Accessed 2026-10-17
Statement of Vote, June 2, 2026 Statewide Direct Primary Election, State Assembly 67th District page California Secretary of State Accessed 2026-10-17
Contest/Candidate Proof List, Qualified Candidates, November 3, 2026 General Election, State Assembly 67th District Orange County Registrar of Voters Accessed 2026-10-17
Contests Qualified for the Ballot for the 2026 General Election, including Member of the Assembly 67th District Orange County Registrar of Voters Accessed 2026-10-17
California State Assembly: Who's running Nov. 3 and why it matters, including the District 67 at a glance panel and the description of what a state Assembly member does LAist, with CalMatters Accessed 2026-10-17
2026 California Voter Guide: California Assembly, including the District 67 candidate list CalMatters Accessed 2026-10-17
Mark Pulido, AD-67 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire (May 6, 2026, updated May 7, 2026) Orange County Register, Southern California News Group Accessed 2026-10-17
Paulo Morales, AD-67 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire (May 6, 2026, updated May 7, 2026) Orange County Register, Southern California News Group Accessed 2026-10-17
Endorsement: Mark Pulido for the 67th Assembly District (October 9, 2026) Orange County Register editorial board Accessed 2026-10-17
2026 Election Results: In California's AD-67 race, Paulo Morales takes lead as 6 vie for the open seat (June 2, 2026, updated June 3, 2026) Orange County Register Accessed 2026-10-17
Former Cypress Mayor Paulo Morales is the latest to jump into Assembly race (December 6, 2025) Orange County Register Accessed 2026-10-17
Assembly District 67 candidates advocate for schooling systems, public safety and housing and worker protections (October 5, 2026) Daily Titan, Cal State Fullerton Accessed 2026-10-17
Home page, including biography, record and the endorsement lists with their category counts (campaign website) Mark Pulido for State Assembly 2026 Accessed 2026-10-17
Home page, including the letter announcing his candidacy (campaign website) Morales for Assembly 2026 Accessed 2026-10-17
Meet Paulo, including biography and career history (campaign website) Morales for Assembly 2026 Accessed 2026-10-17
Issues, including affordability and the budget, education and public safety (campaign website) Morales for Assembly 2026 Accessed 2026-10-17
Endorsements, marked a partial list (campaign website) Morales for Assembly 2026 Accessed 2026-10-17
PULIDO FOR ASSEMBLY 2026; MARK, committee summary, Cal-Access filer ID 1480471, reporting period 07/01/2026 to 09/19/2026 California Secretary of State, Cal-Access Accessed 2026-10-17
PULIDO FOR ASSEMBLY 2026; MARK, contributions received, itemized contributions for the 2025-2026 session sorted by amount, page 1 of 5 California Secretary of State, Cal-Access Accessed 2026-10-17
MORALES FOR ASSEMBLY 2026, committee summary, Cal-Access filer ID 1484996, reporting period 07/01/2026 to 09/19/2026 California Secretary of State, Cal-Access Accessed 2026-10-17
MORALES FOR ASSEMBLY 2026, contributions received, itemized contributions for the 2025-2026 session sorted by amount California Secretary of State, Cal-Access Accessed 2026-10-17
CITIZENS FOR AN AFFORDABLE CALIFORNIA SUPPORTING MARK PULIDO FOR ASSEMBLY 2026 SPONSORED BY AIRBNB, committee summary, Cal-Access filer ID 1488009, reporting period 05/17/2026 to 06/30/2026 California Secretary of State, Cal-Access Accessed 2026-10-17
Billionaires and Big Tech fuel an influx of cash in Assembly District 67 race (May 15, 2026) Los Angeles Times, TimesOC Accessed 2026-10-17
Mark E. Pulido, Mayor Pro Tem, official councilmember biography City of Cerritos Accessed 2026-10-17
Assembly Members Salaries (updated December 1, 2025) California State Assembly Accessed 2026-10-17
Mark Pulido, Wikipedia article used only for biographical background Wikipedia Accessed 2026-10-17
California 2026 General Election voter guide, Mark Pulido page Progressive Voters Guide, Courage California Accessed 2026-10-17
Mark Pulido, candidate page including endorsements and note that he has not completed the Candidate Connection survey Ballotpedia Accessed 2026-10-17
Paulo Morales, candidate page including endorsements and note that he has not completed the Candidate Connection survey Ballotpedia Accessed 2026-10-17
Reform California statewide voter guide, Assembly District 67 listing Reform California Accessed 2026-10-17
2026 Primary Election Night Results: 67th State Assembly District (June 3, 2026) Voice of OC Accessed 2026-10-17