Jeff Gonzalez defeats Joey Acuña in 36th State Assembly race

Republican Jeff Gonzalez defeated Democrat Jose "Joey" Acuña in the race for the 36th State Assembly District.

Gonzalez, a local business owner and former Marine, declared victory on Monday with a news conference in Palm Desert.

“I am honored that the voters have elected me to serve Assembly District 36 and believe in our mission of bipartisanship, lowering the cost of living, and turning the direction of our state around,” Gonzalez said. “To those whose support I didn’t earn, I am humbled by the responsibility to serve you and will work tirelessly for all of you - and California.”

Acuña shared a statement to News Channel 3 on Monday congratulating Gonzalez on his victory:

“Although many ballots remain to be counted, it’s clear that this election didn’t go our way. I congratulate Jeff Gonzalez and wish him all the best in representing Assembly District 36.

I want to thank our campaign’s supporters who donated, hosted events, knocked on doors, and put out yard signs. We had an incredible team, and I’m eternally grateful for all the hard work that went into this campaign.

We launched our campaign last year with a focus on affordability and making sure the kids who grow up here have access to good schools and opportunities. I will continue that focus and look for new opportunities to make a difference.”

Gonzalez briefly spoke about Acuña during his victory speech.

“While Joey Acuña and I may not always agree, I want to commend his dedication to public service and efforts in a tough, well-fought campaign,”

As of Monday morning, Gonzalez leads the race by 4,387 votes.

Click Here for Local Election Results

The 36th Assembly District represents approximately 469,902 people in Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties. According to the 2020 census, nearly 70% of the district is Hispanic/Latino.

The seat is held by Eduardo Garcia, who did not to run for reelection after 10 years in the assembly.

It's the first time since 2008 that a Republican represents the district.