Jeff Gonzalez lives in Indio, the home base for a public life that has moved through the Marine Corps, two churches and two campaigns for the state Assembly. A Republican, he won office in 2024 by defeating Coachella School Board Trustee Joey Acuña and flipping a majority Latino district. It was his second try: six years earlier, he had challenged incumbent Democrat Eduardo Garcia and lost by a wide margin. Gonzalez spent two decades in the Marines and became a pastor after retiring. He and his wife, Christine, have four children, including a son diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB
Gonzalez enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at 19. His service included deployments to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as service at U.S. embassies in Honduras and the Czech Republic. He retired after two decades.
Gonzalez then became a pastor at Southwest Church in Indian Wells and Saddleback Church in Orange County. Those posts followed a military career that included the combat-zone deployments and service at the two U.S. embassies.
Gonzalez earned a bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management from National University, followed by a Master of Science in organizational leadership from the same university. His record includes military service, church work and studies in emergency management and organizational leadership.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Gonzalez first sought a seat in the California State Assembly in 2018, running in the 56th District against Eduardo Garcia. Garcia was an incumbent Democrat, and Gonzalez lost by a wide margin.
He ran again in 2024, after Garcia retired. This time the general-election opponent was Joey Acuña, a trustee on the Coachella School Board. Gonzalez defeated him. A Republican, Gonzalez flipped a majority Latino district.
The six years between Gonzalez’s two Assembly races separate a wide-margin loss from a winning campaign. In 2018, he faced an incumbent assemblymember; in 2024, after Garcia retired, he faced a school board trustee. Gonzalez returned to the same level of office and won on the second attempt.
WHAT TO KNOW
Gonzalez’s public record includes 20 years in the Marines, pastoral work at Southwest Church and Saddleback Church, a wide-margin defeat in the 2018 Assembly race and a successful return in 2024.
The majority Latino 36th District includes eastern Riverside County and Imperial County in the Low Desert of southeastern California. Gonzalez, a Republican, flipped the district in 2024.
Gonzalez and his wife, Christine, have four children. One is an adult son diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
- State Assembly · Assembly District 36 · 2024–present
Jeff Gonzalez lives in Indio, the home base for a public life that has moved through the Marine Corps, two churches and two campaigns for the state Assembly. A Republican, he won office in 2024 by defeating Coachella School Board Trustee Joey Acuña and flipping a majority Latino district. It was his second try: six years earlier, he had challenged incumbent Democrat Eduardo Garcia and lost by a wide margin. Gonzalez spent two decades in the Marines and became a pastor after retiring. He and his wife, Christine, have four children, including a son diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB
Gonzalez enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at 19. His service included deployments to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as service at U.S. embassies in Honduras and the Czech Republic. He retired after two decades.
Gonzalez then became a pastor at Southwest Church in Indian Wells and Saddleback Church in Orange County. Those posts followed a military career that included the combat-zone deployments and service at the two U.S. embassies.
Gonzalez earned a bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management from National University, followed by a Master of Science in organizational leadership from the same university. His record includes military service, church work and studies in emergency management and organizational leadership.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Gonzalez first sought a seat in the California State Assembly in 2018, running in the 56th District against Eduardo Garcia. Garcia was an incumbent Democrat, and Gonzalez lost by a wide margin.
He ran again in 2024, after Garcia retired. This time the general-election opponent was Joey Acuña, a trustee on the Coachella School Board. Gonzalez defeated him. A Republican, Gonzalez flipped a majority Latino district.
The six years between Gonzalez’s two Assembly races separate a wide-margin loss from a winning campaign. In 2018, he faced an incumbent assemblymember; in 2024, after Garcia retired, he faced a school board trustee. Gonzalez returned to the same level of office and won on the second attempt.
WHAT TO KNOW
Gonzalez’s public record includes 20 years in the Marines, pastoral work at Southwest Church and Saddleback Church, a wide-margin defeat in the 2018 Assembly race and a successful return in 2024.
The majority Latino 36th District includes eastern Riverside County and Imperial County in the Low Desert of southeastern California. Gonzalez, a Republican, flipped the district in 2024.
Gonzalez and his wife, Christine, have four children. One is an adult son diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
The record
4,608 events, each with its sourcePest control licenses: personal information: confidentiality.
Rural Farmworker Women’s Health Act of 2026.
Sales and Use Tax Law: exemption: fairgrounds.
Teachers: exchange programs: local educational agencies.
Vessels: operation: registration.
Family temporary disability insurance program: covered active duty.
Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: tax credits: backup generators: solar batteries.
Relative to Canine “K-9” Appreciation Week.
Vehicles: pollution control devices.
Property taxation: exemption: disabled veteran homeowners.
State Water Resources Control Board: drinking water: hexavalent chromium removal.
Personal income taxes: Fire Safe Home Tax Credits Act.
Federal disaster aid: 2025 Los Angeles fires.
California Association of Future Farmers of America.
Department-managed lands: wildlife areas: hunting.
Wildfire prevention: local assistance grant program: eligible activities.
Prescription drug coverage for rare diseases.
Pupil instruction: dual enrollment: College and Career Access Pathways partnerships.
California Peace Officers’ Memorial Day.
Relative to Angelman Syndrome Awareness Day.
State permanent disability certification program: feasibility study.
Health facilities: cardiac surgery.
California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: passenger rail service.
State of emergency: Governor’s powers and termination.
Veterans Cemetery Maintenance-Endowment Match Act.
2-1-1 information and referral response system.
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.
Fishing and hunting: youth program.
Fish and wildlife: invasive species: invasive mussels.
Public employment: retirement benefits.
Off-highway vehicle recreation: City of Needles.
Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Law: suspension of tax.
HR 84 BRYAN Assembly Third Reading
SB 106 Laird Senate Third Reading By Gabriel
SB 106 Laird Senate Third Reading By Gabriel Amend By TANGIPA Set #1 Motion to Lay on the Table By AGUIAR-CURRY
Relative to Japanese American concentration camps.
Relative to Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
ACR 127 Muratsuchi Consent Calendar Second Day
Office of Farm to Fork: California Healthy Food Procurement Fund Program.
Board of Behavioral Sciences: licensees: notices.
HR 77 Carrillo Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AJR 25 BONTA Assembly Third Reading