Leticia Castillo

Leticia Castillo entered the Assembly after an unsuccessful campaign in 2022. A first-generation Mexican American born in Riverside, she graduated from Lee Pollard High School while attending the Corona College of Cosmetology in 1989. She holds degrees in human services, counseling psychology, and social and behavioral studies. Prior to her election, she worked as a psychotherapist in private practice. She won Assembly District 58 on her second attempt, taking an open seat by 596 votes. Her early legislative agenda has included parental rights, transgender issues, abortion and election identification.

ROOTS AND THE JOB

Castillo was born in Riverside on April 27, 1971. In 1989, she graduated from Lee Pollard High School while simultaneously attending the Corona College of Cosmetology. She holds an associate degree in social and behavioral studies from Riverside City College, a bachelor’s degree in human services from the University of Phoenix, and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from National University.

Prior to her election, Castillo was a psychotherapist in private practice. Her biography also includes Lee Pollard High School, the Corona College of Cosmetology and Riverside City College.

THE SECOND RUN

Castillo first ran for the California State Assembly in 2022. She placed third in the primary and did not reach the general election against incumbent Democrat Sabrina Cervantes. Two years later, she returned for the open race to succeed Sabrina Cervantes, who ran for the California State Senate.

The 2024 primary put Castillo against two Democratic members of the Riverside City Council, Clarissa Cervantes and Ronaldo Fierro. Castillo advanced, then defeated Clarissa Cervantes by 596 votes in the general election. Her victory was seen as a major upset in a blue-leaning district.

The outcome was attributed in part to a swing among Latino voters toward Donald Trump in the concurrent presidential election, as well as Clarissa Cervantes’ two arrests for driving under the influence. Castillo’s route to office included a second campaign, an open seat, two city councilmembers as primary opponents and a 596-vote general-election margin.

THE FIRST RECORD

In February 2025, Castillo introduced numerous anti-trans bills and promoted the parental rights movement. One proposal would state that a parent’s refusal to use a child’s preferred pronouns or chosen name, or a parent’s allowing a child to access gender-affirming health care, is not child abuse. It would also bar judges from considering whether a parent is gender-affirming in child-custody cases.

Another bill would require students, with a parent’s permission, to be excused from public-school curricula, assemblies or lessons involving “transgender concepts” and receive an alternative educational activity. Castillo also introduced legislation promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion. The anti-abortion California Family Council supported the bill.

In April 2025, she supported an unsuccessful voter ID law. The proposal would have required proof of citizenship to register to vote, government-issued identification at polling places, and the last four digits of a government identification number on absentee ballots.

THE POLICY SIGNATURE

Parental authority in disputes involving gender and schools is a recurring element of Castillo’s early legislative record. Her bills would bar judges from considering whether a parent is gender-affirming in child-custody cases, state that specified parental actions involving a child’s gender identity are not child abuse, and require students, with a parent’s permission, to be excused from school discussions of transgender concepts.

Her early record also includes legislation promoting adoption as an alternative to abortion, supported by the anti-abortion California Family Council. She additionally supported an unsuccessful voter ID proposal that would have imposed proof-of-citizenship and identification requirements on voter registration, polling-place voting and absentee ballots.

Taken together, Castillo’s early Assembly record includes parental-rights and transgender-related legislation, an adoption bill presented as an alternative to abortion, and support for stricter election-identification requirements. These actions followed her 596-vote victory in Assembly District 58.