Former Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates Makes Public-Safety Case in Statewide Attorney General Race

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Orange County — November 3, 2026. Michael Gates, the former Huntington Beach city attorney, is running for California attorney general against Democratic incumbent Rob Bonta. In an election-eve FOX40 interview, Gates connected his statewide public-safety message to his experience in Huntington Beach, making this race particularly relevant to readers in the city where he previously served.

What Gates told FOX40

Gates accused Bonta of spending too much attention on litigation against the Trump administration and argued that the attorney general should place greater emphasis on crime reduction. He described his approach to crime in Huntington Beach as a model for the priorities he would bring to the state office. These are his campaign statements, not an independent evaluation of his tenure.

Bonta’s response

Bonta told FOX40 that litigation against federal actions can protect California funding and public services, including healthcare, education and housing. He also pointed to his public-safety record. The candidates disagree about how the attorney general should allocate attention and resources; the report did not establish a neutral measure of which approach is more effective.

Why this matters locally

The state attorney general’s responsibilities differ from those of a city attorney. A city attorney provides legal representation and advice to municipal government, while the state attorney general leads California’s Department of Justice and represents the state in major legal disputes. The winner’s decisions may affect public safety and government policy across Orange County as well as statewide.

Did either candidate vote on camera?

The FOX40 segment features campaign interviews, not verified footage of Gates or Bonta personally casting a ballot. Their polling locations and private ballot selections should not be inferred from the video.

Source: FOX40’s interview with Rob Bonta and Michael Gates. For the statewide comparison, see California58’s attorney general election report. This local article focuses on Gates’s Huntington Beach connection and does not reproduce the statewide article.

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