ISSUES

As our Attorney General, Michael Gates will fight for our families, our communities, and our safety.

As Attorney General, Michael Gates will make public safety his top priority. Californians deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods – whether walking to work, sending their kids to school, or running a small business. For too long, Sacramento politicians have weakened law enforcement, reduced accountability, and left communities to deal with the consequences.

California voters passed Prop 36 in 2024 to enhance law enforcement and increased penalties for certain crimes. To date, Sacramento leaders have refused to implement the will of the voters. Michael will make full implementation of Prop 36 across the State his highest priority after taking office. The will of the people will be heard, crime will be illegal again.

Michael Gates has a proven record of standing up for public safety. As Huntington Beach City Attorney, he created the city’s first-ever local criminal prosecution program to ensure crimes - especially quality-of-life offenses - were taken seriously. The result: reduced crime and safer streets.

As Attorney General, he will:

• Prioritize prosecution of violent and repeat offenders
• Enforce existing laws that Sacramento refuses to enforce
• Restore accountability throughout the criminal justice system
• Partner with local prosecutors and law enforcement to keep communities safe

Public safety isn’t partisan; it’s fundamental.

Sacramento’s one-size-fits-all mandates do real harm – overriding local voters while forcing development into environmentally sensitive and fire-prone areas.



Michael Gates believes that local governments – not Sacramento bureaucrats – are best positioned to make land-use and housing decisions that balance growth, safety, infrastructure, and environmental protection.

As Attorney General, Michael Gates will:

• Defend the constitutional authority of cities and counties to control zoning, land use, and housing decisions
• Push back against state mandates that override local plans and voter-approved city charters
• Enforce environmental laws where high-density development threatens coastal zones, wildlife habitats, water supplies, and fire-risk areas
• Protect communities from being forced to build in areas that endanger public safety and quality of life

Michael Gates will stand up for communities that want smart growth, real environmental protection, and solutions that reflect local realities – not political mandates from Sacramento.

Police officers are the guardians of law and order. When they are handcuffed by politicians, communities suffer.

As Attorney General, Michael Gates will:

• Defend law enforcement officers who are sued for doing their jobs
• Restore prosecutorial support for policing, not second-guessing
• Reject policies that force police to act as social workers instead of crime fighters
• Ensure officers have the backing and resources they need to keep communities safe

Supporting law enforcement means safer neighborhoods and greater trust between communities and those who protect them.

As Attorney General, Michael will aggressively enforce and defend all federal laws to protect our young girls and parents in our sports and education systems.

While he was City Attorney of Huntington Beach, Michael led the charge to protect the parents and children by drafting a "Parents' Right To Know" Ordinance, which was adopted by City Council. He also sued the State of California challenging the AB 1955 - a new state law that mandated teachers and educators keep secrets from parents regarding their children's gender issues.

As Attorney General, Michael Gates will:

• Enforce Title IX statewide in all sports and education
• Protect girls’ sports by keeping boys out of girls' sports
• Defend parents’ rights to be informed and involved in their children’s education
• Continue to enforce parents' Constitutional rights against misguided state laws like AB 1955
• Protect parents' First Amendment rights as they protect their children when addressing School Boards at meetings

Michael has a record of protecting parents and will protect our young girls - including keeping boys out of all girls’ sports in California - by ensuring that all of sports and education systems throughout the state comply with Title IX. He will do this on day one of taking office.

California has spent tens of billions of dollars on homelessness – and the crisis has only grown worse.

Michael Gates believes homelessness should be addressed with compassion, accountability, and results. The current system rewards failure, traps people in addiction and mental illness, and leaves communities unsafe.

As Attorney General, he will focus on fixing what Gavin Newsom broke by:

• Demanding transparency and accountability for homelessness spending
• Supporting treatment-first solutions for addiction and severe mental illness
• Enforcing laws against open drug use, encampments, and trafficking
• Expanding programs that move people off the streets, into treatment, and back into society

Compassion without accountability has failed. Real solutions require both.

Recent incidents, including a dog named Maya being registered and participating in multiple election cycles, have raised legitimate concerns about whether election laws are being consistently enforced.

Michael Gates has a proven record for fighting for election integrity during his time at the U.S. Department of Justice and during his time as City Attorney for Huntington Beach. 



Michael knows from experience that safeguarding election integrity means enforcing the law without fear or favor, investigating irregularities wherever they occur, and ensuring every lawful vote is counted.

As Attorney General, Michael Gates will:

• Investigate all credible complaints of election irregularities and alleged violations of California election law
• Enforce existing election laws to ensure voter rolls are accurate, secure, and lawfully maintained
• Hold accountable any individual or agency that fails to comply with election integrity requirements
• Protect lawful access to the ballot while preventing fraud, abuse, and administrative failures
• Ensure California’s elections are conducted fairly, transparently, and in full compliance with the law

Michael Gates will fight to restore confidence in California’s elections, ensuring an election system that is fair, accessible, honest, and operates with integrity for every voter.

Protecting our environment requires more than slogans. It requires enforcing the laws on the books and respecting the role of local communities in safeguarding the places they call home.

Too often, Sacramento’s one-size-fits-all mandates sidestep environmental protections, override local decision-making, and pressure communities to accept projects that threaten sensitive habitats, water resources, and public safety.



Michael Gates believes local governments - not Sacramento bureaucrats - are best positioned to evaluate environmental impacts, balance growth with conservation, and protect their communities under existing state law.

As Attorney General, he will focus on fixing what Gavin Newsom broke by:

• Defend the authority of cities and counties to make land-use decisions that reflect local environmental conditions and community priorities
• Hold state agencies and developers accountable when they attempt to bypass environmental review or undermine local protections
• Protect sensitive coastal zones, wildlife habitats, water supplies, and high fire-risk areas from reckless or unlawful development
• Preserve local control so communities can protect public safety, environmental quality, and quality of life

Michael Gates will fight for responsible growth, real environmental protection, and the rule of law, ensuring that decisions affecting our environment are made with respect for local communities – and without pressure from Sacramento.