David Penaloza

David Penaloza earned a high school diploma from Saddleback High School and a bachelor's degree from the California State University, Los Angeles in 2011. His career experience includes working in manufacturing.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Mayor Pro Tem David Penaloza is a lifelong Santa Ana resident, community advocate, and current candidate for the California State Assembly. Raised in the Memorial Park neighborhood by Mexican immigrant parents after losing his father in a tragic car accident, Penaloza’s story is rooted in resilience, hard work, and service to working families.

A proud product of the Santa Ana Unified School District, he attended Washington Elementary, MacArthur Fundamental, and Saddleback High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, Los Angeles. While in college, he helped support his family, paid part of his tuition, and later built a career at Color Science, Inc., where he now serves as Senior Regulatory Manager.

Motivated by years of neighborhood neglect and inspired by the students he mentored, Penaloza ran for Santa Ana City Council in 2018 after personally knocking on over 6,000 doors. He was elected to represent Ward 2 and now serves Ward 6 following redistricting. Re-elected in 2022, he currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem.

Penaloza has championed investments in infrastructure, parks, libraries, public safety, and local jobs while fighting against wasteful spending and rising costs. He currently serves as Chairman of the Toll Roads and was elected President of the Orange County Division of the League of California Cities in 2025.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

California families are being crushed by the rising cost of living. Rent, groceries, gas, insurance, and utility bills keep going up while working people fall further behind. I know this struggle personally, my own family was recently forced to move after our rent skyrocketed. In Sacramento, I’ll fight to lower everyday costs by increasing housing supply and homeownership opportunities, cracking down on wasteful government spending, investing in infrastructure and jobs, and making sure Orange County finally receives its fair share of state resources. Working families deserve relief, stability, and a real path forward.For too many Californians, the dream of homeownership feels impossible. Skyrocketing home prices, rising rents, and decades of underbuilding have pushed working families out of the communities they grew up in. We need leaders willing to tackle this crisis head-on by increasing housing production at all levels, streamlining responsible development, protecting renters, and expanding first-time homebuyer opportunities. I believe housing is about more than buildings, it’s about stability, opportunity, and giving families a fair chance to build wealth and stay in the communities they call home.Public safety is the foundation of a strong community. Families deserve to feel safe walking their neighborhoods, visiting local parks, and running small businesses without fear of crime, reckless street takeovers, or drug activity. I believe we can support strong public safety while also demanding accountability and transparency. On the City Council, I have supported investments in public safety, brought forward a Police Oversight Commission to help rebuild trust, and fought to address quality-of-life crimes that directly impact working families. In Sacramento, I’ll continue fighting for safer neighborhoods, stronger communities, and practical solutions that protect residents while restoring trust in government.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My public policy priorities focus on improving quality of life for working families through housing, transportation, infrastructure, and government accountability. I support expanding housing and homeownership opportunities by streamlining responsible development and reducing unnecessary barriers to construction. I believe Orange County deserves greater investment in transportation and infrastructure, including roads, parks, libraries, and public facilities. I also believe government must operate more efficiently by cutting red tape, strengthening oversight, eliminating wasteful spending, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and transparently.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

California Democratic Party, California Young Democrats, Orange County Young Democrats, CAYIMBY, California Teachers Association, California Professional Firefighters, LA/OC Building Trades, LIUNA, Latino Legislative Caucus, AFSCME California, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (incumbent)

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