California’s 68th Assembly District is set for an unusual contest in the November 3, 2026 general election, featuring two Democratic members of the Santa Ana City Council: David Penaloza and Jessie Lopez. Both advanced from the June primary, narrowly surpassing Republican candidate Mayra Ruiz and Democrat Shannon Wingfield. Penaloza led with 32.5% of the vote, while Lopez secured 31.4%. The winner will succeed Assemblyman Avelino Valencia, who has endorsed Penaloza, in representing a district that includes portions of Santa Ana, Anaheim, and Orange.
Despite serving on the same city council and sharing party affiliation, Penaloza and Lopez represent distinct wings of the Democratic Party, offering voters sharply different visions for critical issues such as public safety, housing, economic development, and government.
Penaloza presents himself as a pragmatic, pro-growth Democrat. His campaign prioritizes public safety, economic development, and infrastructure. His record on the Santa Ana City Council includes support for new housing construction, hiring additional police officers, reducing 911 response times, opening parks, and improving city streets. His campaign website highlights accomplishments such as the construction of over 2,000 housing units, the hiring of more police officers, and improvements in emergency response times. As a businessman, Penaloza emphasizes job creation, economic opportunity, and supporting business growth, positioning economic development as crucial for addressing affordability. If elected, he would likely align with mainstream Democratic leadership, advocating for fiscal responsibility, public safety, infrastructure investment, housing production, and regulatory reform. His coalition includes law enforcement groups, firefighter unions, construction trades, education organizations, and establishment Democratic leaders.
Lopez has built her political career as one of Orange County’s more progressive elected officials. Her campaign heavily focuses on renter protections, labor rights, immigrant advocacy, environmental issues, and government accountability. Her efforts to protect renters, challenge local law enforcement practices, and advocate for immigrant communities are frequently referenced by her campaign. Economists had predicted a rent control ordinance championed by Lopez not only "did not work, it backfired." This policy reportedly led to increased rental costs and discouraged new apartment development. Lopez frames economic issues through the lens of workers, unions, and consumer protections, often targeting corporate influence and emphasizing labor rights, healthcare access, and wage growth. If elected, Lopez would likely join the Legislature’s progressive wing, prioritizing renter protections, climate action, social justice initiatives, labor rights, and government transparency. Her coalition is dominated by progressives, labor unions, immigrant-rights advocates, and left-leaning Democratic activists.
A sharp contrast exists in their approach to law enforcement. Penaloza has generally supported increased police staffing and public safety investments, highlighting the hiring of more officers and improved emergency response times as major achievements. Conversely, Lopez has often been a vocal critic of the Santa Ana Police Department. Her campaign cites efforts to expose alleged police department misconduct, demands for audits of surveillance technology, and opposition to expanded government monitoring. While her supporters view her as a reformer, critics contend her approach could undermine law enforcement and hinder efforts to address crime. These differences could directly influence state-level debates on criminal justice and policing policies.
The candidates also present a significant philosophical divide on housing. Lopez is closely associated with renter protections and anti-displacement policies, consistently advocating for stronger tenant protections and affordable housing initiatives, with rent control central to her political identity. Penaloza, however, generally emphasizes increasing housing supply through new construction. His campaign points to thousands of approved housing units, framing housing affordability as a production problem requiring more homes to be built.
The AD-68 race is less a traditional party contest and more a battle over the future direction of the Democratic Party within central Orange County. Voters in Santa Ana, Anaheim, and Orange will choose between Penaloza’s moderate, growth-oriented agenda focusing on public safety, housing production, and economic development, and Lopez’s progressive platform centered on renters, labor, immigrant rights, and government reform. The source material providing this comparative analysis concludes by stating its "full support and our endorsement" for Penaloza.
