Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna is seeking a second term in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The nonpartisan race includes one other certified candidate, Alex Villanueva.
Luna has served as sheriff since 2022, according to BallotReady.
Candidate information
- Party: Nonpartisan
- Education: Master of public administration, California State University, Long Beach; graduate of the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University; graduate of the Delinquency Control Institute at the University of Southern California; graduate of the FBI National Executive Institute and National Academy, according to his campaign website
- Background: Born and raised in East Los Angeles to Mexican immigrant parents, Luna said on his campaign website that growing up in a neighborhood patrolled by the Sheriff's Department shaped his philosophy on relationship-based policing in communities of color
Experience and public service
Luna said he joined the Long Beach Police Department as a reserve officer in 1985 and was promoted through all ranks. He became chief of police in 2014, according to BallotReady, serving as the first Latino chief of the department during a seven-year tenure, his campaign website states. He also served as an executive board member of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, according to his campaign website. He was elected LA County sheriff in 2022.
On the issues
Public safety priorities: Luna's campaign website lists five priorities for the Sheriff's Department: reduce violent crime, increase public trust, modernize the department, address homelessness, and improve deputy and employee wellness.
Policing philosophy: Luna said service must always be "effective, respectful, empathetic, and constitutional." He said he created the Office of Constitutional Policing. He also implemented a policy banning law enforcement gangs to increase public trust, according to his campaign website.
Immigration enforcement: Luna said the department will not initiate immigration enforcement or ask about people's immigration status but could help federal agencies under certain circumstances, according to the Daily Bruin.
Endorsements
Luna has received endorsements from elected officials, law enforcement organizations and community groups. The following endorsements were reported by the Los Angeles Times and BallotReady:
- All five LA County supervisors, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
- U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, Democrat of California
- Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs
- LA County Chief Police Chiefs Association
- LA County Federation of Labor
- Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
- Heart of LA Democratic Club
- Democrats for Neighborhood Action
- Democrats for Israel Los Angeles
Candidate information was drawn from Luna's campaign website, BallotReady and the Los Angeles Times. Policy positions reflect the candidate's own statements unless otherwise noted.
