Paul Seo, a Democrat, is running for California State Assembly District 66 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
He faces Sara H. Deen, also a Democrat.
Seo, the mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes, said on his campaign website he was raised in Torrance by Korean immigrant parents who owned a local small business. He said he wants to lower the cost of living, increase public safety funding and protect the coast.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Residence: Rancho Palos Verdes
- Education: Bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point; juris doctor from Loyola Law School (according to his campaign website)
- Family: Wife Hannah, a physician; two children (according to his campaign website)
Experience and public service
Seo has served as mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes since 2022, according to BallotReady. He has worked as a deputy attorney general at the California Department of Justice since 2021, according to BallotReady.
Before that, he served as a deputy district attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office from 2015 to 2021, according to BallotReady. He also served as a councilmember for Area D on the Palms Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles from 2016 to 2018.
Seo served as a captain in the U.S. Army from 2004 to 2011, according to BallotReady. He said on his campaign website that he served overseas in the demilitarized zone between South Korea and North Korea. He said he helped create a Public Safety Division in Rancho Palos Verdes to strengthen emergency preparedness.
Selected endorsements (as listed on his campaign website): U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff; California Attorney General Rob Bonta; California State Treasurer Fiona Ma; Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn; Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi; California Professional Firefighters; Los Angeles Police Protective League; Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs; Sierra Club; Teamsters Joint Council 42; and the California Federation of Labor Unions.
On the issues
Positions below are drawn from Seo's responses to a questionnaire published by the Orange County Register and from his campaign website via BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Public safety and fire preparedness: Seo said he would work to increase funding for more police, deputy sheriffs, prosecutors, peace officers and Highway Patrol officers. He said he also wants to fully fund city, county and state fire departments, citing longer fire seasons and worsening wildfires. He said the state needs more firefighters, more equipment, more technology, more gear and resources.
Housing and homelessness: Seo said he supports building more housing while protecting neighborhoods and respecting high-risk fire zones. He said the state has failed to address homelessness and called for cutting red tape, holding homelessness initiatives accountable and moving people into stable housing or mental health care programs.
Economy and cost of living: Seo said he would work to lower costs by tackling housing prices, expanding access to affordable health care and child care, and reducing grocery prices. He said he would advocate for small businesses by reducing bureaucratic burdens. He said he supports closing corporate tax loopholes and having large corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share.
Environment: Seo said he supports investing in renewable energy such as wind and solar. He said California must hold polluters accountable and protect clean air and water, especially near ports and airports. He said he wants to safeguard the coast and green spaces.
Education: Seo said he would work to increase pay for public educators, reduce class sizes, invest in classroom technology and prioritize science, technology, engineering and math courses. He said he also supports modernizing school campuses and expanding after-school programs in arts and sports.
