Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna is seeking a second term in the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The nonpartisan race also includes 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
- Personal background: Born and raised in East Los Angeles to Mexican immigrant parents, Luna said 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, according to his campaign website. He became chief of police in 2014, serving as the first Latino to hold that position during a seven-year tenure, Luna said. He was elected L.A. County sheriff in 2022.
Luna also said he served as an executive board member of the Major Cities Chiefs Association.
On the issues
Policing philosophy: Luna said on his campaign website that service must "always be effective, respectful, empathetic, and constitutional." He said he created the Office of Constitutional Policing and implemented a policy banning law enforcement gangs to increase public trust.
Public safety priorities: Luna listed five priorities for the department on his campaign website: reduce violent crime, increase public trust, modernize the department, address homelessness and improve deputy and employee wellness.
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 groups and labor organizations, according to the Los Angeles Times and BallotReady:
- All Five LA County Supervisors
- Alex Padilla, U.S. senator
- 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 positions and biographical details are based on Luna's campaign website and responses reported by the Daily Bruin. Endorsements are sourced from the Los Angeles Times and BallotReady. The South Bay Tide did not interview the candidate for this profile.
