Most of the Assembly races in Orange County are a bit lackluster this primary election. But three have drawn a lot of contention — and big checks from special interests.
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For six of the nine Assembly districts that cover Orange County communities, only two candidates are running. That means, in those six races, both the incumbent and the challenger will advance to the general election in November.
But that primary election calmness is not the case in Assembly District 67 covering Buena Park, Cypress and Fullerton; Assembly District 68 covering Orange and Santa Ana; and Assembly District 72 covering the coastline as well as Aliso Viejo, Laguna Woods and Lake Forest.
That trio of races has drawn a bevy of candidates — along with oodles of money from groups associated with Airbnb, Google and Meta, as well as casinos, crypto and hotels.
Just in the 68th Assembly District, for example, a super PAC associated with tech giants Google and Meta has poured more than $1.2 million into the race to support David Penaloza, according to a review of independent expenditures — money spent by groups to support or oppose a candidate that is not made in coordination with the candidate or their campaign — from the California secretary of state’s office.
Another group associated with two billionaires in the tech and crypto sector has poured more than $400,800 into the race in support of Penaloza — but Grow California also dropped nearly $1.18 million into opposing Jessie Lopez, another Santa Ana Democrat who is running.
And over in the 67th Assembly District, Grow California has also spent big when it comes to two Democrats in that race: More than $2 million has been spent in support of Cerritos Councilmember Mark Pulido and another $1.2 million to oppose Ada Briceño, the former leader of the Democratic Party of Orange County.
But both Briceño and Lopez have support, as well.
A group associated with the Hawaiian Gardens Casino has spent more than $287,000 to support Briceño, and another $200,000 from UNITE HERE Local 11 supports her as well.
For Lopez, a group sponsored by the SEIU California labor union has dropped more than $210,000 in support of her candidacy, as well as another $527,000 opposing Penaloza.
Let’s take a closer look at these races.
67th District
Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, is prevented from running again for the 67th Assembly District because of term limits.
Related: This OC Assembly race is already one of the most expensive 2026 legislative contests
Aside from Briceño and Pulido, Democrats Paul Gonzales, a Buena Park resident who works for the Orange County Office of the District Attorney, and Artesia Councilmember Ali Taj are vying for the seat. Cerritos insurance producer Adrian Ayub and former Cypress Mayor Paulo Morales, both Republicans, are also running.
The district — which includes a portion of Los Angeles County — is made up of about 110,000 registered Democratic voters (nearly 42%), while another 73,000 (nearly 28%) are Republicans and 65,600 (nearly 25%) are no party preference.
A PAC associated with Airbnb has poured more than $800,000 to support Pulido in the race.
Another group called Opportunity PAC, which says it represents teachers, healthcare workers and school employees, among others, has spent more than $325,000 to oppose Taj.
Outside of independent expenditures, Briceño is leading the fundraising, bringing in nearly $302,000 this year with $167,000 cash still on hand. Pulido, meanwhile, reported raising nearly $146,000 since the beginning of the year, according to the latest data from the California secretary of state’s office, with about $52,600 still on hand.
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And Taj, who has been endorsed by Quirk-Silva, has raised nearly $85,000 since the start of the year, with more than $200,000 left in his war chest.
The other three candidates did not raise nearly as much: Gonzales reported bringing in $5,900 his year, Morales $5,625 and Ayub just over $1,700.
68th District
The 68th Assembly District is left open since Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, D-Anaheim, is running for a state Senate seat instead of reelection.
Related: In an Orange County Assembly race, a fight brews over who can endorse the Democratic candidates
Along with Lopez and Penaloza, Anaheim resident and tribal council secretary Shannon Wingfield is the other Democrat in the race. Republican Mayra Ruiz, a Santa Ana resident and business owner, is also vying for the spot.
More than 108,000 registered voters in this Orange County-only district are Democrats (about 48%), and another 49,600 (22%) are Republicans. Just over 53,000 voters (nearly 25%) are registered no party preference.
In terms of fundraising, Penaloza has raked in the most money this year, nearly $275,000, and he still has $135,000 in his war chest.
Lopez, meanwhile, has raised nearly $195,000 since the start of 2026, according to data from the California secretary of state’s office, and has almost $127,000 cash on hand.
Wingfield did not have any campaign finance data reported, but Ruiz raised about $8,400 this year and has more than $3,000 still on hand.
72nd District
Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, is running for a spot on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, and this open race has drawn four candidates: Republicans Matthew Harper, a real estate broker, and Huntington Beach Councilmember Gracey Van Der Mark, as well as Democrat Chris Kluwe, a former NFL player who resides in Huntington Beach, and no party preference candidate Frank Wagoner, a volunteer who lives in Lake Forest.
Here, about 135,600 voters are registered Republicans (nearly 40%), while another 110,000 (32%) are Democrats and about 73,500 (21%) are no party preference.
This race hasn’t attracted nearly the level of special interest spending that the other two Assembly contests have, but ACLU Action has spent $1,000 in support of Kluwe.
Kluwe also leads the fundraising game, bringing in more than $217,000 this year, with nearly $220,000 cash on hand.
Between the two Republicans, Van Der Mark has brought in the most. She reported raising nearly $165,000 this year, while Harper raised more than $101,000. Van Der Mark has about $96,000 cash on hand, and Harper reported about $65,000, according to the latest data from the California secretary of state.
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