Michael Gates is a Republican lawyer and candidate in the 2026 California Attorney General election, seeking to become the state’s top legal official. He previously served as city attorney of Huntington Beach for more than a decade, where he frequently challenged state policy on issues including housing mandates, election laws, and sanctuary policies. Gates also spent time in the U.S. Department of Justice as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Division before returning to California and focusing on his campaign. He launched his bid for attorney general in early 2026, positioning himself against incumbent Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta as part of the statewide race scheduled for November.