A Veteran's Fight Continues: Sen. Bob Archuleta Seeks Re-Election to Represent District 30

Editor's note: Bob Archuleta represents California's 30th District in the California State Senate, a state legislative office. He is not a candidate for the U.S. Senate.

SACRAMENTO/PICO RIVERA

California State Senator Bob Archuleta has officially launched his campaign for re-election to the 30th Senate District, a seat he has held since 2018, asking voters across southeastern Los Angeles County and Orange County to give him another four years to continue what he describes as unfinished work for veterans, working families, and local communities.

Archuleta, a Democrat, made his re-election bid official in January, telling supporters it has been an honor to represent the district and that he never takes the public trust lightly. He said his focus remains on families, veterans, seniors and working people throughout the district, which includes communities such as Pico Rivera, Montebello, Whittier, Downey, La Puente and Brea.

A Life Shaped by Service

Archuleta's path to the state Capitol runs through the U.S. Army and local law enforcement. Raised in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles and a graduate of Salesian High School, he served as a paratrooper in the Army's storied 82nd Airborne Division. After his military service, he attended the Rio Hondo College Police Academy and went on to work as a reserve officer with the Montebello Police Department.

That record of service carried into local government, where Archuleta was elected to the Pico Rivera City Council in 2007 and later served two terms as the city's mayor. In 2013, President Barack Obama appointed him to the Board of Visitors at the United States Military Academy at West Point — making him the first Mexican-American ever named to that board, where he was quickly elected co-chair. Governor Gavin Newsom later appointed him to the Governor's Military Council, which oversees more than 30 military installations statewide.

Building a Record in Sacramento

Since arriving in the state Senate, Archuleta has chaired the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, becoming the first Latino Army veteran to hold that position. He also chairs the Senate Select Committee on Hydrogen Energy and serves on committees covering business and economic development, energy and utilities, transportation, and government organization.

His campaign points to more than $100 million in state funding he has helped secure for local infrastructure — including libraries, parks, and public safety facilities — along with work supporting education, veterans' services, clean-energy initiatives, and first responders across the district.

Archuleta has said he is grateful for the support of labor, veterans, educators, law enforcement, small businesses and community leaders throughout the district, and that while real progress has been made, there is more work ahead.

Archuleta has been recognized over the years by organizations including the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Hispanic American Airborne Association, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars for his advocacy on behalf of former service members.

Family and Community Roots

Archuleta lives in Pico Rivera, within the district he represents, with his wife, Rose. The couple has five children and several grandchildren, including two sons who are West Point graduates now serving in the U.S. military — a continuation, supporters note, of the family's multigenerational commitment to service.

Looking Ahead to November

Archuleta, who won re-election in 2022 with 61 percent of the vote, faces the June 2, 2026 primary before the November 3 general election. District 30 has favored Democratic candidates in recent cycles, and Archuleta enters the race as the incumbent with name recognition built over nearly two decades of elected service between Pico Rivera and Sacramento.

As the campaign moves forward, Archuleta's message to voters centers on continuity and results: a steady hand for veterans, working families, and the communities of the 30th Senate District.

US Senate News will continue to follow the race for California's 30th State Senate District as the June primary approaches.