LOS ANGELES — Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has declared his candidacy to challenge Robert Luna in the June 2, 2026 primary, despite a 19-percentage point loss to Luna in 2022.
“Over the last several years, Los Angeles County has seen the consequences of failed leadership, not just in the sheriff’s department, but across our local government,” Villanueva said in a video released July 22.
“Promises made in 2022 have been replaced with a grim result — over a quarter of the workforce gone, an ongoing exodus of experienced personnel, and a tragedy of deputy suicides and in-custody deaths,” he added.
“On our streets, lawlessness has become the new normal, with street takeovers, looting, and organized burglary crews terrorizing our communities. Families feel unsafe. Deputies feel unsupported. It’s time to bring steady, proven leadership back to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
“We must rescue this department from paralyzing dysfunction, rebuild it back to full strength, and restore our capacity to fight, solve and prevent crime. That includes ensuring we can respond swiftly to disasters and emergencies and being able to evacuate vulnerable residents in harm’s way when every second counts.”
Earlier this year, Luna announced he would seek re-election, citing reduced crime and increased transparency as key accomplishments.
“Under my leadership, [the sheriff’s department] has also improved compliance related to the jails and Antelope Valley settlements and increased community engagement and outreach,” he said in a statement on his website. “My bottom line: As sheriff, our service must always be effective, respectful, empathetic and constitutional.”
In April, Lt. Oscar Martinez of the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station announced plans to challenge Luna in 2026, saying he was running because the department needs a leader who will empower deputies to do their jobs.
“I’m putting my career and everything that I’ve worked for on the line, not for personal gain, but for my partners in law enforcement, as well as the future of public safety in our communities,” said Martinez, who has been with the department for more than 16 years.
Martinez was especially critical of Luna for not doing enough to defend Deputy Trevor James Kirk, who was found guilty in February of excessive force for assaulting and pepper-spraying a woman during a 2023 confrontation outside a Lancaster supermarket.
Luna defeated Villanueva in November 2022, receiving 61.3% of the vote in Los Angeles County.
In 2018, Villanueva, defeated Jim McDonnell, now chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, after one term. He went on to also become a one-term sheriff four years later after repeated clashes with the county Board of Supervisors over funding and policy matters as well as the agency’s Civilian Oversight Commission.
Villanueva lost a bid to oust Supervisor Janice Hahn from her Fourth District seat on the Board of Supervisors in 2024, receiving 28.1% of the vote in a three-candidate race to Hahn’s 57.8%.
