Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced his nomination of Assemblyman Rob Bonta of Alameda — a former deputy city attorney in San Francisco — to be the state's next attorney general.
The announcement happened in a press conference in San Francisco where Bonta was joined by members of his family, as ABC 7 reports. And, as you can see from the well produced campaign video below, today also marks the first day of Bonta's campaign for the attorney general post — assuming he's confirmed by the state legislature, Bonta's appointment will run through 2022, when he will have to run for election.
"I became a lawyer because I saw the law as the best way to make a positive difference for the most people, and it would be an honor of a lifetime to serve as the attorney for the people of this great state,” Bonta said. "As California’s Attorney General, I will work tirelessly every day to ensure that every Californian who has been wronged can find justice and that every person is treated fairly under the law."
I am honored & humbled that @GavinNewsom has chosen me to serve as your next Attorney General. Join our fight. https://t.co/nX8U3Xray4 pic.twitter.com/ANeOOxGIAj
— Rob Bonta (@RobBonta) March 24, 2021
Bonta's nomination was supported by several Asian and Pacific Islander groups, and as KPIX notes, he will be the first Filipino American to serve as California's attorney general.
Bonta has served in the state Assembly since 2012, and he represents a district covering part of Oakland, San Leandro, and Alameda. He is the child of activists, as KPIX reports, with his father, Warren Bonta, a lifelong social justice activist who grew up in Ventura County, and his mother Cynthia, an activist with Cesar Chavez who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1960s from the Philippines. The Bontas were actually working as missionaries in the Philippines when Rob was born — a fact that was cause for some weird birther claims from a Republican challenger in 2018.
Bonta worked in private practice after graduating from Yale Law School, and the served nine as deputy city attorney in San Francisco.
"Rob represents what makes California great – our desire to take on righteous fights and reverse systematic injustices," Newsom said on Wednesday. "Growing up with parents steeped in social justice movements, Rob has become a national leader in the fight to repair our justice system and defend the rights of every Californian."
He added, "At this moment when so many communities are under attack for who they are and who they love, Rob has fought to strengthen hate crime laws and protect our communities from the forces of hate."