Fil-Am leader Mark Pulido launches bid for California State Assembly
Mark Pulido | Photo from www.markpulido.com
CERRITOS, Calif. – Former Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido has launched his campaign for the California State Assembly in District 67, citing a commitment to giving working families “a stronger voice in Sacramento.”
A longtime public servant with deep roots in Southeast Los Angeles County, Pulido began his political career at age 32 as the youngest member of the ABC Unified School District Board, serving three terms, including as Board president in 2007-2008.
He was elected to the Cerritos City Council in 2011, garnering the most votes in city history and was re-elected in 2015, serving two terms as mayor in 2014-2015 and in 2018-2019.
Pulido’s experience spans local, state and federal government. He has worked as a California Assembly consultant, State Senate district director, and chief of staff to retired Congressman Alan Lowenthal.
He also served on several state commissions, including appointments by Governor Jerry Brown to the California Volunteers Commission and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission, and the California Science Center and Exposition Park Board.
“I’m running to represent the communities I’ve lived in and served my entire life,” Pulido said. “Our district deserves a representative who understands the challenges families face every day—and knows how to get things done.”
As mayor, Pulido oversaw initiatives that improved public safety – achieving a 35 percent reduction in residential burglaries and maintaining sub-three-minute emergency response times.
His administration supported major infrastructure projects, park and street repairs, and brought high-profile businesses to Cerritos, including 85C, In-N-Out, Nordstrom Rack, Harkins Theaters and the Cheesecake Factory.
During his tenure on the city council, Pulido was instrumental in establishing the Teen Studio at Cerritos Library, approving new residential developments that attracted newcomers, and inaugurating the Kaiser Permanente Medical Office Building.
Pulido said he plans to focus his campaign on issues such as improving public education, expanding access to affordable housing, protecting jobs and supporting small businesses, improving public transportation and infrastructure and ensuring access to quality healthcare.
Prominent Democrats have endorsed his campaign. “Mark is an exemplary public servant who puts his constituents first,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We need experienced, results-oriented legislators like him in the Assembly.”
Former Rep. Alan Lowenthal echoed the support, citing Pulido’s record on schools, safety and infrastructure.
Pulido has a history of securing endorsements from the Democratic Party and labor organizations such as the AFL-CIO. His current campaign has garnered early support from over 125 elected officials and community leaders across the district, state and nation.
Pulido has lived in Cerritos since 1973 with his wife, Gloria, and their two children, Malia and Mark, Jr. He is the son and grandson of Filipino American immigrants, US Navy and Army veterans and comes from a family of local small business owners.
Pulido graduated from local schools and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and Asian American studies.
At UCLA, he made history as the first Filipino American elected student body president and served as editor in chief of Pacific Ties, the nation’s oldest collegiate Asian Pacific newsmagazine. He later obtained a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Chicago.
District 67 covers parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties, including the cities of Cerritos, Artesia, Hawaiian Gardens, La Palma, Buena Park, Cypress and portions of Anaheim and Fullerton. It is home to a diverse population and faces challenges such as rising housing costs, traffic congestion and the need for better access to healthcare.
