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Tony Mendoza (California)

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Tony Mendoza
Democratic Party
Prior offices:
California State Senate District 32
Years in office: 2014 - 2018
California State Assembly District 56
Years in office: 2006 - 2012
Successor: V. Manuel Perez (D)
Artesia City Council
Years in office: 1997 - 2006
Elections and appointments
Last election
June 5, 2018
Education
Bachelor's
California State University, Long Beach
Personal
Profession
Teacher
Contact
Campaign Facebook
Personal website

Tony Mendoza (Democratic Party) was a member of the California State Senate, representing District 32. He assumed office in 2014. He left office on February 22, 2018.

Mendoza (Democratic Party) ran for election to the California State Senate to represent District 32. He lost in the primary on June 5, 2018.

Mendoza also ran in a special election to the California State Senate to represent District 32. He lost in the special primary on June 5, 2018.

Mendoza is a former Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing District 32 from 2014 to 2018. He resigned on February 22, 2018, due to sexual misconduct allegations against him. To read more, click here.

Mendoza previously served in the California State Assembly, representing District 56 from 2006 to 2012. He also served as a member of the Artesia City Council.

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Mendoza's professional experience includes working as a fourth-grade teacher at Brooklyn Avenue Elementary School. He has served as a board member of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, representative of the California Teachers Association, representative of the National Education Association, and member of the board of directors for United Teachers Los Angeles.[1]

Committee assignments

2017 legislative session

Mendoza was removed from some of his committee assignments in November 2017 due to sexual misconduct allegations. To read more click here.

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

California committee assignments, 2017
• Budget and Fiscal Review
• Education
• Governmental Organization
• Insurance, Chair
• Transportation and Housing
• Legislative Audit

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Mendoza served on the following committees:

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Mendoza served on these committees:

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Mendoza served on these committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2018

California State Senate special election

See also: California state legislative special elections, 2018
CA Senate District 32

A special primary election for the position of California State Senate District 32 was called for June 5, 2018. Vanessa Delgado (D) and Rita Topalian (R), the top two vote-getters, advanced to the special general election that was held on August 7, 2018.[2][3] Delgado won the seat.[4]

To qualify for the race, candidates had to pay a filing fee by April 12, 2018, or they must have submitted petition signatures by March 13, 2018. [5]

The seat became vacant following Tony Mendoza's (D) resignation on February 22, 2018, due to sexual misconduct allegations against him. To read more about those allegations and his response, click here.

Mendoza filed to run for the special election along with 10 other candidates. A total of nine Democrats and two Republicans filed.[6]

General election

Special general election for California State Senate District 32

Vanessa Delgado defeated Rita Topalian in the special general election for California State Senate District 32 on August 7, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Vanessa Delgado (D)
 
52.4
 
26,635
Image of Rita Topalian
Rita Topalian (R)
 
47.6
 
24,240

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 50,875
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Nonpartisan primary election

Special nonpartisan primary for California State Senate District 32

The following candidates ran in the special primary for California State Senate District 32 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
Image of Bob Archuleta
Bob Archuleta (D)
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Rudy Bermudez (D)
✔
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Vanessa Delgado (D)
Image of John Paul Drayer
John Paul Drayer (D) Candidate Connection
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Darren Joseph Gendron (D)
Image of Tony Mendoza
Tony Mendoza (D)
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Vivian Romero (D)
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Vicky Santana (D)
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Ion Sarega (R)
Image of Ali Taj
Ali Taj (D)
✔
Image of Rita Topalian
Rita Topalian (R)

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

California State Senate regular election

See also: California State Senate elections, 2018

General election

General election for California State Senate District 32

Bob Archuleta defeated Rita Topalian in the general election for California State Senate District 32 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Bob Archuleta
Bob Archuleta (D)
 
66.9
 
177,054
Image of Rita Topalian
Rita Topalian (R)
 
33.1
 
87,520

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 264,574
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Senate District 32

The following candidates ran in the primary for California State Senate District 32 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Rita Topalian
Rita Topalian (R)
 
24.4
 
28,979
✔
Image of Bob Archuleta
Bob Archuleta (D)
 
17.4
 
20,652
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Vanessa Delgado (D)
 
15.7
 
18,709
Image of Tony Mendoza
Tony Mendoza (D)
 
10.0
 
11,917
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Ion Sarega (R)
 
9.7
 
11,577
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Vicky Santana (D)
 
6.9
 
8,236
Image of Ali Taj
Ali Taj (D)
 
5.3
 
6,349
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Vivian Romero (D)
 
4.6
 
5,495
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Rudy Bermudez (D)
 
4.6
 
5,455
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
David Castellanos (D)
 
1.3
 
1,541

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 118,910
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2014

See also: California State Senate elections, 2014

Elections for the California State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 7, 2014. Tony Mendoza (D) and Mario A. Guerra (R) defeated Carlos R. Arvizu (D), Sally Morales Havice (D) and Irella Perez (D) in the blanket primary. Mendoza defeated Guerra in the general election.[7][8][9]

California State Senate, District 32, General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngTony Mendoza 52.3% 67,593
     Republican Mario A. Guerra 47.7% 61,718
Total Votes 129,311
California State Senate, District 32 Blanket Primary, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngMario A. Guerra 44.5% 29,096
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngTony Mendoza 31.8% 20,804
     Democratic Sally Morales Havice 11.2% 7,325
     Democratic Irella Perez 10.5% 6,873
     Democratic Carlos R. Arvizu 2% 1,280
Total Votes 65,378

2012

Mendoza was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

2010

See also: California State Assembly elections, 2010

Mendoza won re-election to the 56th District seat in 2010. He had no opposition in the June 8 primary. He defeated Republican Henry J. Bestwick in the November 2 general election.[10]

California State Assembly, District 56 General Election (2010)
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Tony Mendoza (D) 56,943
Henry J. Bestwick (R) 30,111

2008

In 2008 Mendoza was re-elected to the California State Assembly District 56. Mendoza (D) finished with 78,652 votes while his opponent Roger Garrett (R) finished with 42,040 votes.[11]

California State Assembly District 56
Candidates Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Tony Mendoza (D) 78,652
Roger Garrett (R) 42,040

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Tony Mendoza campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2014California State Senate, District 32Won $930,133 N/A**
2010California State Assembly, District 56Won $703,345 N/A**
2008California State Assembly, District 56Won $592,452 N/A**
2006California State Assembly, District 56Won $691,017 N/A**
Grand total$2,916,947 N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Election Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Endorsements

2014

In 2014, Mendoza's endorsements included the following:[12]

  • Congresswoman Grace Napolitano
  • Congresswoman, Janice Hahn
  • Congresswoman Linda Sanchez
  • CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson
  • CA Insurance Commissioner, Dave Jones
  • Board of Equalization Jerome Horton
  • LAUSD Board President, Dr. Richard Vladovic
  • Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg
  • Senate President Pro Tem Designee Kevin de Leon
  • Senator Lou Correa
  • Senator Ed Hernandez
  • Senator Ted Lieu
  • Senator Fran Pavley
  • Senator Norma Torres
  • Artesia Mayor Tony Lima
  • Artesia City Mayor Pro Tem Miguel Canales
  • Artesia City Council Member Victor Manalo
  • Artesia City Council Member Ali Sajjad Taj
  • Buena Park City Council Member Art Brown
  • Buena Park City Council Member Fred Smith

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards, State legislative scorecards in California

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2025.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2024.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2023.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2022.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2021.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2020.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2019.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2018.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2017.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2016.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2015.

Below you can find the scorecards found for the California State Legislature in 2014.

Noteworthy events

Resignation following sexual misconduct investigation (2018)

See also: Sexual assault and harassment in American politics (2017-2018)

On February 22, 2018, Mendoza resigned from office. In his resignation statement, he said, “I shall resign my position as Senator with immediate effect as it is clear that Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon will not rest until he has my head on a platter to convince the Me Too Movement of his ‘sincerity’ in supporting the Me Too cause.”[13] On February 21, President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon (D) authored a resolution to expel Mendoza from the chamber.[14]

On February 20, a state Senate report into Sen. Tony Mendoza's conduct, which was compiled by outside legal firms, was released. It found that it was more likely than not that Mendoza had behaved in "a flirtatious or sexually suggestive manner toward staffers" as an assemblyman from 2006 to 2012 and as a senator from 2014 to 2017. Six women--four of whom were staffers, interns, or fellows--said they “personally experienced unwanted flirtatious or sexually suggestive behavior by Mendoza.” None of the women said that Mendoza said they had a sexual relationship with Mendoza or that he was physically aggressive or sexually crude to them. The women said they feared it would affect their careers if they reported Mendoza.

The report did not find evidence that three staffers who said were fired by the state Senate were terminated due to their reporting of Mendoza's behavior.[15]

Mendoza responded by criticizing the investigation, saying he was not allowed to review the report's findings or offer an explanation for the events described. He said, "I am particularly disheartened and extremely concerned, as member of the Senate should be over the extreme lack of due process that has been afforded during the entire investigatory process..."[16] Mendoza also urged his colleagues to not expel him, saying that was a punishment typically reserved for criminal charges.[17]

On November 9, 2017, the Sacramento Bee reported that Mendoza had invited a female staffer—who was temporarily under his supervision and seeking a full-time job—into his home after a party at a nightclub. The report also said that two Senate aides who reported his behavior with the woman to the Senate Rules Committee staff were fired afterward. State Senate officials denied that there was a connection between the firings and the allegations of inappropriate behavior. When asked by the Bee about his behavior with the woman, Mendoza said that he would offer assistance to any person seeking employment in the Senate and that he would never knowingly abuse his power or make a female employee uncomfortable.[18]

Later on November 9, Senate Secretary Danny Alvarez said allegations that Mendoza acted inappropriately were being investigated internally.[19]

On November 27, the Senate Rules Committee voted to strip Mendoza of his chairmanship of the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee and his positions on the state Commission for Economic Development and the California Workforce Development Fund, pending an investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against him. In response, Mendoza said, "I understand the Rules Committee's decision to relieve me from the committee chairmanship to remove any perception of bias during its investigation of the unsubstantiated allegations against me."[20]

On December 14, California Senate Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon (D), Mendoza's one-time roommate, said Mendoza should take a leave of absence from the Senate while misconduct claims against him were being investigated. Mendoza released a statement saying that he would not leave the Senate.[21]

On January 3, 2018, the Sacramento Bee reported that Adriana Ruelas, Mendoza's former legislative director, filed a discrimination complaint against Mendoza and the California State Senate. In the complaint, she said that she and two other staffers were fired in retaliation for reporting sexual misconduct against Mendoza.[22]

Also on January 3, Mendoza agreed to take a one-month paid leave of absence from the California State Senate. He said that he would return on either February 1 or when the investigation into his conduct concluded (whichever came first). Mendoza’s announcement came after a closed-door session with Senate Democrats. According to the Los Angeles Times, they were considering expelling Mendoza.[23]

On January 17, a group of Democratic Party delegates from Mendoza's state Senate district turned in petition signatures that, if validated, would make Mendoza go through a formal process to receive the Democratic Party's endorsement in the 2018 elections. Mendoza said, “I am disappointed that a small group of some Democrats have decided to act unilaterally and prematurely on the basis of allegations against me in the media to oppose my endorsement by the Democratic Party."[24]

On January 25, the state Senate Rules Committee unanimously voted to extend Mendoza's leave of absence by up to 60 days or when the investigation into his actions concluded. Mendoza said, "I am disappointed at the Senate’s action today. The ad-hoc action today is now part of the pattern that contradicts the Senate’s commitment to reform and to an open, transparent and fair process as its action today was adopted without any notice to me."[25]

On January 27, Mendoza was denied pre-endorsement from the Democratic Party, meaning he would need to seek an endorsement at the state convention in February 2018. He received votes from 58 percent of delegates, which was less than the 70 percent required for pre-endorsement.[26] Two days after he resigned, Mendoza attended the California Democratic Party Convention and said he would seek re-election to his seat.[27]


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed May 7, 2014
  2. ↑ CBS Sacramento, "Special Election Set To Replace California State Sen. Tony Mendoza," March 8, 2018
  3. ↑ California Secretary of State, "State Senate District 32 - Districtwide Results," accessed June 6, 2018
  4. ↑ California Secretary of State, "State Senate District 32 - Districtwide Results," accessed August 8, 2018
  5. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Special Election Calendar: Special Primary Election June 5, 2018, California State Senate, 32nd District (Tony Mendoza)," accessed March 9, 2018
  6. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Special Primary Election - June 5, 2018: Official Certified List of Candidates," April 18, 2018
  7. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2014 Primary election candidate list," accessed March 27, 2014
  8. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed July 15, 2014
  9. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official general election results," accessed December 14, 2014
  10. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2010 General election results," accessed March 13, 2014
  11. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2008 General election results," accessed March 13, 2014
  12. ↑ tonymendoza.net "Endorsements," accessed May 7, 2014
  13. ↑ Sacramento Bee, "California senator resigns amid harassment allegations," February 22, 2018
  14. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "California Senate leader introduces resolution to expel Sen. Tony Mendoza," February 21, 2018
  15. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Senate investigation concludes Tony Mendoza ‘more likely than not’ made inappropriate advances on staffers," February 21, 2018
  16. ↑ Twitter, "Melanie Mason, accessed February 20, 2018
  17. ↑ Capitol Public Radio, "Report: California Senator Tony Mendoza ‘More Likely Than Not’ Made Sexual Advances Toward Six Women," February 20, 2018
  18. ↑ Sacramento Bee, "She wanted a job and said California senator invited her home. He fired aides who knew.," November 9, 2017
  19. ↑ The Union Democrat, :California investigates senator's behavior to female staffer," November 9, 2017
  20. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "State Sen. Tony Mendoza booted from leadership posts pending sexual harassment investigation," November 27, 2017
  21. ↑ Sacramento Bee, "Senate asks Tony Mendoza to take a leave of absence – he says no," December 14, 2017
  22. ↑ Sacramento Bee, "Former aide to Tony Mendoza files complaint against California Senate," January 3, 2018
  23. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "State Sen. Tony Mendoza takes leave of absence during investigation of misconduct accusations," January 3, 2018
  24. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Activists work to block the California Democratic Party from endorsing Sen. Tony Mendoza, who faces harassment probe," January 17, 2018
  25. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "State Senate panel votes to extend Sen. Tony Mendoza's leave of absence until harassment investigation is completed," January 25, 2018
  26. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Under investigation in Sacramento, state Sen. Tony Mendoza fails to get early endorsement of Democrats," January 27, 2018
  27. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Tony Mendoza, who resigned facing expulsion, will run again for his Senate seat without Democratic Party approval," February 24, 2018
Political offices
Preceded by
Norma Torres (D) 		California State Senate District 32
2014-2018 		Succeeded by
Vanessa Delgado (D)
Preceded by
- 		California State Assembly District 56
2006–2012 		Succeeded by
Manuel Perez (D)


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