Member of the State Assembly, District 80

David A. Alvarez is the son of Mexican immigrants. He grew up in Barrio Logan, where he still lives. He was the first in his family to finish college. He earned a psychology degree from San Diego State University. Before the Assembly he spent eight years on the San Diego City Council. He also ran a small business. He now chairs the Assembly's budget subcommittee on education funding. He also chairs its committee on California-Mexico relations.

He says he is running again because South San Diego needs a fighter with a proven record. He says the work is not finished. This year he authored a bill to make it easier for public colleges to build student housing. He acted after lawsuits held up several University of California housing projects for years. The bill passed the Legislature in August 2026. It now awaits the governor's signature.

He promises to keep building affordable and student housing. That includes a new university campus he is bringing to Chula Vista. He promises to keep fighting for full funding to fix the Tijuana River sewage crisis. He also promises more workforce college degree programs. And he wants a cleaner, cheaper fuel blend to lower gas prices.

Alejandro Galicia is a Republican who owns a plumbing company in Chula Vista. He served 24 years in the Army, active and reserve. In 2003 he led about 160 soldiers into Iraq. That deployment lasted more than a year. He graduated from UCLA in 1992. He has not held elected office. He has run before for the state Senate and for county supervisor, without winning either race.

He has not published a website or answered candidate questionnaires for this Assembly race. In his last campaign, for county supervisor, he gave a reason for running. He said community leaders were not doing their basic job. He said they chased political projects instead. He has no legislative or council record to check.

In that campaign he named his top issues. They were the Tijuana River sewage crisis, housing rules that raise costs, and help for disaster victims. He said he wanted a nonpartisan group of experts working on those problems together. He said he did not care who got credit.