The State Assembly Race

Mason Kim• October 28, 2025

In June, Paul Seo, the Mayor Pro Tem of Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV), announced that he is running for California’s 66th State Assembly District. As Mayor Pro Tem, Seo helped lead the City Council of RPV by setting meeting agendas, representing the mayor when needed and putting policies into effect. California’s 66th State Assembly District encompasses Palos Verdes, Torrance, Redondo Beach and other nearby communities. If elected, Seo would resign as Mayor Pro Tem and join the state legislature, marking a major step in his political career.

This announcement sparked interest among the members of the local RPV community. Students on campus have shared their thoughts on what the news means for people living here.

“It is inspiring to see someone from our area running,” freshman Gavin Dunst said. “It shows that people from our community can step up and represent us on a larger scale.”

To truly understand Seo’s qualifications, it is important to look at them in their totality. Seo grew up in Torrance and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. During his subsequent military service, he was stationed in South Korea. After the Army, he attended Loyola Law School before serving as a Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice (Paul Seo for Assembly). In 2022, Seo was elected to the RPV City Council and became Mayor Pro Tem shortly afterward. Since then, he has worked on projects involving city planning, public safety and emergency response. During his time on the City Council, Seo coordinated efforts to address landslides and storm damage in local neighborhoods, oversaw improvements to the city’s infrastructure, and advocated for programs aimed at keeping the community safe. Some students think that Paul Seo’s candidacy has positive implications for residents of our community.

“It’s impressive to see someone local taking the initiative to make a difference. When politicians come from our own community, they understand the issues and challenges we face on a daily basis,” freshman Noah Kim said. “Having someone like Paul in office could mean more attention to the issues that actually matter to us, like safety, education and affordability.”

Seo’s leadership style and policies reflect the life experiences that have molded him into who he is today. His time in the military, law and local government reflect a practical approach to problem-solving and leadership. Seo emphasizes that he is the only candidate in the race with first-hand experience in municipal leadership, which he believes gives him the upper hand in understanding the challenges that residents commonly face. He believes that the skills he learned from his past work will help him address issues at the state level. This focus on hands-on actions, along with his plans to make life more affordable, invest in public safety and support education and workforce training, forms the foundation of his campaign (Paul Seo for Assembly). Seo is the sort of leader that was not only born one, but one that completely grew into the role.

“My parents instilled in me from an early age to ‘be someone this country needs’ and to ‘give back to the community’,” Seo said. “From leading troops in the Demilitarized Zone between South Korea and North Korea to prosecuting for the State Assembly to help working families get ahead, protect people’s rights and keep our communities safe and healthy.”

Seo’s campaign for state assembly focuses on improving housing, education and public safety. He aims to increase affordable housing options, strengthen school funding and create more support for law enforcement and emergency response services (Paul Seo for Assembly). These issues reflect challenges that the district has faced in prior years – specifically, the recent increase in the price of houses in the Torrance area (Redfin). Another major issue would be the substantial budget cuts for Redondo Beach schools throughout prior years, which is primarily due to the decline in enrollment of students and the loss of federal funds from the COVID era. By addressing these issues, Seo hopes to build “stronger, safer neighborhoods for every family” (Paul Seo for Assembly).

Other candidates running for the 66th District include Sara Deen, a member of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School Board, Scott Houston, a West Basin Municipal Water District board member and Shannon Ross, a member of the Los Angeles County Beach Commission (“2026 California State Assembly Election”). Deen focuses heavily on education policy, Houston emphasizes water conservation and Ross wants to improve coastal management. They are mostly single-issue candidates, in contrast to the blanket of improvements Paul Seo heralds. The primary election may still be more than half a year away, but Paul Seo shared that he is more than ready to take on the role.

“The primary election for the 66th Assembly District is scheduled for June 2, 2026, with the general election planned for November 3, 2026,” Seo said. “I’m ready to bring my experience from the City Council and military service to Sacramento to serve our communities effectively.”

Seo’s campaign demonstrates how local leaders can transition to a higher level of government, applying their skills to broader issues that affect millions of Californians. Seo’s run for the 66th District State Assembly marks an important moment for RPV and surrounding cities as someone who has positively affected local communities steps up and accepts the challenge to join the assembly. As the campaign continues, Palos Verdes residents will be watching closely to see how Seo’s message resonates with voters from a wider population of Californians, and whether his leadership experience can win him a seat in Sacramento.