Huntington Beach Council Member Gracey Van Der Mark has announced her candidacy for the California State Assembly in the 72nd Assembly District. The seat is expected to be open as current Assemblymember Diane Dixon campaigns for a seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
Van Der Mark, a former mayor of Huntington Beach, enters the race with a background in local governance and over two decades of residency in the district. Her announcement highlights personal experiences that have shaped her public service approach.
“As the survivor of domestic violence, I have lived through very dark times but what drove me through those times was my belief in the American Dream and my innate desire to make sure my children could grow up in a safe community with great schools and unlimited economic opportunities,” Van Der Mark said.
Van Der Mark also announced her endorsement by Scott Baugh, a former Assembly Republican Leader and chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County from 2004 to 2015. Baugh is a Huntington Beach resident, prolific fundraiser and spokesman for conservative causes.
During her tenure on the Huntington Beach City Council, Van Der Mark has focused on fiscal oversight, election-related policies, and public safety.
The current AD72 incumbent, Diane Dixon, is running for the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
Van Der Mark’s council term is up in December of 2026.
Van Der Mark ran unsuccessfully for the Ocean View School District Board of Trustees in 2018 and the Huntington Beach City Council in 2020, before being elected as part of a four-candidate Republican slate – led by now-state Senator Tony Strickland – that swept the 2022 council elections
She and her husband have lived in Huntington Beach for more than 20 years, where they are raising a blended family of seven children.
