Albert Yasuro “Al” Muratsuchi (born September 4, 1964) is a Japanese American attorney, educator, and Democratic politician currently serving as a member of the California State Assembly representing the 66th District — the Los Angeles South Bay, including Gardena, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Rancho Palos Verdes, and Rolling Hills Estates. A term-limited assemblymember, he is running for California Superintendent of Public Instruction in the June 2, 2026 primary. He is endorsed by the California Federation of Teachers and the Association of California School Administrators, among others.
The son of immigrants, Muratsuchi was born and raised on U.S. military bases in Okinawa, Japan, before arriving in California in 1982. A first-generation college graduate and product of California’s public schools, he earned a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and a Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law. Before entering politics, he worked as a civil rights and environmental attorney and as a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney. He later served as a trustee and president of the Torrance Unified School District Board of Education, and is currently an adjunct government professor at El Camino Community College, where he is a proud member of the American Federation of Teachers, Local 1388.
Muratsuchi was first elected to the State Assembly in 2012, lost his seat to Republican David Hadley in 2014, and won it back in 2016 — serving continuously since. He is term-limited in December 2026. During his 12 years in the Assembly, he served as Chair of the Assembly Education Committee and Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education. He was the lead author of Proposition 2, the $10 billion statewide school facilities bond approved by California voters in November 2024, co-authored with former state Sen. Josh Newman. He announced his campaign for Superintendent of Public Instruction in February 2025.
Endorsements
California Federation of Teachers, California School Employees Association, Association of California School Administrators, California Federation of Labor Unions (AFL-CIO), International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 36, United Steelworkers Local 675, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Rep. Ted Lieu, Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, and dozens of current and former elected officials and school board members. A full list is available on his endorsements page.
Reputation/Scandals/Successes
Core Strengths and Positive Reputation
- Uniquely Broad Education Résumé: Muratsuchi is the only candidate in the race who has served as a local school board trustee, a state legislator focused on education policy, and a practicing classroom teacher simultaneously — giving him a perspective that spans policymaking, governance, and instruction. He frames this combination as uniquely qualifying him for the role of state superintendent.
- Landmark Legislative Achievements: As lead author of Proposition 2, he secured $10 billion for school and community college facility upgrades — one of the largest school investment measures in California history. He also authored the Fair Pay for Educators Act (proposing a 50% teacher pay raise), the California Freedom to Read Act (fighting book bans), the California Safe Haven Schools Act (keeping ICE out of schools), and bills to fund universal preschool, afterschool programs, free school meals, and mental health services.
- Strong Institutional Labor Backing: Muratsuchi has secured endorsements from the California Federation of Teachers, the California School Employees Association, and the Association of California School Administrators — a rare combination of teacher union, classified employee, and school administrator support that reflects broad confidence across the education community.
- Significant Funding Delivered to Schools: Beyond legislation, he has secured hundreds of millions in direct state appropriations for his district, including $231 million for the Metro light rail extension to the South Bay, $10 million for career technical education, $10 million for El Camino College’s public safety training center, and $3.5 million for solar panels at Torrance high schools.
- Personal Story and Public School Advocacy: As the son of Japanese immigrants, a first-generation college graduate, and a product of California’s public schools, Muratsuchi brings an authentically personal commitment to public education. His identity as a current classroom teacher — not just a former one — reinforces that credibility with educators.
Criticisms and Vulnerabilities
- Removed as Assembly Education Committee Chair: In January 2026, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas removed Muratsuchi as Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, replacing him with Assemblymember Darshana Patel — a notable personnel shift first reported by Politico. The Speaker’s office did not publicly explain the decision, and Muratsuchi has attributed it to internal political dynamics unrelated to his record. Critics have nonetheless raised questions about what it signals about his standing with legislative leadership, even as those same leaders have endorsed his superintendent campaign.
- Trailing in Endorsements to Barrera: Despite his deep legislative record, Muratsuchi does not have the single most powerful endorsement in the race — the California Teachers Association went to Richard Barrera. The CTA’s backing of a relative outsider over a 12-year legislative champion signals at least some ambivalence within the broader teachers’ union world about Sacramento insiders.
- Sacramento Insider in an Anti-Establishment Moment: Several opponents — including Barrera and Rendon — have positioned themselves as either outsiders or reform-minded candidates. In an environment where voters are skeptical of career politicians, Muratsuchi’s 12 years in the Assembly could cut both ways: experience to some, political establishment to others.
- Crowded Field and Low Name Recognition Statewide: Despite strong South Bay and Los Angeles-area recognition, Muratsuchi is less well-known statewide than candidates like Anthony Rendon (former Assembly Speaker) or Richard Barrera (CTA-backed). With nearly a third of voters undecided in the race, breaking through in a 10-candidate field is a significant challenge.
Campaign Contributors
Muratsuchi entered the race with a significant financial advantage, having transferred approximately $352,000 from his 2024 State Assembly campaign — one of the larger rollover amounts in the field. The California Federation of Teachers has contributed $33,900 directly to his 2026 campaign. Major contributors include labor unions and education associations. Full contributor details are available at Transparency USA.
