lacks the character and judgment to lead us
THE FACTS:
Van Der Mark was removed from two school district committees after civil rights groups condemned bigoted posts she made online, including one claiming that quote "colored people" were being instructed and controlled by "elderly Jewish people." Public records also show Van Der Mark saved videos claiming the Holocaust was a lie and was caught on camera associating with violent extremist groups.
SOURCES: OC Weekly, “HB Finance Commissioner Called Blacks “Colored People” Online, Denies Antisemitism,” April 6, 2018; Daily Pilot, “Huntington Beach Woman Removed From 2 School District Panels Over Alleged ‘Colored People’ Comment Denies Racism Claims,” May 8, 2018; California City News, “Surf City Leaders Approve Conservative Wish List During Tense Council Meeting,” September 2023.
using big government overreach to force her personal politics into our daily lives
Van Der Mark supports privatizing public libraries and created political boards to restrict or ban books at public libraries, even after voters overwhelmingly rejected her efforts. She also pushed local mandates that force teachers and school staff to spy on students and report on their private lives without their parents' consent.
SOURCES: Pasadena News-Star, “Huntington Beach Looking at Privatizing Library Operations Despite Widespread Opposition,” March 2024; CalMatters, “Is It Sex Education Or Porn? Huntington Beach Comes To Blows Over Library Books,” June 4, 2025; Daily Pilot, “Group Seeks to Fight Book Censorship as Huntington Beach Parent Advisory Board Returns for Final Vote,” March 28, 2024; Ballotpedia, “Measure A,” June 2025; LA Times, “Library Measures A and B proponents claim victory in Huntington Beach,” June 10, 2025; YouTube, “Huntington Beach Mayor Pushes to Defy State Gender Notification Law,” August 1, 2024; Daily Pilot, “Huntington Beach City Council Majority Calls For Creation Of A 'Parents' Right To Know' Ordinance,” August 7, 2024; Orange County Register, “Huntington Beach; Mayor Wants City to Fight Law,” August 3, 2024
a typical corrupt insider who puts herself ahead of local taxpayers
While serving on the Huntington Beach City Council, Van Der Mark was fined for violating state ethics laws after failing to disclose expensive free tickets she accepted from an airshow contractor who is a major MAGA political donor and later received a controversial secret taxpayer-funded settlement supported by Van Der Mark. And after accepting those perks, she changed the rules so she could appoint herself Mayor over more experienced colleagues.
SOURCES: Voice of OC, “State Regulators Fine Huntington Beach Elected Officials Over Airshow Tickets,” May 19, 2026; Orange County Register, “Huntington Beach Air Show Settlement Reveals Financial Promises City Made,” July 2024; LA Times, “Judge’s Preliminary Ruling Orders Huntington Beach to Comply with Air show Settlement Agreement,” August 6, 2026; Los Angeles Times, “‘I’m Going to Keep Succeeding’: Huntington Beach’s Latina MAGA Mayor Speaks,” June 12, 2024; Daily Pilot, “Huntington Beach’s First Latina Mayor, Gracey Van Der Mark, Sworn in After 4-3 Vote,” December 6, 2023.
puts her extreme agenda ahead of our children’s health and safety
Van Der Mark used her vote as councilwoman to pass reckless bans of basic healthcare protections and emergency safety rules, even during serious disease outbreaks – directly threatening vulnerable women, children and seniors and putting our entire community at risk. And she has opposed efforts to reduce healthcare costs and eliminate medical debt while she supports AI data centers she is heavily invested in that can worsen the health of our local families if they are built near our community.
SOURCES: KATV, “California City Bans COVID-19 Mandates: ‘It’s Freedom Around Here,’” September 7, 2023; Daily Pilot, “Huntington Beach Proclaims Itself a ‘No Mask and No Vaccine Mandate City,’ October 4, 2023; Facebook, “Gracey Van Der Mark for State Assembly,” July 7, 2026; Instagram, “@graceyforoc,” October 24, 2024; Ballotpedia, “California Proposition 35,” 2024; California Hospital Association, “Critical MCO Tax Funding That Supports Medicaid Is Longstanding, Legal, and Vetted by Federal Regulators,” March 2025; California Fair Political Practices Commission, “Statement of Economic Interests: 2026 Candidate,” Filed May 26, 2026; Yahoo! Finance, “Bit Digital Inc.,” “Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc.,” “Draganfly Inc.,” “Nvidia,” “Palantir,” Accessed August 19, 2026; Simply Wall Street, “Intel (INTC) Pushes Deeper Into AI Data Centers With Co Packaged Optics,” August 18, 2026; Granite Shares, “PTIR,” Accessed August 19, 2026; LinkedIn, “Serv Robotics,” Accessed August 19, 2026; LinkedIn, “SuperMicro,” Accessed August 19, 2026.
extreme views that are dangerous for women and their rights
Van Der Mark’s campaign is backed by radical groups that want to completely ban abortion, with no exceptions even for victims of rape and incest. She even went on an extremist talk show to attack sexual assault victims – minimizing their trauma just to score political points
SOURCES: California Pro Life Council, “Policy Statements,” Accessed August 24, 2026; California Pro Life Council, “2026 Primary Recommendations CA Primary ProLife Recommendations,” Accessed August 24, 2026; Facebook, “Pride at the Pier,” November 3, 2024)
Paid for by Chris Kluwe for Assembly 2026