April A. Verlato, a Republican and Arcadia mayor, is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in California's 28th Congressional District. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
Verlato is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. The other candidate in the race is Judy Chu (Democratic).
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Residence: Arcadia, California (born and raised), according to her campaign website
- Education: High school diploma, Arcadia High School; bachelor's degree in political science, University of California Los Angeles; law degree, Southwestern Law School (according to BallotReady)
- Profession: Attorney at the Law Office of April A. Verlato since 2000 (according to BallotReady). Verlato said on her campaign website that she took over her father's law practice, specializing in personal injury, estate planning, probate and trust litigation.
Experience and public service
Verlato has served as an Arcadia City Council member since 2016 and as mayor since 2019, according to BallotReady. She also serves as vice president of the executive board at the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, according to her campaign website.
Verlato said on her campaign website that under her leadership as mayor, Arcadia achieved a $9 million budget surplus and addressed the city's unfunded pension liability.
Her campaign said she was the first mayor to challenge Rep. Judy Chu for the congressional seat in the 28th District. Her campaign also said her candidacy is endorsed by more than 30 Republican and Democrat elected officials. The California GOP, Los Angeles County GOP, San Bernardino County GOP and California Republican Assembly have endorsed her, according to BallotReady.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Verlato's responses on BallotReady and her campaign website. They reflect the candidate's own statements.
Economy: Verlato said she would fight in Congress to create conditions that bring good-paying jobs and economic vitality back to California.
Immigration and border security: Verlato said border security is the government's duty, citing threats including illegal drug trafficking and terrorism. She said she supports stronger border security measures and law enforcement.
Veterans and defense: Verlato said she wants to establish more veteran clinics and a major medical center in the San Gabriel Valley. She said she supports enhancing military strength and ensuring energy independence.
Taxes and budget: Verlato said she supports a measured approach to the national debt. She said she is a proponent of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and advocates revitalizing Proposition 13's provisions, supporting tax policies she said would stimulate economic independence for Californians.
Endorsements
April Verlato reports endorsements from political figures, taxpayer advocates, law enforcement organizations and local community leaders. Her list names Michelle Steel, Don Bacon, Grover Norquist, Michael Antonovich, Steve Cooley, Mike Hestrin and Alex Villanueva. Organizational supporters she identifies include the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association; the Monterey Park, San Gabriel, El Monte and Alhambra police officers associations; and the California, Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County Republican parties.
Verlato also lists numerous current and former municipal leaders across the San Gabriel Valley and nearby communities, along with school board members from Arcadia, Rosemead and Alhambra. These endorsements are self-reported by her campaign. Some accompanying titles reflect past service: Steel is a former U.S. representative, Cooley a former Los Angeles County district attorney, and Villanueva a former Los Angeles County sheriff.
Candidate responses were collected through BallotReady's questionnaire process and the candidate's campaign website.
