Palmdale Deputy Announces Bid for LA County Sheriff

With the June election 15 months away, Lt. Oscar Martinez announced his bid to lead the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department – – the third largest law enforcement agency in the nation — with other potential candidates to follow and challenge incumbent Robert Luna, officials confirmed Thursday.

Martinez, a 16-year deputy of the sheriff’s department currently assigned to the Palmdale Station, said Wednesday that he will focus on “real leadership.” He aims to defend and support deputies, modernize the department and demand fiscal responsibility.

“I’m putting my career and everything that I’ve worked for on the line, not for personal gain, but for my partners in law enforcement, as well as the future of public safety in our communities,” Martinez said.

Martinez is set to challenge Sheriff Robert Luna, who was elected in 2022 by county voters. Luna previously told the Los Angeles Times that he plans to run for reelection.

Luna defeated then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva, marking just the second time that a sheriff lost a bid for reelection. In 2018, Villanueva accomplished just that after voters elected him over then-Sheriff Jim McDonnell.

Martinez acknowledged that the challenge will “be hard,” and he sees it as an opportunity to continue serving his community and country.

Martinez, 44, a former Marine, served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He currently lives in Santa Clarita with his family.

Luna spent 36 years with the Long Beach Police Department, and previously served as its police chief for seven years.

According to the Los Angeles Registrar Recorder/County Clerk’s Office, the L.A. County Sheriff contest will be on the ballot in the June 2, 2026, election. The candidate nomination filing period will not begin until February 2026.

The next disclosure deadline for potential candidates currently fundraising is July 31, a spokesman for the registrar added.