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Portrait of Josh Lowenthal

Josh Lowenthal

Democratic

State Assembly · Assembly District 69

In office
2022–present
BiographyReporting (Tier 3) · reviewed

Josh Lowenthal was born in Long Beach and now represents the 69th District, based in Long Beach and Signal Hill. Before seeking a seat in the California State Assembly, he worked as a teacher, owned restaurants and a conference calling company, did community work and considered running for a school board. He is also the son of two politicians, Alan Lowenthal and Bonnie Lowenthal. His 2018 Assembly campaign ended in defeat; his 2022 run, four years later and in a newly drawn district, put him in office. Lowenthal is a businessman and second-generation politician whose route to the Assembly included both private enterprise and a loss at the polls.

ROOTS

Joshua Alder Lowenthal was born in Long Beach on February 15, 1970. He is Jewish. He attended Cornell University, where he served as student body president, and later attended the University of California, San Diego.

Both Alan and Bonnie Lowenthal were politicians. Josh Lowenthal worked as a teacher and businessman before becoming a politician like his parents. He also did community work.

Before becoming an Assembly candidate, he had worked as a teacher and businessman and done community work while considering a school-board run. His successful 2022 Assembly campaign followed his failed run for the same body in 2018.

THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB

Lowenthal worked as a teacher and business owner before entering politics. His businesses included restaurants and a conference calling company, giving him experience in two different kinds of enterprise: one rooted in physical establishments, the other in communications.

He also engaged in community work and considered running for a school board before running for the California State Assembly in 2018.

His pre-Assembly record included work as a teacher and businessman, community work and campaigns for the Assembly in 2018 and 2022.

THE PATH TO OFFICE

Lowenthal first ran for the Assembly in 2018, when the 72nd District seat opened after incumbent Assemblymember Travis Allen chose to run for governor. Lowenthal was the sole Democratic candidate and faced Republican Tyler Diep in the general election.

The campaign included accusations that Diep had used anti-Semitic imagery against Lowenthal. Diep’s campaign denied manipulating images to depict Lowenthal as stereotypically Jewish. Diep later apologized about the campaign mailers. Lowenthal lost the election by 8 points.

Four years later, he tried again under different district lines. In 2022, incumbent Patrick O’Donnell announced his retirement, and Lowenthal ran in the newly redrawn 69th District. Lowenthal placed first and faced Long Beach Councilman Al Austin. He defeated Austin in the general election.

In 2018, Lowenthal lost the contest for a seat opened by Allen’s gubernatorial run. In 2022, he won following O’Donnell’s retirement, defeating a Long Beach councilman.

WHAT TO KNOW

Lowenthal’s documented record describes his path to office but does not identify a policy signature. It contains no legislation, committee assignments, appointments, budget votes or stated policy agenda from which to name the issue for which he is most known in office. Nor does it establish a particular labor, business, neighborhood or advocacy constituency as the principal beneficiary of his Assembly work.

The available particulars are narrower: teaching, ownership of restaurants and a conference calling company, community work, consideration of a school-board race and two campaigns for the Legislature. Those particulars describe his work and activity before office, but they do not support a claim that he has made any one of them his governing priority.

The defensible bottom line is therefore electoral rather than legislative: he returned after losing in 2018 and won the 69th District in 2022. The documented particulars do not establish whose interests he has served through his work in the Assembly.

Record of service
  • State Assembly · Assembly District 69 · 2022–present
BiographyReporting (Tier 3) · reviewed before publication

Josh Lowenthal was born in Long Beach and now represents the 69th District, based in Long Beach and Signal Hill. Before seeking a seat in the California State Assembly, he worked as a teacher, owned restaurants and a conference calling company, did community work and considered running for a school board. He is also the son of two politicians, Alan Lowenthal and Bonnie Lowenthal. His 2018 Assembly campaign ended in defeat; his 2022 run, four years later and in a newly drawn district, put him in office. Lowenthal is a businessman and second-generation politician whose route to the Assembly included both private enterprise and a loss at the polls.

ROOTS

Joshua Alder Lowenthal was born in Long Beach on February 15, 1970. He is Jewish. He attended Cornell University, where he served as student body president, and later attended the University of California, San Diego.

Both Alan and Bonnie Lowenthal were politicians. Josh Lowenthal worked as a teacher and businessman before becoming a politician like his parents. He also did community work.

Before becoming an Assembly candidate, he had worked as a teacher and businessman and done community work while considering a school-board run. His successful 2022 Assembly campaign followed his failed run for the same body in 2018.

THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB

Lowenthal worked as a teacher and business owner before entering politics. His businesses included restaurants and a conference calling company, giving him experience in two different kinds of enterprise: one rooted in physical establishments, the other in communications.

He also engaged in community work and considered running for a school board before running for the California State Assembly in 2018.

His pre-Assembly record included work as a teacher and businessman, community work and campaigns for the Assembly in 2018 and 2022.

THE PATH TO OFFICE

Lowenthal first ran for the Assembly in 2018, when the 72nd District seat opened after incumbent Assemblymember Travis Allen chose to run for governor. Lowenthal was the sole Democratic candidate and faced Republican Tyler Diep in the general election.

The campaign included accusations that Diep had used anti-Semitic imagery against Lowenthal. Diep’s campaign denied manipulating images to depict Lowenthal as stereotypically Jewish. Diep later apologized about the campaign mailers. Lowenthal lost the election by 8 points.

Four years later, he tried again under different district lines. In 2022, incumbent Patrick O’Donnell announced his retirement, and Lowenthal ran in the newly redrawn 69th District. Lowenthal placed first and faced Long Beach Councilman Al Austin. He defeated Austin in the general election.

In 2018, Lowenthal lost the contest for a seat opened by Allen’s gubernatorial run. In 2022, he won following O’Donnell’s retirement, defeating a Long Beach councilman.

WHAT TO KNOW

Lowenthal’s documented record describes his path to office but does not identify a policy signature. It contains no legislation, committee assignments, appointments, budget votes or stated policy agenda from which to name the issue for which he is most known in office. Nor does it establish a particular labor, business, neighborhood or advocacy constituency as the principal beneficiary of his Assembly work.

The available particulars are narrower: teaching, ownership of restaurants and a conference calling company, community work, consideration of a school-board race and two campaigns for the Legislature. Those particulars describe his work and activity before office, but they do not support a claim that he has made any one of them his governing priority.

The defensible bottom line is therefore electoral rather than legislative: he returned after losing in 2018 and won the 69th District in 2022. The documented particulars do not establish whose interests he has served through his work in the Assembly.

The record

4,538 events, each with its source
Cosponsored
Cosponsored SB 951

Employment: technological displacement: notice.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored SB 934

Sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored SB 936

Nitrous oxide: sales.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored AJR 25

Health care coverage: enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 292

AB 292 Patterson Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 375

AB 375 Nguyen Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 442

AB 442 Hadwick Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 464

AB 464 Aguiar-Curry Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 501

AB 501 Papan Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 634

AB 634 Jeff Gonzalez Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 683

AB 683 Davies Consent Calendar Second Day

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 713

AB 713 Solache Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 739

AB 739 Jackson Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 762

AB 762 Irwin Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 763

AB 763 Ward Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 910

AB 910 Bonta Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 939

AB 939 Schultz Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1049

AB 1049 Celeste Rodriguez Assembly Third Reading By JACKSON

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1080

AB 1080 Bryan Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1126

AB 1126 Patterson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1153

AB 1153 Bonta Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1165

AB 1165 Gipson Assembly Third Reading By WICKS

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1171

AB 1171 Patel Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1198

AB 1198 Haney Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1235

AB 1235 Rogers Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1245

AB 1245 Stefani Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1278

AB 1278 Harabedian Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1382

AB 1382 Castillo Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1383

AB 1383 McKinnor Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1406

AB 1406 Ward Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1421

AB 1421 Wilson Assembly Third Reading Amend By DEMAIO Set #1 Motion to Lay on the Table By AGUIAR-CURRY

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1421

AB 1421 Wilson Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1439

AB 1439 Garcia Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1485

AB 1485 Macedo Concurrence in Senate Amendments

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 1486

AB 1486 Soria Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on SCR 106

SCR 106 Choi Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session

Cosponsored
Cosponsored ACR 129

Lagos State, Nigeria: sister state relationship.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored AB 1640

California Restaurant Reservation AntiPiracy Act.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored AB 1644

Pupils: use of smartphones: prohibition: report.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored AR 79

Relative to Unclaimed Property Month.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored AR 80

Relative to the Lunar New Year.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored ACR 127

National School Counseling Week.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored ACR 128

Day of Solidarity with Ukraine.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored AR 78

Relative to boat people awareness.

Cosponsored
Cosponsored AR 77

Relative to school governance.

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 34

AB 34 Patterson Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 35

AB 35 Alvarez Third Reading Urgency

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 52

AB 52 Aguiar-Curry Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 72

AB 72 Jackson Assembly Third Reading

VoteYea
Voted Yea on AB 96

AB 96 Jackson Assembly Third Reading