Matt Gunderson is running for the California State Senate in District 36.
Originally from Wisconsin and the 7th of 8 kids, something in Matt’s DNA always told him public service is a virtue. Public officials should work for the people, not the other way around. Matt now hopes to take his voice to Sacramento and change the ‘business as usual’ approach that is driving middle-class people to leave our state.
Twenty-one years ago, Matt moved to Orange County, bringing his business sense with him. In 2000 he started a new auto dealership, Infiniti of Mission Viejo. He then built two additional dealerships from scratch: Audi of Mission Viejo and Volvo Cars Mission Viejo. The three businesses created over 185 good-paying local jobs. Gunderson’s strong business skills and professional integrity earned him appointments to the Audi National Dealer Advisory Board and the Infiniti Dealer Council, where he served as Council Chairman for three years. After recently selling his dealerships, Matt realized he had a choice – sit back and complain or run for office to try to improve the state. He picked running for office. He knows that with liberals in control it won’t be easy, but everyday people need to start fighting back, offering alternatives, and criticizing Sacramento’s head-shaking failures. We win when we talk about California’s unaffordability and outrageous taxes. We win when we talk about regulations that are causing businesses and jobs to relocate. We win when we talk about the absolute failure of Sacramento to address homelessness caused by drug addiction and mental illness. We win when we offer solutions to California’s failing schools.
Matt is currently closing out 10 years on the Mission Hospital Foundation Board, where he served as Chairman and where he led one of its most recent capitol fundraising campaigns. He also serves as the Chairman of the Mission Hospital’s Emergency and Trauma Task Force. Previously, Matt served on the Saddleback College Foundation Board, was Chair of the Orange County Auto Dealers Association, and spent several years as a volunteer AYSO Extra soccer coach. Gunderson graduated with a BA in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago. He and Margo, his wife of 22 years, have four daughters: Annalee, Meg, Caroline, and Elsa. Active in the community, the family attends Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Mission Viejo and supports a variety of neighborhood organizations. Some of Matt’s priorities are addressing high taxes, supporting school choice, transparency, homelessness, and rolling back regulations.
For more information visit his website https://gowithgunderson.com/
