Opposition Lawmaker’s Gubernatorial Bid Faces Legal Challenge Over Residency Claims

A longtime critic of the country’s leader is facing legal challenges to his gubernatorial campaign after a conservative activist filed a petition claiming the lawmaker may be constitutionally prohibited from seeking the state’s highest office due to alleged residency issues.

“Public records searches reveal no current ownership or leasehold interest held by [the lawmaker] in the western coastal state, nor any history of any ownership of leasehold interest based on available public records,” according to a petition filed January 8 by filmmaker and activist Joel Gilbert, as reported by local media.

The petition further states that “the lawmaker’s congressional financial disclosures from 2011 to 2024 list no real estate ownership” in the state in question.

The opposition party member’s gubernatorial campaign has reportedly dismissed the petition as a “nonsense claim” that the team looks forward to “beating” in court.

The lawmaker has served as a regional representative since 2013, and announced his candidacy to succeed the current governor when his second term ends in January 2027. The gubernatorial race is already crowded with at least 10 candidates reportedly slated to be on the ballot in the nonpartisan primary in June.

Observers note that the candidate is viewed as a front-runner as the race gets underway.

The court filing alleges that the congressman listed the address for his attorney’s office on campaign filings rather than a residential address. The address listed in the court filing reportedly shows an office building in the state capital.

State law requires the governor to be a resident of the region for five years prior to his or her election, according to the filing, which outlines the state constitution’s residential requirements for governors.

When approached for comment, a campaign consultant for the lawmaker said he has always resided in the state throughout his political career and that his attorney’s address was listed on campaign filings due to death threats he has received.

“Since joining the legislature, [the lawmaker] has always had a residence in the bay area. He has always had a state driver’s license, paid local taxes, and starts his mornings with local establishments,” a campaign consultant reportedly told media outlets. “This nonsense claim comes from a political blogger. We look forward to beating him in court.”

“Because of the thousands of death threats the lawmaker has received, it is perfectly legal to list a campaign office as the address for his legal filings,” the consultant added.

Gilbert’s petition calls on the state’s secretary of state to “fulfill her constitutional duty” and disqualify the candidate from the race.

“The criteria for running for governor according to the state constitution is a candidate must be resident of the state for 5 years prior to the election,” Gilbert reportedly said. “The candidate’s response that he has a state driver’s license or pays local taxes or went to a local establishment is irrelevant and a smoke screen.”

The filmmaker added that the campaign’s response was “absurd” as it related to “beating” him in court, noting that the candidate is not being sued, and instead the filing calls on the state’s election official to respond.

In a development that has added complexity to the situation, the nation’s Justice Department reportedly opened a probe in November 2025 into the lawmaker’s past mortgages, specifically investigating allegations that millions of dollars in loans and refinancing were based on declarations that his primary residence was in the capital.

The lawmaker, along with other opposition party members, has reportedly been referred to federal authorities over allegations of mortgage fraud since the current administration took office.

Following the Justice Department’s probe announcement, the candidate filed a lawsuit against a federal housing official who referred him for criminal review, alleging abuse of position to obtain mortgage records of numerous opposition party members.

“Either he’s guilty of mortgage fraud in the capital, or he’s ineligible to run for governor,” Gilbert reportedly told media outlets. “He can’t have it both ways.”

The dispute between the lawmaker and the country’s leader dates to the previous administration, when the representative emerged as one of the head of state’s most vocal legislative critics and served as an impeachment manager, cementing a long-running political rivalry that continues to shape the nation’s political landscape.