Dante Acosta

Acosta was born January 1, 1963 the son of Hollywood actor Rodolfo Acosta and Clidine Roper.^[3] He earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.^[4] He previously worked as a car salesman and financial advisor.^[5][6]

Acosta was elected to the Santa Clarita City Council in 2014. He then ran as a Republican to represent California's 38th State Assembly district, encompassing Simi Valley, far northern San Fernando Valley, and most of the Santa Clarita Valley. Acosta won election to the State Assembly in November 2016.

In 2018, Acosta was defeated for re-election in a rematch with his 2016 opponent, Democrat Christy Smith. In December 2018, shortly after losing the election, he was nominated and appointed to serve a four-year term on the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency Board of Directors.^[7] Two days after his nomination, Acosta opened a campaign committee for the 2020 election.^[8] Six months later, in August 2019, Acosta resigned from the Water Board stating he was moving to El Paso, Texas to be a district director in the U.S. Small Business Administration.^[9]

Acosta is married to Carolyn with whom he has two children.^[6] Their eldest son was a US Army combat medic who was killed in Afghanistan in 2011.^[6]