U.S. House of Representatives
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives run for election every two years, putting all 52 California seats on the 2026 primary ballot. Democrats hope to leverage voter discontent with President Donald Trump and oust Republicans from control of the chamber. The road to a majority could run through California, where congressional districts were redrawn under Prop. 50. Five seats currently in Republican hands could flip to Democrats. Contests in Central Valley and San Diego County are on national watchlists of closest races in the country. Here are the contests CalMatters is watching in the primary.
District 3
Partisan Lean: Safe Democratic
Voter Registration: Democratic 39%, Republican 32%, no party preference 21%
This previously Republican Northern California district held by incumbent Rep. Kevin Kiley encompasses Lake Tahoe, Eldorado National Forest and Tahoe National Forest. It was redrawn under Prop. 50 to pull in more Democratic areas east of Sacramento along Highway 50 (Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Carmichael) and drop solidly red suburbs such as Roseville and Rocklin.
CD6 incumbent Democratic Rep. Ami Bera announced soon after the maps passed that he would run in this district instead. Bera, a relatively moderate member of the House Democratic caucus. He faces first-time candidate Chris Bennett, an Army veteran who originally launched his campaign against Bera in CD6; and Nevada County Supervisor Heidi Hall, a progressive Democrat who launched her campaign in April 2025 intending to challenge Kiley in his pre-Prop. 50 district. No candidate secured enough support to win the Democratic Party’s endorsement.
Candidates
Chris Bennett
Key Endorsements
Ami Bera
Key Endorsements
Christine Bish
Lyndon “Pacey” Cervantes
Heidi Hall
Key Endorsements
Laura Koscki
Chris Richardson
Robb Tucker
Fundraising
District 4
Partisan Lean: Safe Democratic
Voter Registration: Democratic 42%, Republican 30%, no party preference 20%
This Northern California wine country district includes Napa and Sonoma valleys as well as Sacramento suburbs like Davis. It was redrawn under Prop. 50 to include more rural and conservative areas in Yolo and Yuba counties.
Incumbent Rep. Mike Thompson, a moderate Democrat and an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, is seeking his 15th term in Congress. Nearly 50% of the district is new territory after Prop. 50 redrew it to include much more rural and traditionally conservative parts of Colusa, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter and Yuba Counties. Thompson faces his most serious challenge in recent years from former venture capitalist Eric Jones, who now leads a multimillion-dollar organization helping Democrats mobilize young voters
Candidates
Sharon Brown
Mandy Ghusar
Eric Jones
John Mackenzie
Ray Riehle
Thomas M Roach
Mike Thompson
Key Endorsements
Chuck Uribe
Fundraising
District 6
Partisan Lean: Safe Democratic
Voter Registration: Democratic 39%, Republican 31%, no party preference 22%
This Sacramento-based district stretches beyond the capital city to incorporate northeastern suburbs along Interstate 80, including conservative-leaning Roseville, Rocklin and Citrus Heights.
Following the passage of Prop. 50, and after months of deliberation, CD3 incumbent Rep. Kevin Kiley left the Republican Party and switched to run as an independent in CD6. Several Democrats are also vying for this seat since incumbent Democratic Rep. Ami Bera is running in the neighboring CD3. Former state Sen. Richard Pan, a family physician, is the best known. He faces Planned Parenthood executive Lauren Babb Tomlinson, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, military veteran Tyler Vandenberg and West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero. The California Democratic Party did not make an endorsement.
Candidates
Martha Guerrero
Key Endorsements
Thien Ho
Key Endorsements
Kevin Kiley
Richard Pan
Key Endorsements
Michael Stansfield
Lauren Babb Tomlinson
Key Endorsements
Tyler Vandenberg
Fundraising
District 7
Partisan Lean: Safe Democratic
Voter Registration: Democratic 42%, Republican 29%, no party preference 21%
This district runs from the Central Valley through Elk Grove, part of Sacramento and up to El Dorado Hills. Formerly an even safer blue district that included much of the City of Sacramento and its southern suburbs, the seat was redrawn with Prop. 50 to incorporate more conservative areas in the valley and up toward Placerville.
Ten-term Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui, 81, faces her first formidable primary challenger in Mai Vang, 40, a progressive Sacramento city councilmember. Vang has campaigned on the need to upend the status quo in Congress and prioritize affordability for working families. Matsui is best known for securing billions of federal dollars for Sacramento-area flood and wildfire prevention projects, including levee repairs.
Candidates
Doris Matsui
Key Endorsements
- California Democratic Party
- California Labor Federation
- Planned Parenthood California
Robby Morin
Enayat Nazhat
Ralph Nwobi
Mai Vang
Key Endorsements
Zachariah Wooden
Fundraising
District 11
Partisan Lean: Safe Democratic
Voter Registration: Democratic 64%, Republican 7%, no party preference 24%
This San Francisco County district encompasses most of the city and is currently represented by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who is retiring after 39 years.
With Pelosi’s announcement that she will retire, San Francisco politicos raced to jump into this reliably Democratic seat. Four main Democrats are in contention: State Sen. Scott Wiener, who is known for advancing pro-housing legislation and LGBTQ rights, easily won the party’s endorsement. He faces former Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez staffer Saikat Chakrabarti, who is bankrolling much of his own campaign, progressive San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan and moderate former Republican Marie Hurabiell, best known for spearheading the recall of the city’s former district attorney.
Candidates
John “Gus” Buffler
Saikat Chakrabarti
Key Endorsements
Connie Chan
Key Endorsements
Nathan Deer
Keith Freedman
David Ganezer
Omed Hamid
Gregory M Haynes
Marie Hurabiell
Key Endorsements
Scott Wiener
Key Endorsements
Jingchao Xiong
Fundraising
District 14
Partisan Lean: Safe Democratic
Voter Registration: Democratic 50%, Republican 17%, no party preference 27%
This seat in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area includes Hayward, Fremont and Livermore. It’s open after incumbent Rep. Eric Swalwell opted to run for California governor. (Swalwell subsequently suspended his campaign amid allegations of sexual assault.)
State Sen. Aisha Wahab, a progressive known for being unafraid to take big swings on bills to strengthen renter and worker protections, easily won the state party’s endorsement. She faces BART Board President Melissa Hernandez, San Leandro Councilmember Victor Aguilar, Jr. and Democratic digital strategist Matt Ortega in this seat vacated by former Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Candidates
Victor Aguilar, Jr.
Suzanne Chenault
Carin Elam
Wendy Huang
Dena Maldonado
Matt Ortega
Key Endorsements
Rakhi Israni Singh
Aisha Wahab
Key Endorsements
Fundraising
District 22
Partisan Lean: Competitive
Voter Registration: Democratic 42%, Republican 26%, no party preference 24%
This Central Valley district incorporates parts of Kings, Tulare, Fresno and Kern Counties. With the passage of Prop. 50, a small portion of Fresno is now included, along with the eastern side of Bakersfield.
Democrats are trying again to unseat incumbent Rep. David Valadao, a moderate and the last remaining Republican who voted in favor of President Donald Trump’s second impeachment. Moderate state Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains was heavily recruited by Democratic Party insiders to take on Valadao, but she faces a strong challenge from progressive Visalia School Board member and college professor Randy Villegas.
Candidates
Jasmeet Bains
Key Endorsements
Randy Villegas
Key Endorsements
Fundraising
District 48
Partisan Lean: Leans Democratic
Voter Registration: Democratic 37%, Republican 33%, no party preference 22%
Democrats are targeting this San Diego-area seat currently held by Republican Rep. Darrell Issa. It covers most of East and North County San Diego and parts of Riverside County, including Palm Springs. Its voter makeup shifted from deep red to slightly blue under Prop. 50.
After Republican Rep. Darrell Issa announced his retirement on the eve of the deadline to file for the ballot, San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond quickly changed districts and instantly became the Republican favorite in the race. Two main Democrats are vying to challenge him: San Diego Councilmember Marni von Wilpert and former Obama official Ammar Campa-Najjar, who are both trading barbs in their quest to challenge Desmond, who is expected to advance.
