California: who should earn your vote for Congress in 2026

Opinion · The paper’s scorecard

California: every race for Congress on the 3 November 2026 ballot, and how the candidates measure up against our standards.

Sitting and former members are scored on the same key votes, read from the official House and Senate roll calls; each vote links to the record. Candidates who have never served in Congress have no votes to score, and outside the battlegrounds we have not researched them, so they are marked as not scored. Where only one candidate could be measured, the mark rates that record on its own; it is not a verdict on the opponent. How the marks work · All states

District 1 D+7

No mark

James Gallagher

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 2 key votes · total -2

?Smaller government
?Small business over giants
?Live and let live
?Light touch on tech
?Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
?Checks on power
?Right to bear arms
?Hard on violent crime

Against us (2)

Voted for a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source
Voted against the September 2026 resolution directing U.S. forces out of hostilities with Iran. Source

Mike McGuire

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 2 D+13

No mark

Jared Huffman

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 27 key votes · total -2

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✗Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (11)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the amendment requiring a warrant to search Americans' communications under FISA Section 702 (it failed 212-212). Source

Against us (16)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Robin Littau

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 3 D+6

No mark

Ami Bera

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 27 key votes · total -3

✗Smaller government
✗Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (8)

Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source
Voted against a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source

Against us (19)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Robb Tucker

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 4 D+8

No mark

Eric Jones

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Mike Thompson

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 27 key votes · total -2

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (10)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source

Against us (17)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

District 5 R+10

✓ Meets our standards: Tom McClintock

Michael Masuda

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Meets our standards

Tom McClintock

Republican · incumbent

Scored on 27 key votes · total +4

✓Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✗Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
~Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (19)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (8)

Voted against the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source

District 6 D+5

✓ Meets our standards: Kevin Kiley

Meets our standards

Kevin Kiley

Independent · incumbent

Scored on 21 key votes · total +3

✓Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✗Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
✓Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (14)

Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted for the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Against us (7)

Voted for the 2024 law forcing TikTok's sale or ban. Source
Voted for the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source
Voted for reauthorizing FISA Section 702 without a warrant requirement. Source

Richard Pan

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 7 D+7

No mark

Doris Matsui

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 27 key votes · total -2

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✗Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (11)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the amendment requiring a warrant to search Americans' communications under FISA Section 702 (it failed 212-212). Source

Against us (16)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Mai Vang

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 8 D+19

No mark

John Garamendi

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 25 key votes · total -2

✗Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✗Light touch on tech
~Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (8)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted against the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source

Against us (17)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Rudy Recile

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 9 D+8

No mark

Josh Harder

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 26 key votes · total +0

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
✗Free speech
✗No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (11)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source

Against us (15)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

John McBride

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 10 D+18

No mark

Mark DeSaulnier

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 27 key votes · total -1

✗Smaller government
~Small business over giants
✓Live and let live
✗Light touch on tech
~Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
~Checks on power
✗Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (12)

Voted for the 2022 antitrust package funding merger enforcement with fees on the largest deals. Source
Voted for the Respect for Marriage Act. Source
Voted against the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which civil-liberties groups opposed as a limit on campus speech. Source

Against us (15)

Voted against the Limit, Save, Grow Act tying the 2023 debt-limit increase to spending cuts. Source
Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source

Jeff Frese

Republican

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 11 D+36

No mark

Nancy Pelosi (D): incumbent retiring.

Connie Chan

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Scott Wiener

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

District 12 D+39

Leans our way: Lateefah Simon

Jamie Joyce

Democrat

No congressional voting record; not scored

Leans our way

Lateefah Simon

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 11 key votes · total +1

✗Smaller government
✗Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
?Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
✓Checks on power
?Right to bear arms
✗Hard on violent crime

With us (6)

Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source
Voted against a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source
Voted for ending the emergency behind the tariffs on Canada. Source

Against us (5)

Voted against the 2025 package cancelling about $9 billion in approved spending. Source
Voted against a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution. Source
Voted against the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source

District 13 D+2

✓ Meets our standards: Adam Gray

Meets our standards

Adam Gray

Democrat · incumbent

Scored on 9 key votes · total +4

✗Smaller government
✓Small business over giants
?Live and let live
✓Light touch on tech
?Free speech
✓No surveillance state
✓Home first, open trade
?Checks on power
?Right to bear arms
✓Hard on violent crime

With us (7)

Voted for the Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act. Source
Voted for the CLARITY Act, a light-touch rulebook for digital assets. Source
Voted against a further clean extension of FISA surveillance authorities in 2026. Source