Where do California’s congressional races stand? Ballots still being counted
California voters offered an early glimpse of the state’s political future during Tuesday night’s primary election, advancing familiar incumbents, elevating new contenders and setting up high-stakes battles in competitive House districts.
While some races have become clearer in the days since, several key contests remain too close to call. Several counties are expected to drop a new batch of results on Friday, and election officials have until July 10 to certify the primary.
In California, the two highest vote-getters advance to the November general election regardless of party affiliation. This was the first election since Proposition 50, a voter approved redistricting initiative intended to oust some House Republicans
Here’s where things stand in some of the Sacramento region and Central Valley’s most closely watched congressional races.
1st District
Northern California voters decisively chose to send Republican Assemblymember James Gallagher to Washington, D.C., to finish the term of former U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, who died earlier this year. The term ends in January.
The future representative of the district will be decided in November. Gallagher and Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, both advanced to the general election, according to The Associated Press. As of Thursday, Gallagher had secured about 47% of the votes and McGuire had 37%.
The post-Proposition 50 version of the district is expected to favor McGuire by encompassing his left-leaning political stronghold of Santa Rosa and parts of Sonoma County.
3rd District
U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove, and Republican Nevada County Supervisor Robb Tucker are projected for a November showdown in the 3rd District. Tucker secured 34% of the vote while Bera had 33% as of Thursday.
Under the new map, the district is more Democrat-friendly and includes parts of Sacramento, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Auburn, Truckee and South Lake Tahoe.
4th District
Incumbent Rep. Mike Thompson, a Democrat, has moved on to the general election.
What remains unknown is who will be his challenger. Republican Ray Riehle and Democrat Eric Jones are in a tight race for the second spot on the November ballot with about 24% and 21% of the vote, respectively.
The district is a Democrat-friendly seat and now stretches from the Napa Valley through Yolo County and into the Sacramento Valley.
6th District
One of the biggest of the surprises of Tuesday night was in the 6th District with the newly Independent Rep. Kevin Kiley and Michael Stansfield, a little-known Republican candidate, leading.
Kiley is all but certain to advance, but Stansfield could lose his second place standing to former Democratic Sen. Richard Pan as more votes are counted.
Stansfield had about 22% of the votes, while Pan was right behind with 21% as of Thursday.
The 6th District, which spans Rocklin in the north to West Sacramento in the south, is supposed to be an easy pickup for Democrats. No Democrat in the general election would be embarrassing for the party.
7th District
It is still unclear if Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, and Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang will continue their bitter campaign into November.
Matsui is likely to be in the general election, but Vang is currently in a close contest with Zachariah Wooden, a Republican college student.
Wooden had 24.7% of the votes, just more than Vang’s 24.5% as of Thursday.
The 7th District is a safe seat for Democrats and stretches from El Dorado Hills and Placerville to the north to Lodi and Linden to the south. Much of Sacramento’s downtown core is in the district.
9th District
Harder will be a heavy favorite in the newly drawn 9th District that is now considered solidly Democratic, per the Cook Political Report, which provides independent, nonpartisan election analysis. The district encompasses the northern San Joaquin Valley and extends into the East Bay.
Harder had nearly 58% of the vote compared to McBride’s 24% as of Thursday.
13th District
Democratic U.S. Rep. Adam Gray and Kevin Lincoln, the Republican former mayor of Stockton, advanced to the November general election in the 13th District. As of Thursday, Gray led the race with about 41% of the votes while Lincoln had secured roughly 29%.
The 13th District became more blue following Prop. 50. Gray won the seat in 2024 by just 187 votes and it has been historically a battleground race in California.
The redrawn map continues to include areas in Patterson, Modesto, Turlock, Atwater, Merced, Madera, Los Banos and Firebaugh. The biggest change is that the boundaries now go farther north to include French Camp and Stockton, which is Lincoln’s hometown.
22nd District
Eyes around the country remain on the 22nd District, a seat that could determine which party controls the House.
Progressive Democrat Randy Villegas has a slim lead over Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains for the second spot on the November ballot. The two Democrats have spent months battling for the chance to challenge Republican Rep. David Valadao, who already secured his spot in the general election.
As of Wednesday, Villegas had 29.8% of the votes compared to 25.7% for Bains.
The 22nd District is one of five House seats the Democrat party hoped to flip following Prop 50. The new map slightly increased the district’s already Democratic registration advantage while shifting its boundaries northward to include communities such as Huron, Riverdale, Caruthers, Kerman and San Joaquin.
Even so, Valadao has repeatedly defied the odds by winning six of the last seven elections.
This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Where do California’s congressional races stand? Ballots still being counted."
