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California's 40th Congressional District election, 2026
← 2024
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California's 40th Congressional District |
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General election |
Election details |
Filing deadline: March 6, 2026 |
Primary: June 2, 2026 General: November 3, 2026 |
How to vote |
Poll times:
7 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
Race ratings |
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Lean Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican |
Ballotpedia analysis |
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026 |
See also |
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All U.S. House districts, including the 40th Congressional District of California, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.
Candidates and election results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House California District 40
The following candidates are running in the general election for U.S. House California District 40 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
Young Kim (R) | ||
![]() | Christina Gagnier (D) | |
![]() | Joe Kerr (D) | |
![]() | Nina Linh (D) | |
![]() | Perry Meade (D) | |
Lisa Ramirez (D) | ||
![]() | Paula Swift (D) ![]() | |
![]() | Esther Kim Varet (D) | |
Maricar Payad (American Independent Party) | ||
Christian Ahmed (No party preference) |
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Christian Mendez (D)
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Dr. Paula Swift is a dedicated public servant and a proud wife and mother who has experienced firsthand both the promise and the pitfalls of the American Dream. Now, she is running for Congress in California’s 40th District to be a true representative for the people—someone who listens, understands, and takes action to create a better future for all. Raised with a value system based on hard work, faith, and service, Paula, a native Californian, put herself through school while raising a family. These academic achievements aren’t just credentials—they are the tools she uses daily to solve complex problems, build coalitions, and inspire others to lead with vision and compassion. Paula’s professional career spans two decades across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. As CEO of her consulting firm, she has worked with government agencies, educational institutions, small businesses, and corporate leaders to drive meaningful, measurable change. Her experience has taught her how systems work—and how to fix them when they don’t serve the people they were created for."
Voting information
- See also: Voting in California
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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Paula Swift (D)
because the health of our planet affects all of us. We need cleaner air, safe water, and green spaces for our families and future generations. That means investing in renewable energy, reducing pollution, and protecting natural resources. I’m committed to practical solutions that support healthier communities and a more sustainable future.
I will fight to protect Social Security and Medicare because our seniors deserve the benefits they’ve earned through a lifetime of hard work. These programs ones we must keep. I’ll oppose any effort to cut or privatize them and work to strengthen them for future generations. No one should have to worry about affording healthcare or retirement after spending their lives contributing to our country.

Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)
Many career politicians have become completely disconnected from the people they’re supposed to serve. They often prioritize party loyalty, special interests, or personal gain over real service. That’s not leadership, that’s self-preservation.
I’m running because I’ve spent my life working in the community, not climbing political ladders. I understand the struggles families face because I’ve lived them and worked alongside them. What we need now are leaders who are grounded in service, not status.
Paula Swift (D)

Paula Swift (D)
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign finance
Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Young Kim | Republican Party | $3,294,450 | $1,093,169 | $3,938,780 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Christina Gagnier | Democratic Party | $507,123 | $200,551 | $306,572 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Joe Kerr | Democratic Party | $124,384 | $112,546 | $11,838 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Nina Linh | Democratic Party | $146,394 | $42,094 | $104,300 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Perry Meade | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Lisa Ramirez | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Paula Swift | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Esther Kim Varet | Democratic Party | $1,618,711 | $309,711 | $1,309,000 | As of June 30, 2025 |
Maricar Payad | American Independent Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
Christian Ahmed | No party preference | $30 | $0 | $130 | As of June 3, 2025 |
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
General election race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[1]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[2][3][4]
Race ratings: California's 40th Congressional District election, 2026 | |||||||||
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Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
9/16/2025 | 9/9/2025 | 9/2/2025 | 8/26/2025 | ||||||
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | |||||
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. |
Ballot access
This section will contain information on ballot access related to this state's elections when it is available.
District history
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.
2024
See also: California's 40th Congressional District election, 2024
California's 40th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 40
Incumbent Young Kim defeated Joe Kerr in the general election for U.S. House California District 40 on November 5, 2024.
Total votes: 383,635 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 40
Incumbent Young Kim and Joe Kerr defeated Allyson Damikolas in the primary for U.S. House California District 40 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Young Kim (R) | 56.4 | 109,963 | |
✔ | ![]() | Joe Kerr (D) | 25.6 | 49,965 |
![]() | Allyson Damikolas (D) ![]() | 18.0 | 35,153 |
Total votes: 195,081 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
2022
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 40
Incumbent Young Kim defeated Asif Mahmood in the general election for U.S. House California District 40 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Young Kim (R) | 56.8 | 161,589 | |
Asif Mahmood (D) | 43.2 | 122,722 |
Total votes: 284,311 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 40
Asif Mahmood and incumbent Young Kim defeated Greg Raths and Nicholas Taurus in the primary for U.S. House California District 40 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Asif Mahmood (D) | 40.9 | 74,607 | |
✔ | Young Kim (R) | 34.7 | 63,346 | |
Greg Raths (R) ![]() | 23.2 | 42,404 | ||
Nicholas Taurus (R) | 1.2 | 2,193 |
Total votes: 182,550 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Hilaire Shioura (R)
2020
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 40
Incumbent Lucille Roybal-Allard defeated C. Antonio Delgado in the general election for U.S. House California District 40 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Lucille Roybal-Allard (D) | 72.7 | 135,572 |
![]() | C. Antonio Delgado (R) ![]() | 27.3 | 50,809 |
Total votes: 186,381 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 40
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 40 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Lucille Roybal-Allard (D) | 50.7 | 38,837 |
✔ | ![]() | C. Antonio Delgado (R) ![]() | 13.7 | 10,467 |
![]() | David Sanchez (D) | 13.4 | 10,256 | |
![]() | Anthony Felix Jr. (D) ![]() | 12.4 | 9,473 | |
![]() | Rodolfo Cortes Barragan (G) | 7.3 | 5,578 | |
Michael Graham Jr. (American Independent Party of California) | 2.6 | 1,967 |
Total votes: 76,578 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
District analysis
This section will contain facts and figures related to this district's elections when those are available.
See also
California | 2026 primaries | 2026 U.S. Congress elections |
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Voting in California California elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
Republican primary battlegrounds U.S. Senate Democratic primaries U.S. Senate Republican primaries U.S. House Democratic primaries U.S. House Republican primaries |
U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018