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California's 48th Congressional District election, 2026 (June 2 top-two primary)

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← 2024
California's 48th Congressional District
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Top-two primary
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.
Voting in California

Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending
Inside Elections: Tilt Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
California's 48th Congressional District
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California elections, 2026
U.S. Congress elections, 2026
U.S. Senate elections, 2026
U.S. House elections, 2026

A top-two primary takes place on June 2, 2026, in California's 48th Congressional District to determine which two candidates will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.

Candidate filing deadline Primary election General election
March 6, 2026
June 2, 2026
November 3, 2026



California uses a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, move on to the general election. In states that do not use a top-two system, all parties are usually able to put forward a candidate for the general election if they choose to.[1][2]

Unlike the top-two format used in some states (Louisiana and Georgia special elections for example), a general election between the top-two candidates in California occurs regardless of whether the top candidate received 50% of the vote in the first round of elections.

As of October 2025, California was one of five states to use a top-two primary system, or a variation of the top-two system for some or all statewide primaries. See here for more information.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

This page focuses on California's 48th Congressional District's top-two primary. For more in-depth information on the district's general election, see the following page:

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

Nonpartisan primary

Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 48

The following candidates are running in the primary for U.S. House California District 48 on June 2, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Darrell Issa
Darrell Issa (R)
Image of Ammar Campa-Najjar
Ammar Campa-Najjar (D)
Image of Abel Chavez
Abel Chavez (D)
Image of Stephen Clemons
Stephen Clemons (D)  Candidate Connection
Image of Corinna Contreras
Corinna Contreras (D)
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Nicholas Davis (D)
Image of Curtis Morrison
Curtis Morrison (D)  Candidate Connection
Image of Ferguson Porter
Ferguson Porter (D)
Image of Brandon Riker
Brandon Riker (D)
Image of Jerlilia Ryans
Jerlilia Ryans (D)  Candidate Connection
Image of Mike Schaefer
Mike Schaefer (D)
Image of Whitney Shanahan
Whitney Shanahan (D)
Image of Marni von Wilpert
Marni von Wilpert (D)
Image of Luis Reyna
Luis Reyna (No party preference)  Candidate Connection
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Mike Bucy (Independent)

Incumbents are bolded and underlined.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

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.

Stephen Clemons

Image of Stephen Clemons

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Make Life Affordable —Housing, Energy, and Everyday Costs - If people who work hard can’t afford to live here, something is broken. I will fight for housing that normal families can afford, lower energy costs, and policies that stop punishing working people. 1) I support faster housing approvals and reform of regulations that block supply. 2) I will push for energy affordability: grid modernization, competition, smarter rate structures, and infrastructure that actually lowers bills. 3) I will call out waste and bureaucracy directly—voters want someone who will say it plainly.

Public Safety, Border Security, and Community Stability—Without the Extremes - Compassion without order doesn’t work—and neither does enforcement without humanity. We can secure the border, stop fentanyl, and keep neighborhoods safe without turning it into a political circus. Crime, homelessness and the fentanyl epidemic are my priorities. On the border we need enforce existing law, invest in technology and manpower, speed up legal processing. Fentanyl we must target trafficking networks, not punish users. Local control: Back law enforcement and accountability; protect communities without ideological extremes.

Fix Government, Don’t Perform for It—Results Over Rhetoric - I’m not running to be extreme—I’m running to get things done. Government should work like a well-run operation: accountable, transparent, and focused on outcomes for the people. I pledge to focus on bipartisan, measurable wins: infrastructure, water, wildfire mitigation, grid reliability, veteran services. I am not a career politician and I am not owned by anyone. My goal is to only be a problem solver, listen to the people of my district and represent them the best I can to make their lived better.

Curtis Morrison

Image of Curtis Morrison

WebsiteFacebookXYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Raised in Southern Indiana, Curtis was a good kid, an Eagle Scout even. However, he embarked on an unconventional path, dropping out of college after his freshman year at Purdue University. After a couple of years in the pizza business, he built a real estate firm with his younger sister Rhonda. In his late 30's, Curtis earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville, working at times as a substitute teacher, and for UPS. After that, he did a year of social work school, and rotated between activism, blogging, and Kentucky politics, even running unsuccessfully for state senate in 2012. In 2014, Curtis was exposed as the source of a unflattering recording of Senator Mitch McConnell, leading to a politically-inspired FBI investigation triggered by McConnell. Curtis decided to make the best of the situation and moved to California to attend Whittier Law School. While studying abroad, Curtis met his husband and love of his life, Rodolfo. They'll be celebrating their 10th anniversary this summer.After graduating from law school, at 47 years old, Curtis moved to Oregon to work for a non-profit focused on climate change. In 2018, Curtis returned to Southern California to practice immigration law, eventually starting two law firms. His newest firm, Red Eagle Law, L.C., is based in Bonsall. It specializes in federal litigation on behalf of immigrant families, and employees attorneys and paralegals across the country. "

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

As an immigration attorney, Curtis helps people achieve the American Dream. But Curtis believes It’s not just immigrants who need advocates to achieve that Dream. More and more, our federal government has evolved into providing the best outcomes only for the rich, leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves. It doesn’t have to be like this. The federal government can be a force for good, and deliver on the American Dream for everybody.

Curtis believes Congress should serve as a check and balance on the Executive branch, and that’s not happening with our current representation. While the incumbent, Rep. Darrell Issa, wrote a book called “Watchdog,” lately he has co-sponsored legislation to put President Trump’s picture on the $100 bill, nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, and sponsored a bill to help the Trump administration evade review by federal judges. Curtis doesn't think that is watchdog behavior, but rather, lapdog behavior.

People in this district depend upon the Affordable Care Act (as implemented through Covered California), Medicare, and Medicaid more than ever, but these programs are not perfect. Congress should be working on ways to improve outcomes from these programs, not on ways to dismantle and abolish them to fund tax cuts for the rich.

Luis Reyna

Image of Luis Reyna

Website

Party: No party preference

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I am a Army National Guard combat medic, licensed NREMT, civil rights advocate, and independent candidate for Congress who believes leadership should be earned through service, accountability, and a lifelong commitment to the people—not party loyalty or political ambition. For most of my adult life, I have worked on the front lines of care, safety, and civil rights. As a combat medic and emergency medical technician, I have responded to trauma, stabilized patients in crisis, and witnessed firsthand how access to healthcare can mean the difference between dignity and devastation. As a caregiver, workplace safety professional, and community advocate, I have helped working families, seniors, veterans, and injured workers navigate systems that too often fail the very people they are meant to serve. I have also served in leadership and advocacy roles with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), where my work has focused on veterans’ rights, Latino and Latina civil rights, voter protections, and civic engagement. Through this work, I have fought to ensure veterans and their families understand and receive the benefits they earned, addressed discrimination and inequity at the community level, protected access to the ballot, and helped build coalitions that bridge the gap between institutions and the communities they serve. Unlike career politicians, I did not build this résumé in political offices. I built it standing up for all peoples."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

Affordability and Economic Stability Families across the 48th District are being squeezed by rising cost, housing, energy, healthcare, and basic necessities. I support policies that expand housing supply, protect small businesses, strengthen local economies, and prioritize cost-of-living relief without reckless spendin

Veterans, Public Safety, and Community Support Our veterans and first responders deserve more than symbolic recognition. I am committed to expanding access to mental health services, job placement, and transitional support for veterans, while supporting smart public safety policies that keep communities secure and resilient.

Education, Workforce Development, and Mentorship A strong future requires investment in education that connects students to real careers. I support vocational training, apprenticeship programs, and partnerships with schools and local employers to prepare the next generation for a competitive economy, especially in underserved communities. No more Dead-end Jobs!

Jerlilia Ryans

Image of Jerlilia Ryans

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "My name is Jerlilia Ryans. I am a small business owner, an attorney, and a caregiver for my elder siblings. I have lived in San Diego for over 40 years, and I am running for Congress to defend our democracy and fight for the kitchen-table issues that matter most to working families—affordability, the rising cost of living, universal healthcare for all, affordable housing, a meaningful child tax credit, and a fair, comprehensive immigration plan. I am running because every single day our democracy is being threatened. The Trump administration and its allies continue to undermine our institutions, our rights, and the rule of law. The American people deserve a representative who will stand up every day—without fear or compromise—to protect their freedoms and fight for their future. As an attorney, I understand the law. As an American, I believe deeply in the Constitution and in equal justice under the law. I am running for Congress to ensure that our government works for the people—not special interests—and to build an economy and democracy that leave no one behind."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

1. A Proven Advocate for Working Families . I am a small business owner, an attorney, and a caregiver who understands the real-life challenges families face. I’m running to lower the cost of living and fight for kitchen-table priorities like affordable housing, universal healthcare for all, a meaningful child tax credit, and economic policies that let working people get ahead—not just survive.

2. Defending Democracy and the Constitution As an attorney and a lifelong American, I believe deeply in the Constitution, the rule of law, and equal justice. At a time when our democracy is under constant attack, I will stand up every day to protect our democratic institutions, civil rights, and freedoms—no matter who is in power.

3. Deep Roots, Real Leadership for San Diego I’ve lived in San Diego for over 40 years and have dedicated my life to serving my community. I’m running for Congress to bring principled, people-centered leadership to Washington—leadership that answers to voters, not special interests, and delivers real solutions for our district.

Voting information

See also: Voting in California

Election information in California: June 2, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: June 2, 2026
  • By mail: Postmarked by May 18, 2026
  • Online: May 18, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

N/A

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: N/A
  • By mail: N/A by N/A
  • Online: N/A

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: N/A
  • By mail: N/A by N/A

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

May 23, 2026 to June 1, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (PT)

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[3] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[4] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.

Below we provide results for polls from a wide variety of sources, including media outlets, social media, campaigns, and aggregation websites, when available. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval. Know of something we're missing? Click here to let us know.


California's 48th Congressional District top-two primary election, 2026 polls
PollDatesCampa-Najjar (D)Chavez (D)Contreras (D)Issa (R)Riker (D)von Wilpert (D)Someone elseUndecidedSample sizeMargin of errorSponsor
Blueprint Polling
–
19.32.75.443.676.16.39.6
560 LV
± 4.1%
Ammar Campa-Najjar (D)
Note: LV is likely voters, RV is registered voters, and EV is eligible voters.

Campaign finance

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Darrell Issa Republican Party $1,491,705 $491,497 $2,644,824 As of December 31, 2025
Ammar Campa-Najjar Democratic Party $823,124 $405,296 $417,889 As of December 31, 2025
Abel Chavez Democratic Party $204,095 $187,192 $16,903 As of December 31, 2025
Stephen Clemons Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Corinna Contreras Democratic Party $12,922 $1,164 $11,758 As of December 31, 2025
Nicholas Davis Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Curtis Morrison Democratic Party $35,553 $35,553 $0 As of February 23, 2026
Ferguson Porter Democratic Party $63,492 $40,955 $22,538 As of September 30, 2025
Brandon Riker Democratic Party $1,524,345 $463,423 $1,060,921 As of December 31, 2025
Jerlilia Ryans Democratic Party $0 $6,006 $-5,871 As of December 31, 2025
Mike Schaefer Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Whitney Shanahan Democratic Party $4,174 $2,985 $1,386 As of December 31, 2025
Marni von Wilpert Democratic Party $519,997 $215,721 $304,276 As of December 31, 2025
Luis Reyna No party preference $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Mike Bucy Independent $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

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."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

  • District map - A map of the district before and after redistricting ahead of the 2026 election.
  • Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
  • State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.


Below is the district map used in the 2024 election next to the map in place for the 2026 election. Click on a map below to enlarge it.

2024

2023_01_03_ca_congressional_district_048.jpg

2026

2027_01_03_ca_congressional_district_48.jpg
See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026
Information about competitiveness will be added here as it becomes available.

Partisan Voter Index

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+7. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 7 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made California's 48th the 163rd most Republican district nationally.[5]

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in California's 48th Congressional District
Kamala Harris Democratic PartyDonald Trump Republican Party
50.3%47.1%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in California, 2024

California presidential election results (1900-2024)

  • 16 Democratic wins
  • 15 Republican wins
  • 1 other win
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winning Party R R R P[6] D R R R D D D D D R R R D R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D
See also: Party control of California state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of California's congressional delegation as of January 2026.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from California
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 2 43 45
Republican 0 8 8
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 1 1
Total 2 52 54

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in California's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in California, October 2025
OfficeOfficeholder
GovernorDemocratic Party Gavin Newsom
Lieutenant GovernorDemocratic Party Eleni Kounalakis
Secretary of StateDemocratic Party Shirley Weber
Attorney GeneralDemocratic Party Rob Bonta

State legislature

California State Senate

Party As of October 2025
     Democratic Party 30
     Republican Party 10
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 40

California State Assembly

Party As of October 2025
     Democratic Party 60
     Republican Party 20
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 80

Trifecta control

California Party Control: 1992-2025
Twenty years with Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R R R R R R R D D D D D R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Assembly D D D S R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in California in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in California, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
California U.S. House All candidates 40-60 $1,740 3/6/2026 Source

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ California Legislative Information, "California Constitution, Article II, Section 5," accessed October 29, 2025
  2. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed October 29, 2025
  3. ↑ For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
  4. ↑ Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
  5. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
  6. ↑ Progressive Party


California's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Alex Padilla (D)
Adam Schiff (D)
Representatives
District 1
Vacant
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
Ami Bera (D)
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
Adam Gray (D)
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
Ro Khanna (D)
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
Jim Costa (D)
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
Raul Ruiz (D)
District 26
District 27
District 28
Judy Chu (D)
District 29
Luz Rivas (D)
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
Ted Lieu (D)
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
Young Kim (R)
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
Dave Min (D)
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
Democratic Party (45)
Republican Party (8)
Vacancies (1)


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