California's 49th Congressional District election, 2026
All U.S. House districts, including the 49th Congressional District of California, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. The primary is June 2, 2026. The filing deadline is March 6, 2026. For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:
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 49
Incumbent Mike Levin, Jim Desmond, Star Parker, Eli Stern, and Julian Arellano are running in the general election for U.S. House California District 49 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Mike Levin (D) | ||
Jim Desmond (R) ![]() | ||
Star Parker (R) ![]() | ||
| Eli Stern (R) | ||
Julian Arellano (No party preference) ![]() | ||
= 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
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: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I'm a U.S. Navy veteran and a retired Delta Air Lines Captain, with 33 years of experience in the cockpit and a lifelong commitment to service. For over 40 years, I’ve been married to my wife, Kerri, and we’re proud to have raised our two children in North County—where they still live today. I currently serve as the San Diego County Supervisor for District 5, representing a vast and diverse region that stretches across more than 4,200 square miles—including 70 miles of Pacific coastline and a 60-mile international border with Mexico. With more than 3 million residents, San Diego County is the fifth most populous county in the nation, and I’m honored to fight every day for the people who call it home. Before being elected to the Board of Supervisors, I served as the Mayor of San Marcos for 12 years. I’ve spent my public service career focused on real, common-sense solutions—leading on issues like public safety, infrastructure, veterans’ support, and protecting taxpayers from government overreach. Whether it's at city hall or the county level, I’ve worked to strengthen our communities and improve the quality of life for every North County resident. Now, I'm running for Congress to bring that same common-sense leadership to Washington and stand up for the families, veterans, and job creators who deserve a voice that puts them first."
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Party: No party preference
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I am a Latino candidate who is here to fight for the working class and human rights"
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.
| Collapse all
Julian Arellano (No party preference)
Woman rights and the right to decide the fait of thoer own bodies
Human rights and protecting the working class
Jim Desmond (R)
One of my top priorities is restoring affordability in California—because the California Dream has become a nightmare for far too many.
Once a symbol of opportunity and prosperity, California is now:
Last in affordability
Last in places to raise a family
Last in job growth
And first in homelessness
Families are being priced out of their own communities. Seniors on fixed incomes are being forced from their homes because of surging costs in insurance, gas, and electricity. Parents face the impossible task of raising kids in a state where basic necessities are unaffordable, and small businesses are crushed by overregulation.
Fixing Our Immigration System with Security, Fairness, and Dignity
Homelessness is out of control—up 18% this year, with California home to 27% of the nation’s homeless. We need real solutions, not more excuses. I’ll push for treatment-first policies that tackle addiction and mental illness, stop enabling harmful behaviors, and get people off the streets. We must also demand transparency and tie federal dollars to real results: fewer people on the streets, more lives restored, and safer communities. It’s time to restore hope with common-sense solutions that work.
Star Parker (R)
Unlock Healthcare with Market-Based Solutions. Our healthcare systems are in crisis because they are dominated by government intervention rather than consumer choice. In the U.S., per capita health spending is $13,432—the highest of comparable wealthy nations—yet we lack a true marketplace to put the patient first. I will champion consumer-directed health care, including the expansion of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Healthcare Sharing Programs, to put control back in the hands of patients and lower costs.
Peace Through Strength and Entitlement Reform We must address the looming insolvency of our safety net programs and the erosion of our national defense.
Entitlements: Social Security and Medicare consume 45% of our federal budget, and Social Security will be unable to meet its obligations by 2034. We need honest reform that transitions younger workers toward personal ownership of their retirement, ensuring higher returns and security.
Defense: We live in a dangerous world, yet our defense budget hovers near historic lows at roughly 3% of GDP. Meanwhile, adversaries like China possess a shipbuilding capacity 230 times larger than ours. We must return to the Reagan model of peace through strength to protect our freedom.Julian Arellano (No party preference)
Woman rights Affordable housing Minority rights
Education rightsJim Desmond (R)
Star Parker (R)
Welfare Reform: Since 1974, spending rose 765% to $1.4 trillion—equaling $70,000 per poor family—yet poverty remains. The system is broken, we me to remove governmental barriers so that people so that people can live healthy and prosperous lives.
Healthcare Dignity: Having relied on public aid, I know it lacks dignity. I champion a shift to private insurance that empowers patients, not government partnerships.
Social Security: The system is failing. In the 1930s, 45 workers supported one retiree; today, under three do. I advocate for personal accounts that offer ownership and growth.Julian Arellano (No party preference)
AOC
Because they represent thier congressional districts and fight for thier constituentsJulian Arellano (No party preference)
Jim Desmond (R)
As a U.S. Navy veteran, retired Delta pilot, and County Supervisor, I’ve always approached leadership with common sense, a steady hand, and a commitment to doing what’s right. That means listening first, cutting through bureaucracy, and delivering real results—whether it’s addressing the homelessness crisis, stopping raw sewage from Mexico, or fighting new taxes that make California unaffordable.
An elected official should never forget who they work for—and that’s the people.Jim Desmond (R)
It’s not about making headlines—it’s about restoring trust in government, upholding the Constitution, and ensuring accountability at every level. That includes securing our border, keeping our communities safe, reining in out-of-control spending, and making life more affordable for families, seniors, and small businesses.
As someone who’s served as a U.S. Navy veteran, airline captain, and County Supervisor, I believe the job is about leadership, responsibility, and putting people before politics—every single time.Jim Desmond (R)
Jim Desmond (R)
Julian Arellano (No party preference)
Jim Desmond (R)
Tom McClintock - Congressman Brian Maryott (Former Mayor of San Juan Capistrano) Riley Gaines – Advocate for Women’s Sports and Rights Orange County Supervisor – Janet Nguyen Carl DeMaio – Assemblymember Laurie Davies – Assemblymember Steve Knoblock – Mayor of San Clemente Rick Loeffler – San Clemente Councilmember John Franklin – Mayor of Vista Brian Jones – Senate Minority Leader Melanie Burkholder – Carlsbad Councilmember Peter Weiss – Oceanside Councilmember Rick Robinson - Oceanside Councilmember
Groups: National Border Patrol Council – San Diego Chapter Oceanside Police Officers’ Association Deputy Sheriffs Association of San Diego County Republican Party of San Diego County
Reform CaliforniaStar Parker (R)
Jim Desmond (R)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Levin | Democratic Party | $1,886,557 | $943,432 | $1,212,862 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Jim Desmond | Republican Party | $1,127,295 | $200,108 | $927,187 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Star Parker | Republican Party | $146,146 | $26,312 | $119,834 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Eli Stern | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Julian Arellano | No party preference | $3,012 | $2,246 | $42 | As of September 30, 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." |
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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 49th Congressional District election, 2026 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| 1/20/2026 | 1/13/2026 | 1/6/2026 | 12/23/2025 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | |||||
| Decision Desk HQ and The Hill | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
| 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
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 |
District history
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 49
Incumbent Mike Levin (D) defeated Matt Gunderson (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 49 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Levin (D) | 52.2 | 197,397 |
| | Matt Gunderson (R) | 47.8 | 180,950 | |
| Total votes: 378,347 | ||||
= 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 49
Incumbent Mike Levin (D) and Matt Gunderson (R) defeated Margarita Wilkinson (R), Kate Monroe (R), and Sheryl Adams (R) in the primary for U.S. House California District 49 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Levin (D) | 51.0 | 97,275 |
| ✔ | | Matt Gunderson (R) | 25.7 | 49,001 |
| | Margarita Wilkinson (R) | 11.0 | 20,900 | |
| | Kate Monroe (R) | 10.0 | 19,026 | |
| | Sheryl Adams (R) ![]() | 2.4 | 4,617 | |
| Total votes: 190,819 | ||||
= 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 49
Incumbent Mike Levin (D) defeated Brian Maryott (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 49 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Levin (D) ![]() | 52.6 | 153,541 |
| | Brian Maryott (R) ![]() | 47.4 | 138,194 | |
| Total votes: 291,735 | ||||
= 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 49
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 49 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Levin (D) ![]() | 48.9 | 92,211 |
| ✔ | | Brian Maryott (R) ![]() | 19.0 | 35,805 |
| | Lisa Bartlett (R) ![]() | 10.7 | 20,163 | |
| | Christopher Rodriguez (R) ![]() | 9.7 | 18,248 | |
| | Josiah O'Neil (R) | 7.8 | 14,746 | |
| | Nadia Smalley (D) ![]() | 2.5 | 4,804 | |
| | Renee Taylor (R) | 1.4 | 2,597 | |
| Total votes: 188,574 | ||||
= 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Anne Elizabeth (R)
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 49
Incumbent Mike Levin (D) defeated Brian Maryott (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 49 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Levin (D) ![]() | 53.1 | 205,349 |
| | Brian Maryott (R) | 46.9 | 181,157 | |
| Total votes: 386,506 | ||||
= 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 49
Incumbent Mike Levin (D) and Brian Maryott (R) advanced from the primary for U.S. House California District 49 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Levin (D) ![]() | 56.6 | 125,639 |
| ✔ | | Brian Maryott (R) | 43.4 | 96,424 |
| Total votes: 222,063 | ||||
= 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Nadia Smalley (D)
- Mara Fortin (R)
- Steven Craig Knoblock (R)
- Ryan Doheny (Independent)
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

2026

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 D+4. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 4 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 49th the 165th most Democratic 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.
| Kamala Harris | Donald Trump |
|---|---|
| 54.6% | 42.4% |
Presidential voting history
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 |
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.
| Office | Officeholder |
|---|---|
| Governor | |
| Lieutenant Governor | |
| Secretary of State | |
| Attorney General |
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 |
See also
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
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
- ↑ Progressive Party
