California's 8th Congressional District elections, 2014
The 8th Congressional District of California held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014.
Incumbent Paul Cook (R) won re-election in 2014. He defeated Bob Conaway (D) in the general election.[3]
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
|---|---|---|
Primary: 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.[4][5]
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 June 2025, California was one of five states to use a top-two primary system, or a variation of the top-two system. See here for more information.
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Voter registration: To vote in the primary, voters had to register by May 19, 2014. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 20, 2014 (the 15th calendar day before that election).[6]
- See also: California elections, 2014
Incumbent: Heading into the election the incumbent was Paul Cook (R), who was first elected in 2012.
As of the 2010 redistricting cycle, California's 8th Congressional District was located in the eastern portion of the state and included Mono and Inyo counties and areas of San Bernardino County.[7]
Candidates
General election candidates
June 3, 2014, primary results
Paul Cook - Incumbent 
- Paul Hannosh
Bob Conaway - Odessia Lee
Withdrew
Election results
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Paul Cook Incumbent |
67.6% | 77,480 | |
| Democratic | Bob Conaway | 32.4% | 37,056 | |
| Total Votes | 114,536 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State | ||||
Primary election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |
Paul Cook Incumbent |
58.1% | 40,007 | |
| Democratic | Bob Conaway |
18.7% | 12,885 | |
| Republican | Paul Hannosh | 13.1% | 9,037 | |
| Democratic | Odessia Lee | 10.1% | 6,930 | |
| Total Votes | 68,859 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State |
||||
Key votes
Below are important votes the incumbent cast during the 113th Congress.
HR 676
On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit.[8] Cook joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.[9][10]
Government shutdown
- See also: United States budget debate, 2013
On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.[11] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.[12] Paul Cook voted for the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.[13]
The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[14] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Paul Cook voted for HR 2775.[15]
Campaign contributions
Paul Cook
| Paul Cook (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[16] | April 15, 2013 | $26,032.84 | $67,413.78 | $(32,421.70) | $61,024.92 | ||||
| July Quarterly[17] | July 15, 2013 | $61,024.92 | $116,770.00 | $(37,648.94) | $140,145.98 | ||||
| October Quarterly[18] | October 15, 2013 | $140,145.98 | $101,479.00 | $(23,729.75) | $217,895.23 | ||||
| Year-End[19] | January 31, 2014 | $217,895 | $122,579 | $(21,386) | $319,088 | ||||
| April Quarterly[20] | April 15, 2014 | $319,088 | $152,744 | $(44,828) | $427,003 | ||||
| Pre-Primary[21] | May 22, 2014 | $427,003 | $36,353 | $(34,648) | $428,708 | ||||
| July Quarterly[22] | July 15, 2014 | $428,708 | $34,374 | $(24,378) | $438,704 | ||||
| October Quarterly[23] | October 15, 2014 | $438,704 | $106,133 | $(40,751) | $504,086 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $737,845.78 | $(259,791.39) | ||||||||
Bob Conaway
| Bob Conaway (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| October Quarterly[24] | October 15, 2014 | $0 | $5,866 | $(5,739) | $127 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $5,866 | $(5,739) | ||||||||
Paul Hannosh
| Paul Hannosh (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[25] | April 13, 2014 | $229 | $14,110 | $(13,946) | $393 | ||||
| Pre-Primary[26] | May 21, 2014 | $393 | $785 | $(621) | $557 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $14,895 | $(14,567) | ||||||||
District history
| Candidate ballot access |
|---|
 |
| Find detailed information on ballot access requirements in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. |
2012
On November 6, 2012, Paul Cook (R) won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Gregg Imus in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Paul Cook |
57.4% | 103,093 | |
| Republican | Greg Imus | 42.6% | 76,551 | |
| Total Votes | 179,644 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Nancy Pelosi won re-election to the United States House. She defeated John Dennis (R), Gloria La Riva (P&F), Philip Berg (L) and Summer Shields (Write-in) in the general election.[27]
| U.S. House, California District 8 General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Nancy Pelosi incumbent |
80.1% | 167,957 | |
| Republican | John Dennis | 15.1% | 31,711 | |
| Peace and Freedom | Gloria La Riva | 2.5% | 5,161 | |
| Libertarian | Philip Berg | 2.3% | 4,843 | |
| Write-in | Summer Shields | 0% | 24 | |
| Total Votes | 209,696 | |||
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2014
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2014
External links
- California Elections & Voter Information
- California Secretary of State, Official primary candidate list
Footnotes
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2014 HOUSE RACE RATINGS FOR June 26, 2014," accessed July 28, 2014
- ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2014 House Races," accessed July 28, 2014
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Election 2014," November 4, 2014
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed August 13, 2024
- ↑ California Secretary of State Website, "Voter Registration," accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ California Redistricting Map, "Map," accessed September 25, 2012
- ↑ U.S. House, "House Resolution 676," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Suing Obama: GOP-led House gives the go-ahead," July 31, 2014
- ↑ Washington Post, "House clears way for lawsuit against Obama," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ Buzzfeed, "Government Shutdown: How We Got Here," accessed October 1, 2013
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 550," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Cook April Quarterly," accessed July 23, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Cook July Quarterly," accessed July 23, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Cook October Quarterly," accessed October 21, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Cook Year-End," accessed February 4, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Cook April Quarterly," accessed April 21, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Cook Pre-Primary," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Cook July Quarterly," accessed July 23, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Cook October Quarterly," accessed October 20, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Bob Conaway October Quarterly," accessed October 23, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Hannosh April Quarterly," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Paul Hannosh Pre-Primary," accessed June 2, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
