California's 12th Congressional District election, 2024

2026 → ← 2022
California's 12th Congressional District
Top-two primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 8, 2023
Primary: March 5, 2024 General: November 5, 2024
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in California
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic DDHQ and The Hill: Safe Democratic Inside Elections: Solid Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
See also
California's 12th Congressional District U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th • 16th • 17th • 18th • 19th • 20th • 21st • 22nd • 23rd • 24th • 25th • 26th • 27th • 28th • 29th • 30th • 31st • 32nd • 33rd • 34th • 35th • 36th • 37th • 38th • 39th • 40th • 41st • 42nd • 43rd • 44th • 45th • 46th • 47th • 48th • 49th • 50th • 51st • 52nd California elections, 2024 U.S. Congress elections, 2024 U.S. Senate elections, 2024 U.S. House elections, 2024 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House racesArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House racesFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House racesOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House racesTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House racesVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House racesSubmit

All U.S. House districts, including the 12th Congressional District of California, held elections in 2024. The general election was November 5, 2024. The primary was March 5, 2024. The filing deadline was December 8, 2023.

This race was one of 75 races in 2024 that was a rematch of the 2022 election. In 2024, Democrats won 39 of these matches, while Republicans won 36 of them. Democrats won 38 of those districts in 2022, and Republicans won 37.

The outcome of this race affected the partisan balance of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 119th Congress. All 435 House districts were up for election.

At the time of the election, Republicans held a 220-212 majority with three vacancies. As a result of the election, Republicans retained control of the U.S. House, winning 220 seats to Democrats' 215. To read more about the 2024 U.S. House elections, click here.

In the 2022 election in this district, the Democratic candidate won 90.5%-9.5%. Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have defeated Donald Trump (R) 89.3%-8.6%.

For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

• California's 12th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 12

Lateefah Simon defeated Jennifer Tran in the general election for U.S. House California District 12 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lateefah Simon (D)	65.4	185,176
		Jennifer Tran (D)	34.6	97,849

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 283,025
= 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 election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 12

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 12 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lateefah Simon (D)	55.9	86,031
✔		Jennifer Tran (D)	14.9	22,999
		Tony Daysog (D)	11.2	17,222
	Submit photo	Stephen Slauson (R)	6.3	9,710
		Glenn Kaplan (D)	4.4	6,799
		Eric Wilson (D)	2.8	4,252
		Abdur Sikder (D)	1.9	2,857
	Submit photo	Ned Nuerge (R)	1.6	2,535
		Andre Todd (D)	1.1	1,632

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 154,037
= 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

• Jason Woody (D)
• Denard Ingram (D)
• Tim Sanchez (D)
• John Marks (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.

Lateefah Simon

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I have spent my career fighting for justice — fighting for folks without a voice. Now, as a 25-year veteran organizer and nationally recognized advocate for civil rights and social justice, I am running to take this fight to congress. I began my career in advocacy at age 16 as an outreach coordinator for the Young Women’s Freedom Center. At age 18, I gave birth to my eldest daughter, Aminah, and quickly learned as a young single mother that the government wasn’t working for people like myself. A year later, I became Executive Director of the YWFC and spent the next decade earning national acclaim for my advocacy on behalf of marginalized young women. In recognition of that work, I won a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, and at age 26, I became the youngest woman to receive this prestigious award. I was tapped by then-San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris to lead the creation of Back on Track — a highly effective, first-of-its-kind anti-recidivism initiative for young adults charged with low-level offenses. In 2016, galvanized by the death of Oscar Grant, I ran and was elected to the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors. Born legally blind, I relied solely on public transportation to go about my day and sought to make BART more affordable for working families and transit-dependent people like herself. I’ve spent my life fighting for folks without a voice. I will take the shared stories and experiences of this community to the halls of Congress."

---

Key Messages

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

---

For over 30 years, I have been an advocate for public safety. I started the nationally recognized Back-on-Track program in then-DA Harris’ office to prevent recidivism. As a BART Director I created a new ambassador program of uniformed, unarmed, personnel trained in de-escalation to promote community safety on BART trains. In Congress, I will support comprehensive policing reform to ensure that policing reflects community values and upholds civil rights and reinvests resources in communities. I will champion legislation that addresses the housing crisis and funds affordable housing, closes loopholes in federal gun laws, and provides resources for mental health, addiction treatment, and programs geared towards preventing recidivism.

---

A lifelong resident of the Bay, I have dedicated myself to fighting for racial and social justice in Oakland and my community. As a Black woman and a single mother of two, I have seen firsthand how the most marginalized and disadvantaged communities, often immigrant communities and communities of color, are the first to have their civil and social rights be put on the chopping block by conservative legislators. I will champion comprehensive policing reform, expand voting rights, codify protections for reproductive care, and work to create a fair and humane immigration system that would disentangle the criminal system from the immigration system and expand legal pathways to work authorization and citizenship.

---

As a Congresswoman, I will always prioritize protecting housing as a human right. I will seek tenant protections, lift up tenant unions, and create an equitable playing field for renters. I know the impact that Rent Relief legislation will have by creating a refundable tax credit for renters paying over 30% of their income in rent. In CA-12, I encouraged collaboration between BART and the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (OAACC), supported SB 567, the Homelessness Prevention Act, and advocated for the revitalization of public housing. Having been a part of the public housing system, I’ve seen how this vital piece of infrastructure has been overlooked and underfunded for far too long.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 12 in 2024.

Jennifer Tran

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Dr. Jennifer Tran is a CSU professor of Ethnic Studies, community organizer, and President of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce. Born and raised in Oakland as a daughter of war refugees, she earned her PhD from USC and has spent her entire professional career serving East Bay communities. The career politicians and party politics are failing and our cities are in decline. Both Washington and local governments are broken and we need to change the game. Our current crises around public safety, homelessness, and economic decay require a federal response with federal resources. Dr. Tran will propose a key legislation, the Modern Cities Act, that offers actionable, sensible solutions that will actually solve these urgent problems while creating opportunities for hard working families. Dr. Tran has a unique ability to find common ground that unites diverse communities across various sectors including business leaders, educators, social workers, firefighters, police, healthcare workers, government agencies, immigrants, victims of violence and other marginalized communities. Dr. Tran understands systems dysfunction and has the vision to restore and revive the East Bay and other similar promising regions across the country. You can learn more about Dr. Tran’s plan to transform and modernize our federal approach to these and other issues like universal healthcare, tuition-free education, Green New Deal, immigration and human rights at www.drtranforcongress.com"

---

Key Messages

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

---

This election is a battle for the future of what it means to be progressive. Do we want a political system where a millionaire puppet candidate is bought and controlled by a single billionaire? Do we want someone who spent the past decade forcing the dangerous ideology of defunding the police making it to congress to continue spreading that destructive policy experiment? Or do we want a candidate who will bring sensible solutions, bold vision, and real progress? Congress is broken because politicians have forgotten how to make compromises and lead together as Americans. We need to find the ideas that both parties can agree on and make federal laws that benefit working Americans. We can't allow the billionaire class to buy congress.

---

American city and municipal governments are bastions of corruption and ineptitude. These local governments have determined the outcomes of the foundations of our society - public safety, homelessness and economic decay. Have you ever traveled outside the US and seen a clean and safe city? Did you wonder like I did, why the richest nation in the world doesn't have cities like that? In my first 100 days in Congress, I will introduce a bill to the House floor called the Modern Cities Act (MCA). The MCA will create the cities of the future that we all deserve. This law will transform policing, end homelessness within two years, incentivize massive small business development, and usher in a new era of government fiscal transparency.

---

The advanced stages of climate collapse are on the horizon. Most scientists agree that we have passed the critical tipping points for hyper-destructive temperature increases. Large swaths of the planet will become uninhabitable with lost capacity to grow food. We need solutions now. My climate position is that we need to invest heavily as a nation in innovative technologies that can capture greenhouse gases at scale to reverse the temperature increases humans have caused. That is literally our only hope of reversing this trajectory we’re on. Any politician who tells you that they want to transition to clean power sources over time by incrementally changing human behavior simply doesn’t understand how dire the situation already is.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 12 in 2024.

Voting information

See also: Voting in California

Election information in California: Nov. 5, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 5, 2024
• By mail: Postmarked by Oct. 21, 2024
• Online: Oct. 21, 2024

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

Yes

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: Nov. 5, 2024
• By mail: Postmarked by Nov. 5, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What were the early voting start and end dates?

Varies to Nov. 4, 2024

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

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

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

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.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Lateefah Simon (D)

For over 30 years, I have been an advocate for public safety. I started the nationally recognized Back-on-Track program in then-DA Harris’ office to prevent recidivism. As a BART Director I created a new ambassador program of uniformed, unarmed, personnel trained in de-escalation to promote community safety on BART trains. In Congress, I will support comprehensive policing reform to ensure that policing reflects community values and upholds civil rights and reinvests resources in communities. I will champion legislation that addresses the housing crisis and funds affordable housing, closes loopholes in federal gun laws, and provides resources for mental health, addiction treatment, and programs geared towards preventing recidivism.

A lifelong resident of the Bay, I have dedicated myself to fighting for racial and social justice in Oakland and my community. As a Black woman and a single mother of two, I have seen firsthand how the most marginalized and disadvantaged communities, often immigrant communities and communities of color, are the first to have their civil and social rights be put on the chopping block by conservative legislators. I will champion comprehensive policing reform, expand voting rights, codify protections for reproductive care, and work to create a fair and humane immigration system that would disentangle the criminal system from the immigration system and expand legal pathways to work authorization and citizenship.

As a Congresswoman, I will always prioritize protecting housing as a human right. I will seek tenant protections, lift up tenant unions, and create an equitable playing field for renters. I know the impact that Rent Relief legislation will have by creating a refundable tax credit for renters paying over 30% of their income in rent. In CA-12, I encouraged collaboration between BART and the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce (OAACC), supported SB 567, the Homelessness Prevention Act, and advocated for the revitalization of public housing. Having been a part of the public housing system, I’ve seen how this vital piece of infrastructure has been overlooked and underfunded for far too long.

Jennifer Tran (D)

This election is a battle for the future of what it means to be progressive. Do we want a political system where a millionaire puppet candidate is bought and controlled by a single billionaire? Do we want someone who spent the past decade forcing the dangerous ideology of defunding the police making it to congress to continue spreading that destructive policy experiment? Or do we want a candidate who will bring sensible solutions, bold vision, and real progress? Congress is broken because politicians have forgotten how to make compromises and lead together as Americans. We need to find the ideas that both parties can agree on and make federal laws that benefit working Americans. We can't allow the billionaire class to buy congress.

American city and municipal governments are bastions of corruption and ineptitude. These local governments have determined the outcomes of the foundations of our society - public safety, homelessness and economic decay. Have you ever traveled outside the US and seen a clean and safe city? Did you wonder like I did, why the richest nation in the world doesn't have cities like that?

In my first 100 days in Congress, I will introduce a bill to the House floor called the Modern Cities Act (MCA). The MCA will create the cities of the future that we all deserve. This law will transform policing, end homelessness within two years, incentivize massive small business development, and usher in a new era of government fiscal transparency.

The advanced stages of climate collapse are on the horizon. Most scientists agree that we have passed the critical tipping points for hyper-destructive temperature increases. Large swaths of the planet will become uninhabitable with lost capacity to grow food. We need solutions now.

My climate position is that we need to invest heavily as a nation in innovative technologies that can capture greenhouse gases at scale to reverse the temperature increases humans have caused. That is literally our only hope of reversing this trajectory we’re on. Any politician who tells you that they want to transition to clean power sources over time by incrementally changing human behavior simply doesn’t understand how dire the situation already is.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Lateefah Simon (D)

Public transportation has always been one of my top priorities. Through my experience on the BART Board of Directors, my daily commutes on public transportation, and being born legally blind, I know first hand how transportation touches every person’s life. Economic Justice, Public Safety, and Access to affordable, high-quality healthcare as a fundamental human right are also public policy areas where I have worked my whole life to make more accessible and equitable. These policies all go hand in hand, and success of one has a profound effect on the success of another - especially in CA-12. That is why I will take them head on, equipped with an arsenal of cross culture, cross faith, and cross industry collective of experts and partners.

Jennifer Tran (D)

The federal government should stop funding empirical geopolitical wars and reinvest in our own infrastructure. The Modern Cities Act focuses on federally-funded solutions to establish public safety, eliminate homelessness, and reverse economic decay in every American city. We will pay for the MCA by taxing billionaires and eliminating wasteful redundancies in federal spending. Beyond the MCA, my priorities are climate change, immigration, human rights, education, and fiscal transparency for all levels of government.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Lateefah Simon (D)

I believe elected officials should be held to the highest standards and held accountable by everyone - supporters who casted their vote for them, voters who voted a different way, organizations or unions who have endorsed them - everyone. That means being available, open, and proactive in building relationships with stakeholders and thought leaders who represent every aspect of their district. I believe this characteristic of being a true coalition builder and organizer is the most important characteristic for an elected official. Once in office, we are not only beholden to our supporters - We are responsible for and represent everyone. Throughout my campaign, I've been intentional about meeting folks where they are at - where they live, where they do business, and where they raise their families - to understand how I can best represent them and bring home the necessary funding to improve their lives. As the next Congresswoman for CA-12, I will continue this coalition building and be a true representative for my entire district. In line with being a representative for the entire district, I think another important characteristic for an elected official is lifting up the voices of their constituents. Everyone has a story to tell about how their lives could be improved, where the government is missing in action, or where an inadequate public service could be better equipped to serve the needs of the people. It's the job of an elected official to take those stories and experiences with them to Congress and give the voices of their constituents a national platform.

Jennifer Tran (D)

Honesty, Integrity, Vision, Ability to Compromise

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Lateefah Simon (D)

The core responsibilities for someone elected to Congress are to bring home federal resources to improve their district, take positions and votes that reflect the priorities of the constituency, and be a leading voice in Congress to not only advocate for the policy priorities of the district, but to lead and develop new and sensible legislation that continuously pushes the envelope on how the government can better provide for folks who need the most help.

Jennifer Tran (D)

Congressional Representatives need to represent ALL their constituents, not just one community.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Lateefah Simon (D)

My very first job was at age 16 as an outreach coordinator for the Young Women’s Freedom Center (YWFC). 3 years later, I became Executive Director of YWFC and spent the next decade advocating on behalf of marginalized young women. In recognition of that work, I was honored with the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, and became the youngest woman to receive this prestigious award at 26.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Jennifer Tran (D)

It has been a struggle in my life to be an agent of truth. It is often a very lonely path because people can be so adverse to accepting difficult truths.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Jennifer Tran (D)

US House of Representatives has the capacity to fund the federal government and determine the legislative future of the nation.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Jennifer Tran (D)

No, I believe that we need more people from outside the political apparatus to run for office and modernize a very dysfunctional political system.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Jennifer Tran (D)

We need to redefine American exceptionalism. We should not be exporting geopolitical global war for empire building. We should be developing the most advanced skills in the world at mediation and diplomacy. The last anti-war president in the White House was Jimmy Carter. If we became the great mediators of geopolitical conflict instead of the purveyors of perpetual global war, we could resume the mantle of world leaders that has been lost over the past decade. We also need to reinvest in small business in a large way in order to keep up with other world economies.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Jennifer Tran (D)

No, I think Congress should be 4 years.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Lateefah Simon (D)

I support term limits. As we’ve seen with the United States Supreme Court, offices that do not have term limits allow for an extended and uninterrupted abuse of power without a process of checks and balances through democratic methods. It is not the duty of elected and appointed officials to hold office power for as long as they can - their duty is to serve and represent the people. And as time progresses, the democratic process should continue to function to allow new and fresh voices into positions of power.

Jennifer Tran (D)

Term limits are very necessary for all elected officials and especially Supreme Court Justices.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Lateefah Simon (D)

After spending the last 30 years as an organizer and coalition builder, I’ve learned first hand how integral compromise is to successful and productive relationships. In Washington, I won’t always agree with every single member of Congress on their policies or decision making, but I will always be open to working with proactive individuals if it means pushing through equitable and effective legislation based in sensible policy that will benefit my folks in CA-12 and families across the country.

Jennifer Tran (D)

Compromise is essential for policymaking, yet compromise is precisely what's missing from Congress at this point in time.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Lateefah Simon (D)

Since announcing my campaign I have been endorsed by several statewide and nationally elected Democratic leaders including Governor Gavin Newsom, Representative Barbara Lee, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler. I have also received endorsements from a variety of organizations including EMILY's List, Giffords PAC, Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the East Bay Young Democrats.

Jennifer Tran (D)

ASPIRE PAC and LPAC

What committees interest you?

Lateefah Simon (D)

From day one I’ve known that I would join the Transportation and Infrastructure committee. I understand how crucial safe, comfortable, and reliable public transportation is, not only in my district but for the rest of the country too. As someone who is legally blind and has never driven a car, public transportation has always been an incredibly important part of my life and my advocacy. It’s why I joined the BART board and led the board as president through the pandemic, securing the funding necessary to keep the service alive for our essential workers, despite the sudden drop in ridership.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Lateefah Simon (D)

As a member of Congress, I will aim to reduce the influence of big money interest in politics by eliminating secret corporate spending in elections, promoting transparency and accountability in government, and supporting a ban on stock trading and ownership for members of Congress and the Federal Judiciary. In an age of partisan judiciaries, politicization of judicial interpretation of laws, and a Supreme Court that has exposed itself to be vulnerable to external lobbying and gift-giving, I will work to provide sorely needed reform to the Supreme Court and the lower courts. I will support expanding the number of justices on the bench, implementing term limits, and creating new judgeships across the federal system. I will also support and help impose an enforceable code of conduct on the Supreme Court, including instituting accountability measures and restrictions on gifts and requiring judicial disclosures and recusal.

Jennifer Tran (D)

Please see the Modern Cities Act on our website www.drtranforcongress.com

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Tony Daysog	Democratic Party	$18,760	$18,299	$462	As of December 31, 2023
Glenn Kaplan	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Abdur Sikder	Democratic Party	$21,938	$21,946	$-8	As of April 16, 2024
Lateefah Simon	Democratic Party	$2,231,456	$1,945,801	$285,655	As of December 31, 2024
Andre Todd	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Jennifer Tran	Democratic Party	$344,452	$333,359	$11,093	As of December 31, 2024
Eric Wilson	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Ned Nuerge	Republican Party	$3,397	$4,720	$0	As of March 31, 2024
Stephen Slauson	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2024. 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.

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.
• 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.

Race ratings: California's 12th Congressional District election, 2024
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 5, 2024	October 29, 2024	October 22, 2024	October 15, 2024
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe 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 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in California, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2024
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
California	U.S. House	All candidates	40-60	$1,740.00	12/8/2023	Source

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 in place for the election.
• Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2024 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.

• District map
• Competitiveness
• Presidential elections
• State party control

Below was the map in use at the time of the election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2024

This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in California.

California U.S. House primary competitiveness, 2014-2024
Office	Districts/ offices	Seats	Open seats	Candidates	Possible primaries	Contested top-two primaries	% of contested primaries	Incumbents in contested primaries	% of incumbents in contested primaries
2024	52	52	7	241	52	42	80.8%	36	80.0%
2022	52	52	5	272	52	52	100.0%	47	100.0%
2020	53	53	4	262	53	47	88.7%	32	64.0%
2018	53	53	2	244	53	41	77.4%	39	76.5%
2016	53	53	4	202	53	40	75.5%	36	73.5%
2014	53	53	6	209	53	38	71.7%	32	68.1%

Post-filing deadline analysis

The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in California in 2024. Information below was calculated on 1/16/2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.

Two-hundred forty-one candidates filed to run for California's 52 U.S. House districts in 2024, including 125 Democrats, 88 Republicans, and 28 independent or minor party candidates. That’s 4.63 candidates per district. In 2022, the first election after the number of congressional districts in California decreased from 53 to 52 following the 2020 census, 5.2 candidates filed per district. In 2020, when the state still had 53 Congressional districts, 4.94 candidates filed per district. In 2018, 4.6 candidates filed.

The 241 candidates who ran in California in 2024 were the fewest total number of candidates since 2016, when 202 candidates ran. Forty-five incumbents—34 Democrats and 11 Republicans—ran for re-election. That was fewer than in 2022, when 47 incumbents ran. Six districts were open, one more than in 2022, and the most since 2014, when six districts were also open.

Incumbents Barbara Lee (D-12th), Adam Schiff (D-30th), and Katie Porter (D-47th) ran for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat. Incumbent Sen. Laphonza Butler (D) didn't run for re-election. Incumbents Grace Napolitano (D-31st), Tony Cárdenas (D-29th), and Anna Eshoo (D-16th) retired from public office. One incumbent—Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-20th)—left Congress before the end of his term. A special election was held to fill his seat before the general election.

Fifteen candidates—12 Democrats, two Republicans, and one nonpartisan—ran in the open 30th district, the most candidates running for a seat in 2024.

Forty-two primaries were contested, the fewest since 2018, when 41 were contested. All 52 primaries were contested in 2022, and 47 were in 2020. In California, which uses a top-two primary system, a primary is contested if more than two candidates file to run.

Incumbents ran in 35 of the 42 contested primaries. That’s lower than 2022, when 47 incumbents ran in contested primaries, but higher than every other year since 2014. In 2020, 32 incumbents faced contested primaries. Thirty-nine incumbents did so in 2018, 36 in 2016, and 32 in 2014.

Democratic candidates ran in every district. Republican candidates ran in every district except one—the 37th. Two Democrats, including incumbent Sydney Kamlage-Dove, one nonpartisan candidate, and one Peace and Freedom Party member ran in that district.

Partisan Voter Index

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

Heading into the 2024 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+40. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 40 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 12th the most Democratic district nationally.

2020 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2020 presidential election would have been in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.

2020 presidential results in California's 12th based on 2024 district lines
Joe Biden	Donald Trump
89.3%	8.6%

Inside Elections Baselines

See also: Inside Elections

Inside Elections' Baseline is a figure that analyzes all federal and statewide election results from the district over the past four election cycles. The results are combined in an index estimating the strength of a typical Democratic or Republican candidate in the congressional district. The table below displays the Baseline data for this district.

Inside Elections Baseline for 2024
Democratic Baseline	Republican Baseline	Difference
90.0	9.6	D+80.4

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in California, 2020

California presidential election results (1900-2020)

• 15 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
Winning Party	R	R	R	P	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

See also: Party control of California state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of California's congressional delegation as of May 2024.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from California
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	2	43	45
Republican	0	9	9
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	52	54

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in California's top four state executive offices as of May 2024.

State executive officials in California, May 2024
Office	Officeholder
Governor	Gavin Newsom
Lieutenant Governor	Eleni Kounalakis
Secretary of State	Shirley Weber
Attorney General	Rob Bonta

State legislature

California State Senate

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	32
	Republican Party	8
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		40

California State Assembly

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	62
	Republican Party	18
	Independent	1
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		80

Trifecta control

The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.

California Party Control: 1992-2024
Nineteen years of 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
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
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
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

District history

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2018.

2022

See also: California's 12th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 12

Incumbent Barbara Lee defeated Stephen Slauson in the general election for U.S. House California District 12 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Barbara Lee (D)	90.5	217,110
	Submit photo	Stephen Slauson (R)	9.5	22,859

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 239,969
= 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 election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 12

Incumbent Barbara Lee and Stephen Slauson defeated Glenn Kaplan, Eric Wilson, and Ned Nuerge in the primary for U.S. House California District 12 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Barbara Lee (D)	87.7	135,892
✔	Submit photo	Stephen Slauson (R)	5.3	8,274
		Glenn Kaplan (No Party Affiliation)	3.3	5,141
		Eric Wilson (D)	2.4	3,753
	Submit photo	Ned Nuerge (R)	1.2	1,902

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 154,962
= 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

• Greg Lentz (R)
• Eric Curry (D)

2020

See also: California's 12th Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 12

Incumbent Nancy Pelosi defeated Shahid Buttar in the general election for U.S. House California District 12 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nancy Pelosi (D)	77.6	281,776
		Shahid Buttar (D)	22.4	81,174

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 362,950
= 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 election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 12

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 12 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nancy Pelosi (D)	74.0	190,590
✔		Shahid Buttar (D)	13.0	33,344
		John Dennis (R)	7.7	19,883
		Tom Gallagher (D)	2.0	5,094
		DeAnna Lorraine (R)	1.8	4,635
		Agatha Bacelar (D)	1.5	3,890

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 257,436
= 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.

2018

See also: California's 12th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 12

Incumbent Nancy Pelosi defeated Lisa Remmer in the general election for U.S. House California District 12 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nancy Pelosi (D)	86.8	275,292
		Lisa Remmer (R)	13.2	41,780

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 317,072
= 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 election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 12

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 12 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nancy Pelosi (D)	68.5	141,365
✔		Lisa Remmer (R)	9.1	18,771
		Shahid Buttar (D)	8.5	17,597
		Stephen Jaffe (D)	5.9	12,114
		Ryan Khojasteh (D)	4.6	9,498
		Barry Hermanson (G)	2.0	4,217
	Submit photo	Michael Goldstein (Independent)	1.4	2,820

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 206,382
= 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

• Chase Demasi (R)

See also

California	2024 primaries	2024 U.S. Congress elections
California congressional delegation Voting in California California elections: 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018	Democratic primary battlegrounds 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. Congress elections U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access

External links

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

California's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Alex Padilla (D)

Adam Schiff (D)

Representatives

District 1

Doug LaMalfa (R)

District 2

Jared Huffman (D)

District 3

Kevin Kiley (R)

District 4

Mike Thompson (D)

District 5

Tom McClintock (R)

District 6

Ami Bera (D)

District 7

Doris Matsui (D)

District 8

John Garamendi (D)

District 9

Josh Harder (D)

District 10

Mark DeSaulnier (D)

District 11

Nancy Pelosi (D)

District 12

Lateefah Simon (D)

District 13

Adam Gray (D)

District 14

Eric Swalwell (D)

District 15

Kevin Mullin (D)

District 16

Sam Liccardo (D)

District 17

Ro Khanna (D)

District 18

Zoe Lofgren (D)

District 19

Jimmy Panetta (D)

District 20

Vince Fong (R)

District 21

Jim Costa (D)

District 22

David Valadao (R)

District 23

Jay Obernolte (R)

District 24

Salud Carbajal (D)

District 25

Raul Ruiz (D)

District 26

Julia Brownley (D)

District 27

George Whitesides (D)

District 28

Judy Chu (D)

District 29

Luz Rivas (D)

District 30

Laura Friedman (D)

District 31

Gil Cisneros (D)

District 32

Brad Sherman (D)

District 33

Pete Aguilar (D)

District 34

Jimmy Gomez (D)

District 35

Norma Torres (D)

District 36

Ted Lieu (D)

District 37

Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D)

District 38

Linda Sánchez (D)

District 39

Mark Takano (D)

District 40

Young Kim (R)

District 41

Ken Calvert (R)

District 42

Robert Garcia (D)

District 43

Maxine Waters (D)

District 44

Nanette Barragán (D)

District 45

Derek Tran (D)

District 46

Lou Correa (D)

District 47

Dave Min (D)

District 48

Darrell Issa (R)

District 49

Mike Levin (D)

District 50

Scott Peters (D)

District 51

Sara Jacobs (D)

District 52

Juan Vargas (D)

Democratic Party (45)

Republican Party (9)

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond • Erica Shumaker
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Brianna Hosea • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox