California's 21st Congressional District election, 2026 (June 2 top-two primary)
A top-two primary takes place on June 2, 2026, in California's 21st 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 |
|---|---|---|
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 21st 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
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 21
The following candidates are running in the primary for U.S. House California District 21 on June 2, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Jim Costa (D) | |
 | Eric Garcia (D) | |
 | Lourin Hubbard (D) | |
 | Kyle Kirkland (R) | |
 | Lorenzo Rios (R)  | |
| Lance Kruse (No party preference) | ||
| ||||
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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 am a husband, a father, a man of faith, a combat veteran, and a public servant committed to protecting the American Dream in California’s Central Valley. I served 23 years in uniform, leading soldiers in combat and making decisions where lives were on the line. That experience shaped my belief that leadership requires accountability and results. After retiring, I continued my service as CEO of the Clovis Veterans Memorial District, delivering results for veterans, families, and our community—expanding programs, strengthening partnerships, and honoring those who served. I have taught leadership at West Point and Fresno State and mentored youth through the Boy Scouts of America as a Scoutmaster and Charter Organization Representative. I serve as President of the California Special District Association and previously served as a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, working across all levels of government to deliver results. I am running for Congress to bring a strong voice for the entire Valley—including our immigrant communities. I speak both English and Spanish and believe in opportunity, dignity, and results for every family. I came to this country as a child and worked alongside my family in the fields. The American Dream changed my life—and I am committed to protecting it for the next generation."
Voting information
- See also: Voting in California
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Costa | Democratic Party | $823,251 | $344,371 | $687,763 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Eric Garcia | Democratic Party | $593 | $0 | $593 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Lourin Hubbard | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Kyle Kirkland | Republican Party | $108,195 | $77,546 | $30,648 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Lorenzo Rios | Republican Party | $291,853 | $143,626 | $148,227 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Lance Kruse | No party preference | $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." |
|||||
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
This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in California.
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in California in 2026. Information below was calculated on March 6, 2026, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
A record 289 candidates, 5.6 per district, ran for California's 52 congressional districts in the state's June 2 top-two primaries. That was the most candidates to run for the U.S. House since 2014 and the most candidates per district since 2022, when California was apportioned 52 districts following the 2020 census.
These primaries happened against the backdrop of mid-decade redistricting. On Nov. 4, 2025, California voters approved Proposition 50 64.4% to 35.6%. The constitutional amendment allowed the state to use a new, Legislature-drawn congressional district map for 2026 through 2030.
According to The New York Times' Kellen Browning, the new congressional map made five Republican-held districts more favorable to Democrats.[3] As of April 6, 2026, California's U.S. House delegation included 43 Democrats, seven Republicans, one independent, and one vacancy.
Of the 289 candidates who ran, 154 were Democrats, 97 Republicans, and 38 independent or minor-party candidates. The chart below shows the total number of candidates who ran and the number per district compared to previous years.
That's because in 2026, California used a top-two primary system, in which all candidates were listed on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of their partisan affiliations, advanced to the general election. Consequently, two candidates from the same political party could win in a top-two primary and face off in the general election. In 2024, two Democrats advanced to the general election in California's 12th, 16th, and 34th Congressional Districts. Two Republicans advanced to the general election that year in the 20th Congressional District.
Forty-eight primaries were contested in 2026. There were 42 contested primaries in 2024, 52 in 2022, 47 in 2020, 41 in 2018, 40 in 2016, and 38 in 2014.
Incumbents ran in 42 of those contested primaries. Those incumbents include 36 Democrats, five Republicans, and Rep. Kevin Kiley (I). That's the second-highest number of incumbents who faced primary challengers since 2014. Thirty-six incumbents faced primary challengers in 2024, 47 in 2022, 32 in 2020, 39 in 2018, 36 in 2016, and 32 in 2014.
For two incumbents, their primary challengers were each other. Representatives Ken Calvert (R-41) and Young Kim (R-40) ran against each other in the redrawn 40th Congressional District. According to ABC7's Josh Haskell, Calvert represented 51% of the new district, and Kim represented 35%.[4] As of April 6, 2026, the 40th Congressional District and Texas' 18th Congressional District were the only two U.S. House districts in which two incumbents ran for re-election. Texas also conducted mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 congressional elections.
Six U.S. House districts were open in 2026. Seven districts were open in 2024, five in 2022, four in 2020, two in 2018, four in 2016, and six in 2014.
Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-11), Julia Brownley (D-26), and Darrell Issa (R-48) retired from public office. Representative Eric Swalwell (D-14) ran for governor of California. The 1st Congressional District was vacant due to the death of Doug LaMalfa (R). The 38th Congressional District was open because Rep. Linda Sánchez (D) ran for the 41st Congressional District.
Two districts with incumbent retirements attracted a high number of candidates. Twelve candidates — nine Democrats, two Republicans, and one independent — ran for the open 48th Congressional District. That's the most candidates who ran for any district in California in 2026. The district with the second-most candidates running — the 11th Congressional District — was also open because the incumbent retired. Eleven candidates — eight Democrats, two Republicans, and one independent — ran in that district.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 21st the 173rd most Democratic district nationally.[5]
2024 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  |
|---|---|
| 51.7% | 45.6% |
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 March 2026.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from California | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 2 | 43 | 45 |
| Republican | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Independent | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 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 | Gavin Newsom |
| Lieutenant Governor | Eleni Kounalakis |
| Secretary of State | Shirley Weber |
| Attorney General | 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
- California's 21st Congressional District election, 2026
- United States House elections in California, 2026 (June 2 top-two primaries)
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2026
- U.S. House battlegrounds, 2026
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ California Legislative Information, "California Constitution, Article II, Section 5," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed October 29, 2025
- ↑ The New York Times, "California Voters Approved a New Map That Helps Democrats. Now What?," November 5, 2025
- ↑ ABC7, "Dueling campaigns launched in new California District 40 after Prop 50 passes," November 5, 2025
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
- ↑ Progressive Party
