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California's 23rd Congressional District election, 2026 (June 2 top-two primary)

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← 2024
California's 23rd Congressional District
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Top-two primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 6, 2026
Primary: June 2, 2026
General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times:

7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in California

Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
California's 23rd Congressional District
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California elections, 2026
U.S. Congress elections, 2026
U.S. Senate elections, 2026
U.S. House elections, 2026

A top-two primary takes place on June 2, 2026, in California's 23rd Congressional District to determine which two candidates will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.

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



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

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

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

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

This page focuses on California's 23rd 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 23

The following candidates are running in the primary for U.S. House California District 23 on June 2, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Jay Obernolte
Jay Obernolte (R)
Image of Tessa Lynn Hodge
Tessa Lynn Hodge (D)  Candidate Connection
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Karsten Nicholson (D)
Image of Pat Wallis
Pat Wallis (D)  Candidate Connection
Image of Karen Matthews
Karen Matthews (No party preference)  Candidate Connection
Image of Eli Owens
Eli Owens (No party preference)

Incumbents are bolded and underlined.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Image of Tessa Lynn Hodge

WebsiteFacebookYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "My name is Tessa Lynn Hodge, and I am running to represent California’s 23rd Congressional District. As a born and raised lifelong resident of the district, I am deeply connected to its values and its people. My roots in the district run deep. My grandfather served in the United States Air Force for 22 years before retiring to the High Desert. He later ran a small print shop in the city of Victorville. My grandmother worked as a registered nurse for over 30 years, with a majority of that healthcare service at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Apple Valley. That legacy of service in my family shaped me in so many ways. I have also been shaped by the community itself and by the opportunities and challenges that this vast district offers. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with almost a decade of experience working with vulnerable populations. From children in foster care, to students in need of mental health services in our school district. I’ve also worked in San Bernardino County incorporating state and federal legislation into county policy and guidelines for county workers. I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of legislation and policies on real lives and I know that now is the time to advocate for meaningful change. After years of serving my community as a social worker, I’m running for office to be a voice for my community, to ensure that every person, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to thrive. For me, it is about people over party."

Key Messages

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

Healthcare - No one should have to choose between their health and their paycheck. I will fight for Medicare for all while also working to expand healthcare services in our rural district. Healthcare is a right—not a privilege.

Jobs - Our district deserves jobs that pay a living wage, offer benefits, and create real career pathways. I will work to attract investment, support small businesses, strengthen labor protections, and expand workforce training so people can build their futures right here at home.

Housing Affordability - Teachers, nurses, first responders, and young families should be able to live in the communities they serve. I will push to expand affordable housing, protect renters, and cut red tape that drives up costs—so everyone has a safe, stable place to call home. Healthy families. Strong jobs. Affordable homes. That’s the future I’m fighting for.

Karen Matthews

Image of Karen Matthews

WebsiteFacebookX

Party: No party preference

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I am a doctor, a Navy veteran and I’ve owned a small business helping veterans with their disability examinations."

Key Messages

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

A government accountable to people. Not to the political parties that protect the broken status quo.

Healthcare you can afford. Congress gets the best care in the world. You should too.

Work that pays enough to live. Not "access to opportunity." Actual wages that match actual costs.

Pat Wallis

Image of Pat Wallis

WebsiteFacebookX

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I’m a veteran, family man, and systems builder with a record of service—from Army Engineer officer and Coast Guard civilian to Planning Commissioner and nonprofit president. Today, I lead the Innovation Lab at the world’s leading mapping company. I don’t just talk about the future; I build it. Throughout my career, I’ve engineered systems for those who respond when everything is at stake. Most families face a cost-of-living deficit of up to $66,000 chasing the American Dream. Raising my kids here, I’ve lived this challenge. Saving for retirement and our children’s future shouldn’t be a luxury. We must secure affordable housing and healthcare, lower taxes, and living-wage jobs. My priorities include cutting VA red tape so veterans get the care they earned, while expanding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. While 65% of our district is public land, federal budgets have been cut by 70% since 2011. Our communities pay the price through service cuts, wildfires, and soaring insurance costs. We must restore these budgets and enact a public option for disaster insurance. Additionally, we must prioritize diplomacy over forever wars, using military intervention only as a last resort. To make change stick, we must end corruption: • Term limits for Congress and federal judges • Eliminating crooked pardons • Stopping billionaire influence in elections • Restoring federal oversight and the rule of law Washington needs an innovator who fights for everyone. Visit: www.PatWallis.com"

Key Messages

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

We're living through a cost-of-living crisis generations in the making. We're working harder than ever, but grasping the American Dream is out of reach, as saving for the future has become a luxury most can't afford. For a family of four, buying a home, raising kids, paying for healthcare & homeowners' insurance, while saving for the kids' college & retirement leaves a yearly structural gap of up to $66,000. I'm fighting for a healthcare public option, down payment grants, rent protections, and lower homeowners insurance — real fixes, not tweaks. The system isn't just rigged, it's broken. I'm running because I refuse to accept that, and because I know by working together we can fix this.

Rising housing, healthcare, and homeowners’ insurance costs are hitting families at once. Investment speculators have bought up homes across our district, removing them from the market, pricing working families out. Predatory landlords are gouging renters who can't save for a down payment, let alone retirement. When families do manage to own, insurers are fleeing California—leaving skyrocketing premiums or no coverage. Meanwhile, drug companies charge Americans more than anywhere on earth, while rural hospitals close. I'm fighting to stop speculative investment in homes, protect renters, create a public disaster insurance option, a healthcare public option, cap drug costs, and keep our hospitals open. These are real solutions.

Corruption isn't a side issue. It's why these gaps exist and are growing. Unaffordable housing, sky-high drug prices & insurance costs are all solvable. But elected leaders in D.C. & their friends have no incentive to fix a system they're profiting from. They’re serving themselves, not us. When we start asking hard questions about our wallets, they flood the zone with chaos—manufactured crises, culture wars—anything to keep us from noticing how rigged the system is. I'm for term limits for Congress & federal judges. Elections free from billionaire dark money. No more crooked pardons. The rule of law is enforced equally for all, not just people without connections. It's time to elect leaders who'll build an America that works for all of us.

Voting information

See also: Voting in California

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

What is the voter registration deadline?

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

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

N/A

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

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

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

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

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

May 23, 2026 to June 1, 2026

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

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

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

Campaign finance

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Jay Obernolte Republican Party $851,058 $465,228 $1,383,670 As of December 31, 2025
Tessa Lynn Hodge Democratic Party $27,136 $24,946 $2,191 As of December 31, 2025
Karsten Nicholson Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Pat Wallis Democratic Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Karen Matthews No party preference $111,258 $53,962 $57,296 As of December 31, 2025
Eli Owens 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."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

District analysis

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

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


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

2024

2023_01_03_ca_congressional_district_023.jpg

2026

2027_01_03_ca_congressional_district_23.jpg
See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 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

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

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+8. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 8 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made California's 23rd the 158th most Republican 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.

2024 presidential results in California's 23rd Congressional District
Kamala Harris Democratic PartyDonald Trump Republican Party
39.1%58.3%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in California, 2024

California presidential election results (1900-2024)

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

Congressional delegation

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

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

State legislature

California State Senate

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

California State Assembly

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

Trifecta control

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

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

Ballot access

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

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

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ California Legislative Information, "California Constitution, Article II, Section 5," accessed October 29, 2025
  2. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Primary Elections in California," accessed October 29, 2025
  3. ↑ The New York Times, "California Voters Approved a New Map That Helps Democrats. Now What?" November 5, 2025
  4. ↑ ABC7, "Dueling campaigns launched in new California District 40 after Prop 50 passes," November 5, 2025
  5. ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
  6. ↑ Progressive Party


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


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