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California's 46th Congressional District election, 2026
All U.S. House districts, including the 46th Congressional District of California, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.
Candidates and election results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House California District 46
Incumbent Lou Correa, Christian Mendez, and David Pan are running in the general election for U.S. House California District 46 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Lou Correa (D) | ||
Christian Mendez (D) ![]() | ||
| David Pan (R) | ||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "My name is Christian Mendez. I'm a Democratic Socialist currently performing Data Science work as a job."
Voting information
- See also: Voting in California
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
| Collapse all
Christian Mendez (D)
Justice. You deserve to be safe in your communities. That means ICE should be abolished. ICE agents should go to prison for crimes committed and Trump and his Admin deserve to be investigated.
Equality. No matter who you are, you deserve an equal opportunity. I don't care if you're white, black, brown, Catholic, Jewish, Gay/Straight or Trans. You deserve an equal opportunity. You deserve to be treated like a valued Person.
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
Christian Mendez (D)
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lou Correa | Democratic Party | $699,533 | $263,170 | $2,303,726 | As of September 30, 2025 |
| Christian Mendez | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| David Pan | Republican Party | $31,483 | $17,246 | $17,116 | As of September 30, 2025 |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
General election race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[1]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[2][3][4]
| Race ratings: California's 46th Congressional District election, 2026 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| 12/23/2025 | 12/16/2025 | 12/9/2025 | 12/2/2025 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | |||||
| Decision Desk HQ and The Hill | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | Solid Democratic | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | 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 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in California, click here.
| Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| California | U.S. House | All candidates | 40-60 | $1,740 | 3/6/2026 | Source |
District history
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 46
Incumbent Lou Correa (D) defeated David Pan (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 46 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lou Correa (D) | 63.4 | 134,013 |
| | David Pan (R) | 36.6 | 77,279 | |
| Total votes: 211,292 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 46
Incumbent Lou Correa (D) and David Pan (R) advanced from the primary for U.S. House California District 46 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lou Correa (D) | 60.6 | 46,184 |
| ✔ | | David Pan (R) | 39.4 | 30,032 |
| Total votes: 76,216 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 46
Incumbent Lou Correa (D) defeated Christopher Gonzales (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 46 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lou Correa (D) | 61.8 | 78,041 |
| | Christopher Gonzales (R) | 38.2 | 48,257 | |
| Total votes: 126,298 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 46
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 46 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lou Correa (D) | 49.1 | 37,311 |
| ✔ | | Christopher Gonzales (R) | 15.6 | 11,823 |
| | Michael Ortega (D) ![]() | 12.3 | 9,311 | |
| | Mike Nguyen (R) | 12.1 | 9,162 | |
| | Felix Rocha (R) ![]() | 9.3 | 7,084 | |
| | Ed Rushman (Independent) ![]() | 1.7 | 1,264 | |
| Total votes: 75,955 | ||||
= 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
- Jesus Ruvalcaba (D)
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 46
Incumbent Lou Correa (D) defeated James Waters (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 46 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lou Correa (D) | 68.8 | 157,803 |
| | James Waters (R) ![]() | 31.2 | 71,716 | |
| Total votes: 229,519 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 46
Incumbent Lou Correa (D) and James Waters (R) defeated Pablo Mendiolea (D), Ed Rushman (Independent), and Will Johnson (Independent) in the primary for U.S. House California District 46 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lou Correa (D) | 58.2 | 60,095 |
| ✔ | | James Waters (R) ![]() | 27.4 | 28,302 |
| | Pablo Mendiolea (D) | 9.0 | 9,257 | |
| | Ed Rushman (Independent) ![]() | 3.2 | 3,288 | |
| | Will Johnson (Independent) ![]() | 2.3 | 2,380 | |
| Total votes: 103,322 | ||||
= 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
- Hilaire Shioura (Independent)
District analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.
- District map - A map of the district before and after redistricting ahead of the 2026 election.
- Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
- State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
Below is the district map used in the 2024 election next to the map in place for the 2026 election. Click on a map below to enlarge it.
2024

2026

Partisan Voter Index
Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is D+11. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 11 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 46th the 123rd most Democratic district nationally.[5]
2020 presidential election results
The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.
| Kamala Harris |
Donald Trump |
|---|---|
| 56.5% | 40.3% |
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 October 2025.
| 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 October 2025.
| Office | Officeholder |
|---|---|
| Governor | |
| Lieutenant Governor | |
| Secretary of State | |
| Attorney General |
State legislature
California State Senate
| Party | As of October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 30 | |
| Republican Party | 10 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | |
California State Assembly
| Party | As of October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 60 | |
| Republican Party | 20 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 80 | |
Trifecta control
California Party Control: 1992-2025
Twenty years with Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Assembly | D | D | D | S | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
- ↑ Progressive Party
