California's 4th Congressional District election, 2026 (June 2 top-two primary)
Three Democrats, four Republicans, and one independent candidate are running in the top-two primary for California's 4th Congressional District on June 2, 2026. As of March 2026, incumbent Mike Thompson (D) and Eric Jones (D) led in fundraising and local media attention.[1][2]
Local political observers describe the primary in terms of the ideological and generational contrast between Thompson and Jones. The San Francisco Chronicle's Joe Garofali described the primary as "another example of a younger, well-funded Bay Area Democrat taking on an entrenched candidate as the Democratic Party grapples with how to win back voters," referring to the party's losses at the national level in the 2024 elections.[2] Politico's Jeremy B. White said Jones is "hoping to exploit a rapidly shifting media landscape that makes it easier for lesser-known candidates to break through, as Zohran Mamdani did in New York’s mayoral primary with viral campaign videos."[3] The Press Democrat's Phil Barber said, "Democrats hold an overwhelming edge in voter registration in the district, so the June primary is set to decide the likely frontrunner in the November election."[4]
Thompson was first elected to the House in 1998. He earlier served eight years in the California Senate. Thompson is a vineyard owner. Thompson says he is running because "[w]ith the outcome of the last election and what’s happened since then with this (Donald Trump) administration and the Republican majority, it’s absolutely imperative that I continue the work I’ve started," referring to his position on the House Ways and Means Committee.[1] The Democratic Party of California endorsed Thompson.[5]
Jones is a former executive at an investment firm and the founder of the American Dream Institute, a group describing itself as "a first-of-its-kind digital engagement engine dedicated to helping the Democratic Party rebuild trust with young working Americans."[6] Jones says he is running "to restore the American Dream for every family — not just the wealthy few."[7] Our Revolution, an organization that advocates for the policies of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), endorsed Jones.[8]
Also running in the primary are Trevor Merrell (D), Sharon Brown (R), Heath Fulkerson (R), Mandy Ghusar (R), Laurie MacKenzie (R), and John Wesley Tyler (I).
In a top-two primary, all candidates running for a given office appear on the same ballot. The top two finishers—regardless of partisan affiliation—advance to the general election. One Democrat and one Republican have advanced from every top-two primary in the 4th District since 2016.
The primary is taking place in the context of redistricting in California that changed the 4th District's boundaries from those used in 2024. Inside Elections' Nathaniel Rakich said the 2026 version of the 4th District favors Democrats overall but does so by a narrower margin than the district lines in use in 2024.[9] As of March 2026, major election forecasters rated the general election Solid/Safe Democratic.
Trevor Merrell (D), John Wesley Tyler (No party preference), and Chuck Uribe (R) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.
This page focuses on California's 4th 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
Note: The following list of candidates is unofficial. The filing deadline for this election has passed, and Ballotpedia is working to update this page with the official candidate list. This note will be removed once the official candidate list has been added.
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 4
The following candidates are running in the primary for U.S. House California District 4 on June 2, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Mike Thompson (D) | |
 | Eric Jones (D) | |
Trevor Merrell (D)  | ||
| Sharon Brown (R) | ||
 | Heath Fulkerson (R) | |
| Mandy Ghusar (R) | ||
| Laurie MacKenzie (R) | ||
 | Raymond Riehle (R) | |
| Chuck Uribe (R) | ||
 | John Wesley Tyler (No party preference) | |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
Voting information
- See also: Voting in California
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: Yes
Political Office:
- U.S. House of Representatives (Assumed office: 1999)
- California State Senate (1990–1998)
Biography: Thompson obtained a bachelor's and a master's degree from California State University, Chico. Thompson served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. As of the 2026 elections, he owned a vineyard.
Show sources
Sources: Mike Thompson campaign website, "Congressman Mike Thompson Announces Re-Election Campaign, Hundreds Attend," September 13, 2025; Mike Thompson campaign website, "Biography," accessed March 9, 2026; Mike Thompson campaign website, "Biography," accessed March 9, 2026; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "THOMPSON, Michael," accessed March 9, 2026
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Jones obtained a bachelor's degree from Yale University. Jones was a partner at Dragoneer Investment Group. Jones is the founder of the Rachel and Eric Jones Foundation and of the American Dream Institute, an organization his campaign website described as "committed to countering partisan extremism, political disinformation, and the forces that seek to undermine democracy, while promoting a forward-looking, aspirational vision for the country."
Show sources
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Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Party: No party preference
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I was born in 1966 in rural Sutter County north of Sacramento. I had a middle-class childhood, grew up on farms usually near the river. Here I learned to swim, to fish, to hunt and survive. I worked hard as a child every summer. I was picking corn and peaches when I was twelve and was a full ranch hand by sixteen. I graduated high school near the top of my class in 1983. After a failed attempt at college, I joined the working class and landed on Custom Car Stereo and Cell Phone Installations. I returned to college in 1998, studying Communication and Philosophy at Fresno State. Joining the FSU debate team brought me to a career in local government as an Administrative Analyst for the City of Lemoore, in Kings County, CA. For seven years, I was in charge of multiple top-level projects and city management responsibilities. I drafted legislation, wrote millions of dollars' worth of grants, administered large public construction projects, managed the human resources department and oversaw the health care benefits for nearly 200 employees. I learned government from the inside out. I also taught night classes then in Argumentation & Debate and Public Speaking at the local junior college. In 2009 I decided to change careers once more to become a teacher full time. After Credentialing in Sacramento, I landed a job teaching 6th grade math and science in Clearlake. In 2017, I left grammar school and became the Automotive Instructor at Lower Lake High School for the same district."
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Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I am Chuck Uribe and I'm running for California's 4th Congressional District. I am a 40 year classroom teacher, a sitting elected school board member (separate school district), and military veteran. I have extensive experience living, working, and going to school overseas."
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.
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Trevor Merrell (D)
These massive complexes generate billions of dollars in profits for Silicon Valley billionaires and the politicians they have paid off. In exchange, they offer us tap water filled with toxic chemicals, power bills dramatically higher than the already-absurd ones we currently pay, and the rapid automation of our jobs.
I will refuse that offer on your behalf.
As both a former nursing assistant and a Case Manager for adults with disabilities, I have worked many long nights on hospital floors. I’ve watched our broken healthcare system reduce human beings to numbers on a balance sheet in the most vulnerable moments of their entire lives. We need to move to a single-payer system where patients and providers come first, not shareholders.
I strongly support Medicare for All, including coverage for dental, hearing, vision, mental health, and in-home care. Our seniors deserve to retire in dignity, and in the company of the people they love.
Lastly, I support a national mobilization to combat chronic disease by investing in preventative care and banning toxic chemicals from our food.
I have lived here my entire life. I know the pain of fleeing your home in the middle of the night to escape a fire caused by PG&E. I know the fear that grips you when you step outside and smell smoke in the air. It is unacceptable to me that our current leaders have taken their bribes and allowed their executives to get away with paying fines and settlements instead of serving time behind bars. We need to criminally charge PG&E executives and bring their infrastructure into public ownership.
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
I hold out great hope for a peaceful world. Wars are not inevitable; they are manufactured by those who would profit from them. We can bring down spending in government by limiting the manufacture, purchase and use of military weapons around the world. We can better solve for the real problems that face our planet by refocusing our resources where they will do the most good. Money spent on changing the health care system, changing the way we educate our kids, changing the way we deal with corporations, changing the way we pay taxes, changing the way we feed the hungry and house the poor...these are monies well spent.
We have to come together as a human race to balance out the power structure that is growing ever larger and becoming ever more entrenched as we speak. If we do not come together as one people and put aside our differences for the good of all of humanity, then the machine world and those who control the AI will take our humanity from us.
Chuck Uribe (R)
I will protect our valuable resources by enhancing federal oversight of wildfire prevention and suppression. Additionally, I will champion deliberate water storage strategies to better manage our water resources and mitigate the impacts of both floods and droughts.
While so much of California's crippling cost of living is the combined result of so many factors, as your representative in Congress, I would propose several solutions, to include: the expansion of federal earned income tax credits, tax credits tied to residential and commercial energy bills, as well as limiting corporate purchasing of single family homes.
Trevor Merrell (D)
If you elect me to Congress, I will fight to:
1. Ban Wall Street investors from buying up single-family homes. 2. Cap credit card interest rates at 10%. 3. Ban members of Congress and their families from trading stocks and crypto for life. 4. Repeal Citizens United and create a public campaign finance system. 5. Cap overdraft fees at $3.
6. Implement paid family and medical leave nationwide.
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
Chuck Uribe (R)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
Not only was Carl Sagan a renowned scientist and professor, but a lover of nature and conservationist as well; two traits that I greatly admire and try to have within myself. Sagan was also, from very early on, sounding the alarm on Climate Change. Even in the 70's, his programs were geared toward the idea that the problems associated with a quickly changing climate were due, in fact, to the destructive human behaviors of the last full century. He was not afraid to stand up to the government or the fossil fuel industry and insist that they change their practices or risk destroying what is left of a environmentally balanced system.
Sagan was a pioneer, a visionary, and he didn't allow his own insecurities to stop him from achieving his goals and dreams. He was able to do the work that he loved, educating people about the wonders of the Universe and advocating for the Planet, right up until he died. For those reasons, Carl Sagan is an inspiration to me as an educator and as a human being. I look forward to putting into practice the guiding principles I learned from his work.
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
For its science, I love the book "Irreducible" by Frederico Faggin.
For its optimism, I always recommend the movie "Interstellar" by Christopher Nolan.
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
2) To problem solve and legislate with integrity, to seek out common ground for the good of the many.
3) To be vigilant in resisting the influence of the lobbyist, the corporate donor, the oligarch, the technocrat & the authoritarian.
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
I appreciate Sagan for a number of reasons. First, through the TV program COSMOS, this revolutionary Teacher and Scientist brought the wonders of the Universe right into my living room. I learned to love nature and astronomy, and this is probably one of the reasons that I became a science teacher myself. To me, Dr. Sagan made the most difficult concepts accessible to everyone and I still strive to do that every day for my students.
Not only was Carl Sagan a renowned scientist and professor, but a lover of nature and conservationist as well; two traits that I greatly admire and try to have within myself. Sagan was also, from very early on, sounding the alarm on Climate Change. Even in the 70's, his programs were geared toward the idea that the problems associated with a quickly changing climate were due, in fact, to the destructive human behaviors of the last full century. He was not afraid to stand up to the government or the fossil fuel industry and insist that they change their practices or risk destroying what is left of an environmentally balanced system.
Sagan was a pioneer, a visionary, and he didn't allow his own insecurities to stop him from achieving his goals and dreams. He was able to do the work that he loved, educating people about the wonders of the Universe and advocating for the Planet, right up until he died. For those reasons, Carl Sagan is an inspiration to me as an educator and as a human being. I look forward to putting into practice the guiding principles I learned from his work.
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
However, that does not mean that a professional politician incumbent is automatically a better choice. There are a number of brand new, politically inexperienced voices in Washington right now doing a great job representing their constituents. The best candidate is not the complete novice, nor the entrenched career politician. The ideal candidate has a blend of public service in the highest levels of local government and the real-world experience that is gained only by being a life-long part of the working class and small business community.
Fortunately, I have that exact blend of public service and experience that will allow me to represent all the people of the 4th District in a way that no other candidate in the race can do.
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
2. Science, Space and Technology: I'm a Science Teacher and someone that loves the study of the Universe. There is no question that I would ask to serve on this committee. Space science and the exploration of the Universe will undoubtedly reveal undiscovered secrets that will help bring us into the future. I would always be ready to ensure that NASA and NOAA were fully funded and that the United States was consistently involved in cooperative efforts with other space exploring nations of the world to make our planet a less mysterious place and to create a common goal that would work to reduce Geo-political tensions around the world. Space cannot be made into the next war-making frontier. I will work to make sure that does not happen.
3. Transportation and Infrastructure: I also see the world through the eyes of an Auto Shop teacher. Therefore, the field of transportation, with the onset of electric cars, as well as the distribution of renewable electricity to every person in this nation are both areas that interest me greatly, especially because of our potential for advancement and the positive benefits for the planet. I would make sure that High Speed Internet was available across the nation and in rural areas. I would fight for a Renewable-Based Infrastructure to supply the entire nation with clean energy for little or no cost and I would promote the remake of our automotive and trucking industries into fully electric derivatives.
John Wesley Tyler (No party preference)
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign ads
This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.
Mike Thompson
Eric Jones
Endorsements
Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
| Top-two primary endorsements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Endorser | Mike Thompson | Eric Jones
|
| Organizations | ||
| Democratic Party of California source | ✔ | |
| Our Revolution source | ✔ | |
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from RealClearPolitics, when available. We will regularly check for polling aggregation for this race and add polls here once available. To notify us of polls available for this race, please email us.
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.[10]
- 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.[11][12][13]
| Race ratings: California's 4th Congressional District election, 2026 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| 3/17/2026 | 3/10/2026 | 3/3/2026 | 2/24/2026 | ||||||
| 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. | |||||||||
Campaign finance
Candidate spending
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Thompson | Democratic Party | $2,037,569 | $1,313,154 | $1,933,903 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Eric Jones | Democratic Party | $2,591,551 | $789,151 | $1,802,400 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Trevor Merrell | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Sharon Brown | Republican Party | $7,000 | $2,780 | $4,220 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Heath Fulkerson | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Mandy Ghusar | Republican Party | $7,000 | $3,789 | $3,211 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Laurie MacKenzie | Republican Party | $7,000 | $2,780 | $4,220 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Raymond Riehle | Republican Party | $90,180 | $75,019 | $15,701 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Chuck Uribe | Republican Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| John Wesley Tyler | No party preference | $1,385 | $1,337 | $48 | As of December 31, 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." |
|||||
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[14][15][16]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
| By candidate | By election |
|---|---|
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+17. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 17 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 4th the 84th most Democratic district nationally.[17]
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  |
|---|---|
| 55.8% | 41.2% |
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[18] | 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 |
District election history
2024
See also: California's 4th Congressional District election, 2024
California's 4th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 4
Incumbent Mike Thompson defeated John Munn in the general election for U.S. House California District 4 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Thompson (D) | 66.5 | 227,730 |
 | John Munn (R) | 33.5 | 114,950 | |
| Total votes: 342,680 | |||
| = 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 4
Incumbent Mike Thompson and John Munn defeated Andrew Engdahl and Niket Patwardhan in the primary for U.S. House California District 4 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Thompson (D) | 62.5 | 120,736 |
| ✔ | | John Munn (R) | 30.4 | 58,787 |
 | Andrew Engdahl (D) | 6.0 | 11,492 | |
 | Niket Patwardhan (No party preference) | 1.1 | 2,116 | |
| Total votes: 193,131 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Matt Brock (R)
2022
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 4
Incumbent Mike Thompson defeated Matt Brock in the general election for U.S. House California District 4 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Thompson (D) | 67.8 | 176,900 |
 | Matt Brock (R) | 32.2 | 84,007 | |
| Total votes: 260,907 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 4
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 4 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Thompson (D) | 66.2 | 115,041 |
| ✔ | | Matt Brock (R) | 16.3 | 28,260 |
 | Scott Giblin (R) | 9.7 | 16,914 | |
| Andrew Engdahl (D) | 5.0 | 8,634 | |
 | Jason Kishineff (Independent) | 1.4 | 2,477 | |
| Jimih Jones (R) | 1.4 | 2,363 | ||
| Seth Newman (No party preference) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 15 | ||
| Total votes: 173,704 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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2020
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 4
Incumbent Tom McClintock defeated Brynne Kennedy in the general election for U.S. House California District 4 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tom McClintock (R) | 55.9 | 247,291 |
 | Brynne Kennedy (D) | 44.1 | 194,731 | |
| Total votes: 442,022 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 4
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 4 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tom McClintock (R) | 50.7 | 141,244 |
| ✔ | | Brynne Kennedy (D) | 39.8 | 110,771 |
 | Julianne Benzel (R) | 4.4 | 12,138 | |
 | Robert Lawton (Independent) | 1.7 | 4,848 | |
 | Jamie Byers (R) | 1.7 | 4,822 | |
 | Jacob Thomas (R) | 1.6 | 4,527 | |
| Total votes: 278,350 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Earlier results
To view the electoral history dating back to 1990 for the office of California's 4th Congressional District, click [show] to expand the section. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2018 General electionGeneral election for U.S. House California District 4Incumbent Tom McClintock defeated Jessica Morse in the general election for U.S. House California District 4 on November 6, 2018.
Nonpartisan primary electionNonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 4The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 4 on June 5, 2018.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
2016 Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Tom McClintock (R) defeated Bob Derlet (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. McClintock and Derlet defeated Sean White (D) in the top-two primary on June 7, 2016.[19][20]
2014 The 4th Congressional District of California held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Tom McClintock (R) defeated Art Moore (R) in the general election.
2012 The 4th Congressional District of California held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Tom McClintock won re-election in the district.[21]
2010
2008
2006
2004
2002
2000
1998
1996
1994
1992
1990
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Ballot access requirements
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 |
2026 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This is a battleground election. Other 2026 battleground elections include:
- Texas' 38th Congressional District election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)
- Arizona Supreme Court elections, 2026
- United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2026 (August 11 Democratic primary)
See also
- California's 4th 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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Press Democrat, "Why rival Democrat Eric Jones thinks he can unseat Mike Thompson, North Bay's senior congressman," September 9, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The San Francisco Chronicle, "Another longtime Bay Area House member is getting an intraparty challenge," September 9, 2025
- ↑ Politico, "Dems unleash House primary challenges in war on gerontocracy," September 16, 2025
- ↑ The Press Democrat, "U.S. Capitol police: Member of Eric Jones’ campaign investigated for surveilling Mike Thompson’s Napa County home," December 4, 2025
- ↑ Democratic Party of California, "2026 Primary Election Endorsements," February 22, 2026
- ↑ Yahoo Finance, "American Dream Institute Launches to Help Progressives Win Back Young Americans," August 22, 2025
- ↑ Eric Jones campaign website, "Home page," accessed March 9, 2026
- ↑ Facebook, "Our Revolution on February 23, 2026," accessed March 9, 2026
- ↑ Inside Elections, "A Detailed Analysis of California’s (Maybe) New Congressional Map," August 21, 2025
- ↑ 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
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
- ↑ Progressive Party
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices June 7, 2016, Presidential Primary Election," accessed April 4, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "California Primary Results," June 7, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, California," accessed August 15, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1998," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 1996," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 8, 1994," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1992," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1990," accessed March 28, 2013
