California's 7th Congressional District election, 2026
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| California's 7th Congressional District |
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| General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 6, 2026 |
| Primary: Pending General: November 3, 2026 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times:
7 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Race ratings |
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending 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, 2026 |
| See also |
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All U.S. House districts, including the 7th 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 7
Incumbent Doris Matsui, Erica Lee, Robert Morin, and Enayat Nazhat are running in the general election for U.S. House California District 7 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Doris Matsui (D) | |
 | Erica Lee (D)  | |
 | Robert Morin (D) | |
 | Enayat Nazhat (D) | |
| ||||
| = 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: "I’m a fifth-generation Sacramentan and proud Sacramento State graduate running to represent the working class in Congress. I’ve served as a state worker, organizer, and caregiver—and I know firsthand the struggles working people face. Today, just 2% of Congress comes from working-class backgrounds while most members remain beholden to special interests and corporate donors. I left the incumbent’s district to work in Washington, D.C., after losing my mother to cancer. I focused on healthcare policy, continuing to support healthcare organizations as they advocate for legislative change. My father, a disabled Vietnam veteran, dedicated his life to ensuring Californians had access to quality healthcare. I intend to carry on his legacy by fighting for universal healthcare, a livable wage, housing for all, bold climate action, and real campaign finance reform. I’ve worked on numerous progressive campaigns and have seen how urgently we need to get money out of politics. I’m not running for another term—I’m running for YOU."
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.
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Erica Lee (D)
We need universal healthcare—now. Countries with national healthcare systems consistently achieve better health outcomes while spending far less than the United States. I've experienced the failures of our system firsthand: despite having insurance, I was forced to pay thousands out-of-pocket for necessary medical care. When my mother was dying, the insurance company she had paid into for years tried to remove her from the hospital because she was "taking too long to die." No one should have to endure that. It’s time for a healthcare system that puts people before profits—one that is compassionate, affordable, and truly accessible to all.
Our planet's health is teetering on the point of no return, and we’re running out of time. We’re also facing a climate crisis that can’t wait and we’re already behind—but we still have a chance to act. Bold, urgent climate action is essential to securing a livable future for today’s children and generations to come.
Erica Lee (D)
Erica Lee (D)
Erica Lee (D)
Erica Lee (D)
Erica Lee (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doris Matsui | Democratic Party | $366,214 | $153,023 | $519,859 | As of June 30, 2025 |
| Erica Lee | Democratic Party | $10,265 | $5,508 | $4,757 | As of June 30, 2025 |
| Robert Morin | Democratic Party | $10,949 | $0 | $10,949 | As of June 30, 2025 |
| Enayat Nazhat | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
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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." |
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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 7th Congressional District election, 2026 | |||||||||
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| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| 9/2/2025 | 8/26/2025 | 8/19/2025 | 8/12/2025 | ||||||
| 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
This section will contain information on ballot access related to this state's elections when it is available.
District history
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.
2024
See also: California's 7th Congressional District election, 2024
California's 7th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 7
Incumbent Doris Matsui defeated Tom Silva in the general election for U.S. House California District 7 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Doris Matsui (D) | 66.8 | 197,429 |
 | Tom Silva (R) | 33.2 | 98,341 | |
| Total votes: 295,770 | |||
| = 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 7
Incumbent Doris Matsui and Tom Silva defeated David Mandel in the primary for U.S. House California District 7 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Doris Matsui (D) | 56.5 | 89,485 |
| ✔ | | Tom Silva (R) | 30.9 | 48,943 |
 | David Mandel (D) | 12.7 | 20,057 | |
| Total votes: 158,485 | |||
| = 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
- Max Semenenko (R)
2022
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 7
Incumbent Doris Matsui defeated Max Semenenko in the general election for U.S. House California District 7 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Doris Matsui (D) | 68.3 | 150,618 |
 | Max Semenenko (R) | 31.7 | 70,033 | |
| Total votes: 220,651 | |||
| = 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 7
Incumbent Doris Matsui and Max Semenenko defeated Jimmy Fremgen in the primary for U.S. House California District 7 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Doris Matsui (D) | 63.2 | 94,896 |
| ✔ | | Max Semenenko (R) | 28.5 | 42,728 |
 | Jimmy Fremgen (D) | 8.4 | 12,550 | |
| Total votes: 150,174 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
2020
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 7
Incumbent Ami Bera defeated Buzz Patterson in the general election for U.S. House California District 7 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ami Bera (D) | 56.6 | 217,416 |
 | Buzz Patterson (R) | 43.4 | 166,549 | |
| Total votes: 383,965 | |||
| = 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 7
Incumbent Ami Bera and Buzz Patterson defeated Jeff Burdick, Jon Ivy, and Chris Richardson in the primary for U.S. House California District 7 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ami Bera (D) | 50.3 | 106,124 |
| ✔ | | Buzz Patterson (R) | 33.6 | 70,803 |
 | Jeff Burdick (D) | 7.2 | 15,114 | |
 | Jon Ivy (R) | 6.6 | 14,017 | |
 | Chris Richardson (G) | 2.3 | 4,837 | |
| Total votes: 210,895 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
District analysis
This section will contain facts and figures related to this district's elections when those are available.
See also
| California | 2026 primaries | 2026 U.S. Congress elections |
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Voting in California California elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
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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
