Michael Maher (California)
Michael Maher (Republican Party) is running for election to the California State Senate to represent District 12. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Biography
Michael Maher was born in California and grew up in Tulare. Maher graduated from Tulare Union High School in 2001. He served in the U.S. Navy from 2001 to 2005. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy’s Preparatory School, Fresno Pacific University, the FBI Academy at Quantico, and the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power School. Maher also completed the Senior Executive Fellows program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. His career experience includes working as an FBI special agent, working in the construction industry, and owning an aviation business. Maher has served as a member of the Naval War College Foundation, The Pacific Council on International Policy, the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, the Overseas Security Advisory Council, and the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: California State Senate elections, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for California State Senate District 12
Michael Maher is running in the general election for California State Senate District 12 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Michael Maher (R) | |
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Endorsements
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2024
See also: California's 21st Congressional District election, 2024
California's 21st Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 21
Incumbent Jim Costa defeated Michael Maher in the general election for U.S. House California District 21 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jim Costa (D) | 52.6 | 102,798 |
| Michael Maher (R) | 47.4 | 92,733 | |
| Total votes: 195,531 | |||
| = 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 21
Incumbent Jim Costa and Michael Maher advanced from the primary for U.S. House California District 21 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Costa (D) | 53.0 | 42,697 |
| ✔ | | Michael Maher (R) | 47.0 | 37,935 |
| Total votes: 80,632 | |||
| = 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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Endorsements
Maher received the following endorsements.
Pledges
Maher signed the following pledges.
2022
Special election
See also: California's 22nd Congressional District special election, 2022
California's 22nd Congressional District special election, 2022 (April 5 top-two primary)
General election
Special general election for U.S. House California District 22
Connie Conway defeated Lourin Hubbard in the special general election for U.S. House California District 22 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Connie Conway (R) | 62.1 | 71,720 |
 | Lourin Hubbard (D) | 37.9 | 43,701 | |
| Total votes: 115,421 | |||
| = 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
Special nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 22
The following candidates ran in the special primary for U.S. House California District 22 on April 5, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Connie Conway (R) | 35.1 | 30,559 |
| ✔ | | Lourin Hubbard (D) | 19.4 | 16,905 |
 | Matt Stoll (R) | 16.2 | 14,075 | |
 | Eric Garcia (D) | 14.4 | 12,556 | |
| Michael Maher (R) | 8.7 | 7,619 | |
 | Elizabeth Heng (R) | 6.2 | 5,391 | |
| Total votes: 87,105 | |||
| = 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
- Nathan Magsig (R)
Regular election
See also: California's 21st Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 21
Incumbent Jim Costa defeated Michael Maher in the general election for U.S. House California District 21 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Costa (D) | 54.2 | 68,074 |
| Michael Maher (R) | 45.8 | 57,573 | |
| Total votes: 125,647 | |||
| = 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 21
Incumbent Jim Costa and Michael Maher defeated Matt Stoll and Eric Garcia in the primary for U.S. House California District 21 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Costa (D) | 47.0 | 33,850 |
| ✔ | | Michael Maher (R) | 26.4 | 19,040 |
| Matt Stoll (R) | 16.6 | 11,931 | |
| Eric Garcia (D) | 10.0 | 7,239 | |
| Total votes: 72,060 | |||
| = 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
- Bryan Osorio (D)
- Angel Lara (D)
- Nicole Parra (D)
- Martha Flores-Gibson (R)
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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2024
Michael Maher did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Maher's campaign website stated the following:
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Fighting Inflation and Making Life More Affordable Making life more affordable for Valley families is Michael's highest priority. The high cost of gas and energy in California makes everything more expensive—from housing and groceries to medical expenses like prescription drugs. Michael supports common sense and responsible management of America's own energy resources. He believes our Central Valley can lead the way for California in sustainable and renewable energy production, taking a leading role in the clean energy revolution. We should be using the resources and abundant fuels available to us in California, where we pay high wages under strict environmental and safety standards, instead of importing from overseas, where labor, environmental, and safety standards are abusive. The inflation crisis is the result of mismanagement by our politicians in Washington—overspending and backward policies that have made things worse. Michael, a businessman, will bring his background to end wasteful spending, fraud, and abuse in the federal budget. Bringing Good-Paying Jobs to the Valley As our Congressman, Michael will put his business experience and global relationships to work for our Valley, attracting new industries and opportunities, bringing new careers and high-paying jobs to the Valley—jobs that will make families financially secure. Michael is focused on supporting our farms and small businesses, which are the backbone of the Valley’s economy. He advocates for lowering taxes, reducing bureaucratic fees, and cutting intrusive federal regulations that hinder innovation and growth. Michael will fight to bring real funding that is equitable with what should be coming to a district that has the 33rd largest city in the nation and agricultural production that feeds the world. Real support will provide a safety net for our commodities, protecting the jobs of our farmworkers and enabling major infrastructure development in water treatment, production, delivery, and storage. Keeping Our Communities Safe Michael is deeply concerned about the rising crime rates in our community. As a dedicated husband and father of two boys, he understands the importance of ensuring that families can walk safely in their neighborhoods, day or night. Michael has worked shoulder to shoulder with local law enforcement. He will work to strengthen our laws in the fight against human trafficking, fentanyl, drugs, and weapons trafficking. He is committed to standing with our law enforcement officers, mental health, and public safety professionals, providing them with the resources and support they need to protect our communities. Social Security, Medicare & Affordable Healthcare Michael considers Social Security and Medicare to be sacred trusts between the nation and its people. Many people pay into our social healthcare programs, including those who do not have legal status, and we constantly hear politicians threaten these programs. Michael will be resolute in protecting these programs and steadfast in opposing any proposal that reduces benefits or fails to provide the support and care that Americans count on as they grow older. Michael will work to bring more doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals to the Valley and support increased training and education opportunities to ensure we can treat more people and reduce wait times. He will work to support our local hospitals, advocating for increased funding, legislative reforms, and relief for our financially strained hospitals in the Central Valley, which are disproportionately affected in rural areas. Supporting Our Veterans with the Resources They Need As a U.S. Navy veteran, Michael understands firsthand the challenges and sacrifices that veterans face. Michael is dedicated to ensuring that veterans receive the resources and support they need to lead fulfilling lives after their service. Michael's plan includes increasing support and advocacy for C&P examinations and ratings, expanding access to high-quality healthcare for veterans, and ensuring they receive timely and comprehensive medical care. He advocates for increasing funding for mental health services, including job training programs and educational opportunities that help veterans find meaningful employment. Furthermore, Michael seeks to modernize Veteran Healthcare with the construction of a new campus complex to serve as the primary location for California Veterans and as a new location for the VA Central California Health System, which has outgrown its original facility constructed in 1950. The VA could repurpose the building for inpatient care and a long-term care center, or expand services for the Hmong, Afghan, Iraqi, and others who served alongside our service members and risked their lives and those of their families in the process. These heroes and their families, who left behind their homes, should receive the dignity of care and services for the mental and physical trauma they experienced alongside our veterans and their families. Michael is committed to advocating for policies that honor and support our veterans in all aspects of their lives. This includes ensuring adequate housing and combating homelessness among veterans, as well as providing support for veteran-owned businesses. By prioritizing these initiatives, Michael aims to create a community that values and supports its veterans, ensuring they receive the respect and care they deserve. Building a Sustainable Water and Energy Future For Our Valley Growing up in the Central Valley, marrying into an active multigenerational farming family, and now raising children with his wife Anne, to be our future generation of Ag leaders, Michael intimately knows the challenges faced by Valley farmers, farmworkers, and the families who depend on the harvest. When the water table drops, we are not recharging our groundwater, and allocations diminish—our way of life and our nation's supply of the best produce in the world dry up. We cannot let that happen, as the first affected in this process are our most vulnerable rural communities. Michael is committed to ensuring a sustainable future for the Central Valley through innovative water and energy solutions. Drawing inspiration from his past work in municipal wells, water and wastewater treatment, to his work in nuclear power production and advanced sustainable energy and fuel projects, Michael believes the Central Valley is the future for solving the state's energy and water issues. Protecting our environment and reducing the cost of water and energy can be achieved through proper forest management and care for the watersheds, increasing storage capacity, and leveraging current technology like carbon-negative hydrogen production and small modular nuclear power. We can operate an electrified future powering data centers, hospitals, schools, and future FCEV transportation without losing capacity and increasing weight with heavy, resource-intensive overseas-produced batteries. These renewable energy sources will be from U.S.-based natural resources and local ag production and waste, making it possible to produce electricity and fuel at rates lower than the high prices we are currently paying at the pump or to our utility provider. This approach will put our Valley in the lead and not only support California’s dairies and agricultural industry with additional revenue streams but also promote environmental stewardship, reducing forest fires, protecting our watersheds, and ensuring clean air and water for all Valley residents. The Lamp and Golden Door for our Broken Immigration System Michael Maher is 41 years old and grew up here in the Valley, attending public school alongside students and friends who have made great contributions to our way of life. Many his age and younger are DACA recipients, brought here as infants and children, who have never been able to ever visit or see their relatives due to their status. As a former FBI Special Agent, Michael understands how critical border security is for protecting our country from cartels, human traffickers, drug smugglers, nefarious foreign agents and criminals crossing the border with harmful intentions. However, the vast majority are here only seeking a better life and future for their families. Michael has spent many years contemplating a responsible way to address this crisis. A crisis born out of failed leadership, broken promises, and mismanagement by politicians who use this issue to whip up votes while never delivering a dignified solution. Michael is committed to bringing everyone out of the shadows and restoring justice and security to our borders. Addressing difficult issues and providing solutions is something Michael has spent his life achieving. He believes it is time to light the lamp with Lady Liberty’s torch, illuminating that golden door Emma Lazarus wrote about in her poem. That lamp will dispel the shadows, just as Michael’s plan will bring an immediate solution to protect all people in this country—from students to teachers, doctors to nurses, farmers to farm workers, every person including the most vulnerable members of our community from the criminals who profit off our broken border and the fear created by this situation due to the inaction and lack of leadership of our elected officials. Michael’s vision includes providing true identification for non-citizens tied to their biometrics and granting them legal status as federal L.I.G.H.T. card holders. Michael has spoken in great detail about this vision and has a comprehensive plan for how it can be implemented now, as Congress debates and fights towards immigration reform.[2] |
” |
| —Michael Maher's campaign website (2024)[3] | ||
2022
Special election
Michael Maher completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Maher's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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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.
Regular election
Michael Maher did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Maher's campaign website stated the following:
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GROW OUR ECONOMY DEFEND OUR WATER RIGHTS REDUCE TAXES ON OUR FAMILIES SECURITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY PRO-LIFE[2] |
” |
| —Michael Maher's campaign website (2022)[4] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate California State Senate District 12 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Maher for Congress, "Bio," accessed August 10, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Michael Maher's campaign website, "Issues," accessed September 18, 2024
- ↑ Maher for Congress, “Home,” accessed September 9, 2022
