California's 22nd Congressional District election, 2026
All U.S. House districts, including the 22nd Congressional District of California, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. The primary is June 2, 2026. The filing deadline was March 6, 2026. Ballotpedia identified the June 2 top-two primary as a battleground primary. For more on the top-two primary, click here. For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:
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.
General election
The primary will occur on June 2, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 22
Incumbent David G. Valadao, Jasmeet Bains, Eric Garcia, Rudy Salas, and Randy Villegas are running in the primary for U.S. House California District 22 on June 2, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | David G. Valadao (R) | |
 | Jasmeet Bains (D) | |
 | Eric Garcia (D) | |
 | Rudy Salas (D) | |
 | Randy Villegas (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. | ||||
June 2 top-two primary
Ballotpedia identified the June 2 top-two primary as a battleground primary. For more on the top-two primary, click here.
Incumbent David Valadao (R), Jasmeet Bains (D), Eric Garcia (D), Rudy Salas (D), and Randy Villegas (D) are running in the top-two primary for California's 22nd Congressional District on June 2, 2026. As of March 2026, Valadao, Bains, and Villegas led in endorsements, fundraising, and local media attention.[1][2][3]
The election is taking place in the context of redistricting, which changed the district lines from those used in 2024. Inside Elections' Nathaniel Rakich said the new lines "would make it easier for Democrats to dislodge Valadao, who has frustrated them for years by overperforming the top of the ticket. But this district, too, is trending Republican...Expect this district to remain a battleground in 2026 regardless of the map."[4]
CalMatters' Maya C. Moore said the primary "embodies the larger tug-of-war within the party over how Democrats can win back the voters they lost in 2024 — by playing to the middle, as successful gubernatorial candidates did in New Jersey and Virginia last fall, or by adopting a progressive brand of economic populism, which fueled Zohran Mamdani’s rise to the New York City mayor’s office."[2]
Valadao was first elected to the House in 2012. He lost re-election to TJ Cox (D) in 2018 and defeated Cox in 2020. Valadao is a dairy farmer. Valadao says he is running "to be an independent member of Congress who will stand up to the divisive partisanship in Washington D.C., get things done to grow our local economy, and deliver more water for our farmers and communities."[5]
Bains is a physician and the chief medical officer for the Central Valley on the California Medical Assistance Team. Bains was elected to the California Assembly in 2022. Bains says she is running because "we deserve better than broken promises and backroom deals...Valadao just voted to gut Medi-Cal that provides 68% of the affordable healthcare in our community."[6]
Villegas is a professor of political science at College of the Sequoias. Villegas was appointed to the Visalia Unified Board of Education in 2021. Villegas says he is running because "[t]his is a fight for the soul of the Democratic Party...We have to ask ourselves: Are we going to be a party for the billionaires, or are we going to be a party for the working class?"[1]
In a top-two primary, all candidates for a particular office appear on the same ballot. The top two finishers—regardless of partisan affiliation—advance to the general election. The Democratic Party of California voted not to endorse any candidate.[3] As of March 2026, the Republican Party of California had not endorsed any candidate.[7]
As of March 2026, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball each rated the general election Toss-up, while Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales rated it Tilt Republican. Valadao defeated Salas 53.4%–46.6% in 2024 and 51.5%–48.5% in 2022.
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: Republican Party
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office:
- U.S. House of Representatives (Assumed office: 2021)
- U.S. House of Representatives (2013–2019)
- California Assembly District 30 (2010–2012)
Biography: Valadao attended the College of the Sequoias. As of the 2026 elections, Valadao worked on the family farm growing alfalfa, almonds, corn, and wheat and producing dairy products.
Show sources
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- California Assembly District 35 (Assumed office: 2022)
Biography: After graduating from medical school, Bains completed a medical residency at the Clinica Sierra Vista in Kern County. As of the 2026 elections, Bains operated a medical practice and served as the chief medical officer for the Central Valley on the California Medical Assistance Team.
Show sources
Sources: Jasmeet Bains campaign website, "About," accessed March 5, 2026; Jasmeet Bains campaign website, "Dr. Jasmeet Bains Launches Campaign for Congress in California's 22nd District," July 16, 2025; California Assembly, "Biography - Official Website, Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains," accessed March 5, 2026
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Visalia Unified Board of Education (Assumed office: 2021)
Biography: Villegas obtained an associate's degree in political science and government from Bakersfield College, a bachelor's degree in political science and government/history from California State University, Bakersfield, and both master's and doctoral degrees in politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. As of the 2026 elections, Villegas was a professor of political science at the College of the Sequoias.
Show sources
Sources: Randy Villegas campaign website, "Randy Villegas Launches Against Rep. David Valadao to Represent CA-22 testing," April 14, 2025; YouTube, "Randy Villegas for Congress," September 17, 2025; Randy Villegas campaign website, "Meet Randy," accessed March 5, 2026; LinkedIn, "Randy Villegas," accessed March 5, 2026
See more
Candidate profiles
There are currently no candidate profiles created for this race. Candidate profiles will appear here as they are created. Encourage the candidates in this race to complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey so that their profile will appear here.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in California
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. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race has completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia is seeking 100 percent participation so voters can learn more about all the candidates on their ballots.
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David G. Valadao | Republican Party | $3,062,912 | $987,702 | $2,120,746 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Jasmeet Bains | Democratic Party | $649,821 | $212,290 | $437,531 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Eric Garcia | Democratic Party | $593 | $0 | $593 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Rudy Salas | Democratic Party | $13,492 | $69,467 | $150,469 | As of December 31, 2025 |
| Randy Villegas | Democratic Party | $875,948 | $338,274 | $537,674 | 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." |
|||||
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.[8]
- 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.[9][10][11]
| Race ratings: California's 22nd Congressional District election, 2026 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| 3/10/2026 | 3/3/2026 | 2/24/2026 | 2/17/2026 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
| Decision Desk HQ and The Hill | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
| 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 22
Incumbent David G. Valadao (R) defeated Rudy Salas (D) in the general election for U.S. House California District 22 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | David G. Valadao (R) | 53.4 | 89,484 |
| | Rudy Salas (D) | 46.6 | 78,023 | |
| Total votes: 167,507 | |||
| = 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 22
Incumbent David G. Valadao (R) and Rudy Salas (D) defeated Chris Mathys (R) and Melissa Hurtado (D) in the primary for U.S. House California District 22 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | David G. Valadao (R) | 32.7 | 20,479 |
| ✔ | | Rudy Salas (D) | 31.3 | 19,592 |
 | Chris Mathys (R) | 22.0 | 13,745 | |
 | Melissa Hurtado (D) | 14.0 | 8,733 | |
| Total votes: 62,549 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Regular election
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 22
Incumbent David G. Valadao (R) defeated Rudy Salas (D) in the general election for U.S. House California District 22 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | David G. Valadao (R) | 51.5 | 52,994 |
| | Rudy Salas (D) | 48.5 | 49,862 | |
| Total votes: 102,856 | |||
| = 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 22
Rudy Salas (D) and incumbent David G. Valadao (R) defeated Chris Mathys (R) and Adam Thomas Medeiros (R) in the primary for U.S. House California District 22 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rudy Salas (D) | 45.2 | 25,337 |
| ✔ | | David G. Valadao (R) | 25.6 | 14,331 |
| | Chris Mathys (R) | 23.4 | 13,111 | |
 | Adam Thomas Medeiros (R) | 5.8 | 3,250 | |
| Total votes: 56,029 | |||
| = 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
- Jorge Sanchez Hernandez (D)
- Andreas Borgeas (R)
- William Tarasevic (Independent)
Special election
General election
Special general election for U.S. House California District 22
Connie Conway (R) defeated Lourin Hubbard (D) 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary
Special Nonpartisan primary election 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)
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 22
Incumbent Devin Nunes (R) defeated Phil Arballo (D) in the general election for U.S. House California District 22 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Devin Nunes (R) | 54.2 | 170,888 |
 | Phil Arballo (D) | 45.8 | 144,251 | |
| Total votes: 315,139 | |||
| = 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 22
Incumbent Devin Nunes (R) and Phil Arballo (D) defeated Bobby Bliatout (D), Dary Rezvani (D), and Eric Garcia (No party preference) in the primary for U.S. House California District 22 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Devin Nunes (R) | 56.1 | 94,686 |
| ✔ | | Phil Arballo (D) | 25.0 | 42,218 |
 | Bobby Bliatout (D) | 13.1 | 22,078 | |
 | Dary Rezvani (D) | 3.1 | 5,273 | |
| | Eric Garcia (No party preference) | 2.7 | 4,515 | |
| Total votes: 168,770 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Heman Hill (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 R+1. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 1 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made California's 22nd the 218th most Republican district nationally.[12]
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  |
|---|---|
| 47.8% | 49.6% |
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[13] | 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 January 2026.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from California | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 2 | 43 | 45 |
| Republican | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 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 |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Politico, "Democrats' redistricting win sparks a new party war in California," December 29, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cal Matters, "‘Valleycrat’ or Mamdani wannabe?: California Democrats are split on how to win swing votes," February 12, 2026
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Yahoo.com, "With no state party endorsement, Democratic race for CD22 left to voters," February 27, 2026
- ↑ Inside Elections, "A Detailed Analysis of California’s (Maybe) New Congressional Map," August 21, 2025
- ↑ David Valadao campaign website, "Congressman David G. Valadao Announces Reelection Bid in New CA-22," January 12, 2022
- ↑ Jasmeet Bains campaign website, "Dr. Jasmeet Bains Launches Campaign for Congress in California’s 22nd District," July 16, 2025
- ↑ Republican Party of California, "2026 Endorsements," accessed March 5, 2026
- ↑ 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
