On November 3, 2026, voting for the midterm elections in the United States concluded, revealing that several Republican congressional candidates in California were trailing in the preliminary vote counts. The redistricting of congressional districts last year significantly transformed the electoral landscape, creating obstacles for many Republican candidates and even pitting two incumbent Republican representatives against each other in direct competition. Preliminary results on election night showed that Democratic candidates were leading in multiple districts with a clear margin.
Prior to the elections, the Republican Party held a narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives with 218 seats compared to the Democrats’ 214, along with two vacant seats and one independent member. California, which occupies 52 of the 435 House seats nationwide, saw the Democrats control 43 seats while the Republicans held 8, with one seat held by an independent.
In California’s Central Valley, Republican Congressman David Valadao was facing an uphill battle for reelection in the 22nd congressional district. According to data released by the California Secretary of State’s office, as of 10:45 p.m. local time on November 3, Democratic candidate Randy Villegas had secured 65.1% of the vote, significantly ahead of Valadao. The district had been redrawn under a new map that heavily favored Democratic candidates, further complicating Valadao’s chances.
Meanwhile, in the 40th district, two incumbent Republican representatives, Ken Calvert and Young Kim, were vying for the same seat due to the redistricting process. As of 10:25 p.m. local time on election night, Calvert was leading with a 54.1% vote share.
The rivalry between Calvert and Kim had been evident long before the elections, with both candidates attacking each other through campaign advertisements in the lead-up to the June 3 primaries. California’s nonpartisan primary system allows all candidates to compete regardless of party affiliation, with the top two advancing to the general election. Reports indicated that Democrats had hoped for a split Republican vote, but both Calvert and Kim managed to secure the top two spots in the primary, resulting in a Republican-only showdown.
Before California’s redistricting efforts, Texas Republicans had already sought to implement similar measures. On July 15, 2025, California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom took to social media platform X to respond, stating, “If you can do it, so can I.”
Following this, Newsom convened a special election. On November 4 of the previous year, California voters approved Proposition 50 with approximately 65% support, which authorized the new congressional district map for elections spanning from 2026 to 2030.
The newly redrawn 40th district encompassed portions of Calvert and Kim’s previous districts, extending from Menifee and Murrieta in Riverside County to Mission Viejo in Orange County.
The redistricting processes also prompted at least one Republican representative to change party affiliation. Congressman Kevin Kiley left the Republican Party in March of this year to run as an independent candidate, appearing on the ballot as “No Party Preference.” He cited the current redistricting and district delineation being driven by partisan interests as his reasons for leaving the Republican Party.
Kiley chose to run in the newly reshaped 6th district, which saw a significant Democratic voter advantage. Preliminary vote counts on election night revealed that Democratic candidate and former California State Senator Richard Pan was leading with 58.3% of the vote. Kiley, who previously served in the California State Assembly, was an outspoken critic of the redistricting efforts.
In San Francisco’s 11th congressional district, California State Senator Scott Wiener and San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Connie Chan were competing for the seat left vacant by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Initial vote counts showed Wiener leading with 56.6%.
Wiener is a strong advocate for LGBT rights and has taken a leadership role in promoting gender-affirming care in California. Chan is recognized for her emphasis on fiscal discipline and her involvement in county budget processes, earning Pelosi’s endorsement.
Pelosi entered Congress through a special election on June 2, 1987, serving a remarkable 20 terms and holding the position of House Speaker on two occasions. She announced her retirement last autumn, with her term set to end on January 3, 2027.
In San Diego’s 48th district, Democratic candidate Marni von Wilpert was leading Republican candidate Jim Desmond with 59.4% of the vote. Von Wilpert, a city council member, previously worked as a prosecutor and collaborated with the Obama administration to advocate for workers’ rights. Desmond, on the other hand, serves as a San Diego County supervisor and is a U.S. Navy veteran, known for publicly criticizing the border crisis and the impact of illegal immigration on San Diego during the Biden administration.
The seat they are contesting was formerly held by senior Republican representative Darrell Issa, who announced his retirement in March of this year. Issa has served a total of 12 terms, having held a continuous tenure from 2001 to 2019. He chose not to seek re-election in 2018 and successfully ran in a different district in 2020. His current term is also set to conclude on January 3, 2027.
In additional districts, Democratic candidate Adam Gray in the 13th district is leading with 61.2% of the vote against Republican opponent Kevin Lincoln II, while incumbent Democratic representative Derek Tran in the 45th district is ahead with 59.6% of the vote over Republican candidate Chuong Vo.
Under California law, Secretary of State Shirley Weber is required to complete the official certification of the election results by December 11.