Federal · Statewide General Election
United States Representative, District 26
Draft candidate list — early preview until the state’s official list publishes on August 27, 2026.
This is one contest. Enter your address to see every race on your November ballot, and keep track of your picks.
On the ballot
- Jacqui Irwin — Democratic
- Sam Gallucci — Republican
This person holds your district's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives (2-year term).
This is an open seat. Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin led the June 2 primary with 41.3% and Republican Sam Gallucci took 20.9%. Irwin currently serves in the State Assembly and is seeking this House seat rather than re-election. The district covers Ventura County.
The winner holds one of 435 seats in the U.S. House for a two-year term. A member introduces bills, sits on committees that shape federal legislation, votes on the federal budget and on war powers, and handles casework between constituents and federal agencies. Because this seat is open, whoever wins starts at the bottom of the seniority ladder.
One candidate brings a strong state legislative record — 9 bills signed into law from 35 authored — earned in a chamber with a different remit. The other is largely self-financing. Neither has federal experience. Weigh a documented state record against the fact that the job on offer is a different one.
Jacqui Irwin
Democrat, a sitting Assemblymember seeking this open House seat. She is lead author of 35 bills in the 2025–2026 state session, 9 of them signed into law — among the stronger conversion rates in the Legislature. She raised $822,382, of which $651,832 came from individuals.
Strengths
Nine state bills signed into law is a strong record, and 79% of her funding came from named individuals rather than committees.
Trade-offs
She has no federal record, and led the primary with 41.3%, short of a majority.
Keep in mind
Her record was made in Sacramento, not Washington; the chambers differ entirely in remit.
Sam Gallucci
Republican, who advanced with 20.9% of the June vote. He raised $377,078, of which $232,520 is his own money and $144,557 came from individuals. He has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress.
Strengths
A funded campaign in an open seat, with meaningful individual support alongside his own contribution.
Trade-offs
Roughly six of every ten dollars are his own, and he has no record in office to be judged on.
Keep in mind
Coverage surfaced little detail about his platform. That gap is what was available to us on 2026-08-10, not a comment on his candidacy.
Record in office
This seat is open — no candidate on the November ballot currently holds it. Jacqui Irwin (Democratic) is a sitting Assemblymember and is lead author of 35 bills in the 2025–2026 session, 9 of them signed into law. Sam Gallucci has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress; these records cover only those offices. Per the California Legislature's public bill data (leginfo bulk download), retrieved 2026-08-10.
Record details
Irwin — AB 932 (2025): Community youth athletics programs: sex or gender discrimination. Irwin — AB 483 (2025): Fixed term installment contracts: early termination fees. Irwin — AB 1344 (2025): Restrictions on firearm possession: pilot project. Committee assignments and the most recently signed-into-law bills each record-holder lead-authored, from the official legislative record.
Financial info
- Individuals
- PACs & committees
- Self-funding
Jacqui Irwin
$822,382 raised
- Individuals$651,83280%
- PACs & committees$164,05020%
Sam Gallucci
$377,078 raised
- Individuals$144,55738%
- Self-funding$232,52062%
1Total raised is all receipts for the 2026 cycle; the breakdown lists direct contributions, so the pieces can sum below the total. Figures are FEC filings through June 30, 2026, per the FEC bulk campaign-finance summaries, retrieved 2026-08-22.
June 2 primary — how they advanced
Source review: Very strong (97/100) · 4 cited sources
Official records anchor this contest, with multiple sources checked.
- sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)CA Secretary of State — Statement of Vote, June 2, 2026 primary (certified 2026-07-10)
- ballotpedia.org (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia — June 2026 California primary
- downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)California Legislative Information — public bill data (bulk download)
- fec.gov (opens in a new tab)FEC — 2026 House & Senate current-campaign financial summaries (bulk data)
Last updated August 11, 2026.