Federal

United States Representative, District 32

This person holds your district's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives (2-year term).

Representative Brad Sherman led the June 2 primary with 36.8%. Republican Larry Thompson took 32.7%. Sherman has held this seat since 1997. That 36.8% is the weakest primary showing of any long serving member on this ballot. The district covers the western San Fernando Valley.

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. Seniority governs committee standing, and nearly three decades of it is a substantial asset for a district.

Twenty-nine years of seniority set against a 36.8% primary is the tension in this race. The incumbent has both the deepest committee standing available to this district and the weakest recent mandate of any long-serving member here. Weigh accumulated influence against that signal, and note his challenger is largely self-financed.

Brad Sherman

Brad Sherman has represented the western San Fernando Valley in Congress since 1997. He is a senior member of the Foreign Affairs and Financial Services Committees. He says he helped push for the federal agency that became the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

In 2026 he wrote a bipartisan bill to help house disabled veterans. It became law even though the White House opposed it. He has also worked against a nuclear deal between the Trump administration and Saudi Arabia. He cited concerns about nuclear proliferation.

He promises to keep fighting for consumer protections, veterans and working families. His office also lists foreign policy issues such as Armenia, Israel and human rights in China among his priorities.

Larry Thompson

Larry Thompson is a businessman, attorney and film producer running as a Republican. They have not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress.

Thompson calls themselves a Christian first, a conservative second and an independent-minded Republican third. They say they are running to unite dissatisfied Democrats, conservative voters and undecided independents. Thompson wants them behind common-sense solutions.

Thompson promises to protect family values. They say they use what they call common sense with common civility to find common ground. Their campaign also highlights support for cryptocurrency policy.

Record in office

Brad Sherman (Democratic) has served in the U.S. House since 1997 and has sponsored 13 bills in the 119th Congress; 3 of their career bills have become law. Larry Thompson has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress; these records cover only those offices. Per Congress.gov and the public-domain congress-legislators roster, retrieved 2026-09-21.

Financial info

Individuals
PACs & committees
Self-funding

Brad Sherman

$2,514,330 raised

Individuals$1,435,45367%
PACs & committees$703,42433%

Larry Thompson

$34,316 raised

Individuals$6,86420%
Self-funding$27,45280%

Total 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 2026-09-21.

Your pick

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