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United States Representative, District 52

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Federal

United States Representative, District 52

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

Representative Juan Vargas took 56.5% of the June 2 vote. Republican Jeff Belle took 33.2%. The district covers south San Diego County and the border communities.

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, so a longer-serving member carries influence a newcomer cannot.

The incumbent has one of the lowest bill counts in the delegation at 13 sponsored with none enacted, and his funding is 76% committee-based. His opponent raised about $25,000 and took a third of the vote. Weigh thirteen years of seniority against that legislative record.

Juan Vargas

Juan Vargas is the Democratic representative for California's 52nd District, in office since 2013. He grew up on a chicken ranch in National City, the son of a father who came to the United States through a farm labor program. He earned a law degree from Harvard and worked in El Salvador on health and social justice issues before returning to San Diego. He served on the San Diego City Council, in the state Assembly and in the state Senate before Congress.

He says immigrants strengthen our communities and our economies. In August 2026 he voted to keep U.S. funding for Israel's war in Gaza in place, one of three San Diego Democrats in Congress who voted that way while a fourth voted to cut it. He has also pushed for federal action on cross-border sewage pollution flowing into the Tijuana River Valley.

He promises continued work on climate action, stopping cross-border sewage pollution, gun violence prevention and immigration reform. He also lists housing affordability and civil rights protections among his priorities.

Jeff Belle

Jeff Belle is the Republican candidate for this seat, listed on the ballot as business Owner. They have not served in elected office.

No campaign website, interview or news coverage of their reasons for running could be located, and no vote, lawsuit or other public incident is on record.

With no published platform to draw on, their promises cannot be listed here in their own words. That is a gap in what is public, not a comment on their candidacy.

Record in office

Jeff Belle has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress; these records cover only those offices. Juan Vargas (Democratic) has served in the U.S. House since 2013 and has sponsored 14 bills in the 119th Congress; none of their bills have become law so far. Per Congress.gov and the public-domain congress-legislators roster, retrieved 2026-09-21.

Financial info

Jeff Belle

$25,498raised
  • Individuals$18,498100%

Juan Vargas

$568,520raised
  • Individuals$136,00324%
  • PACs & committees$431,20076%

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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