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United States Representative, District 8

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Federal

United States Representative, District 8

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

Representative John Garamendi took 54.4% of the June 2 vote. Republican Rudy Recile took 27.8% to claim the second slot. The district covers part of Solano and Contra Costa counties and the Sacramento River delta.

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 raised less than most members in the delegation and drew the majority of it from committees, while taking 54.4% in his own primary — a modest showing for seventeen years of tenure. His opponent raised under $9,000. Weigh seniority against that combination.

John Garamendi

John Garamendi has represented this district in Congress since 2009. Before that he spent decades in state government. He was California's insurance commissioner and later lieutenant governor. In the House he has focused on water, veterans and American manufacturing. He has pushed to stop a tunnel project under the Sacramento River Delta.

He says he wants to keep using what he has learned in government to help families in the district. In July 2026 he voted against the yearly bill that funds the military. He said it spent too much while President Trump used the military recklessly.

He promises to keep opposing the Delta tunnel project and to support water projects like the Sites Reservoir. He says he will protect Social Security and Medicare from cuts and lower drug costs. His campaign also lists support for stronger gun laws and voting rights.

Rudy Recile

Rudy Recile is a retired Army major who served twenty six years, including time in South Korea and at the Pentagon. After retiring in 2014 he settled in Fairfield and worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, training farm officers across California. He also runs a small web business and volunteers with a veterans group.

He resigned from the Department of Agriculture in 2021 to run for Congress. Federal law bars most federal workers from seeking office while employed. This is his third run for this seat. He lost to Garamendi in 2022 and 2024, both times by wide margins. He says rising costs and disconnected leaders in Washington pushed him to run again.

He promises to put people ahead of political interests and to listen to voters before deciding on policy. He says he wants to work across party lines to solve problems. His campaign lists veterans, small businesses, water projects, border security and open government.

Record in office

Rudy Recile has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress; these records cover only those offices. John Garamendi (Democratic) has served in the U.S. House since 2009 and has sponsored 14 bills in the 119th Congress; 1 of their career bills have become law. Per Congress.gov and the public-domain congress-legislators roster, retrieved 2026-09-21.

Financial info

Rudy Recile

$8,576raised
  • Individuals$8,551100%
  • Self-funding$25<1%

John Garamendi

$489,135raised
  • Individuals$154,59332%
  • PACs & committees$334,50068%

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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