For both parties, the bare-knuckle battle for control of the House winds through California. 

Recent primaries in the Golden State provided an early look at how major themes shaping the midterm elections are playing out: ideological debates roiling the Democratic Party, a redrawn map that threw together two GOP incumbents and pressure on aging Democratic incumbents to step aside for a new generation of leaders.

Under California’s primary system, all candidates run on the same ballot, with the top two finishers, regardless of party, advancing to November. General election matchups were set in four additional districts Tuesday. 

Races in two other key contests remained uncalled as counting continued. In the redrawn 4th District centered on the Napa Valley, Democrat Mike Thompson was, as of publication time, still waiting to learn who his general election opponent will be. According to the AP, Republican businessman Ray Riehle was in second place with about 23 percent Tuesday, while former venture capitalist Eric Jones, a progressive Democrat, had 21 percent. 

In the 14th District, which opened after California Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned in the face of sexual assault allegations, Democratic state Sen. Aisha Wahab has secured one of the spots on the November ballot but the AP has yet to determine the second-place finisher.

22nd District

The contest between progressive college professor and local school board trustee Randy Villegas and physician and state Assembly Member Jasmeet Bains, a political moderate, reflected the ideological battle roiling today’s Democratic Party. 

Bains had pitched herself as the more electable candidate to take on Republican Rep. David Valadao in the heavily Latino working-class district in the Central Valley. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee placed her on its “Red to Blue” list for promising recruits, providing additional support but angering supporters of Villegas.

On Tuesday, the AP called the race for Villegas – Valadao had already secured a first-place finish — and Democrats quickly united around him.

DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene called Villegas “a people-first leader capable of energizing voters and winning this seat,” adding that the party is “all in to elect him and flip this seat.”

Valadao has long been a top Democratic target. The seat grew a shade bluer after California voters approved a new map last year, shifting from a district Trump won by 6 points in 2024 to one he would have carried by 2 points.

40th District

The Democratic redistricting effort remade California’s congressional map, turning Rep. Ken Calvert’s GOP-leaning district a deep shade of blue. Calvert, the longest-serving Republican in the California delegation, opted to run in the redrawn 40th District, which grew redder under the new map. 

That sets up a costly and contentious battle with Republican Young Kim, who has held the seat since 2021 and whom the AP called as the second-place finisher Tuesday.

7th District

Rep. Doris Matsui and progressive challenger Mai Vang are headed for a November showdown that mirrors the generational divides within the Democratic Party.

Matsui, 81, has held the Sacramento-area seat since 2005, succeeding her husband, Robert Matsui, who was first elected in 1978. Vang, 41, is a member of the Sacramento City Council.

Vang was leading Matsui 31 percent to 29 percent on Tuesday evening, when the AP projected the all-Democratic general election. 

Vang’s success indicated that district voters are “ready to move on from the corporate dynasty that has represented it for 50 years and elect a true working class champion to fight for their families in Washington,” said Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats, which backed the challenger.

6th District

After the 3rd District was redrawn to be more hospitable to Democrats, the occupant of the seat, Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley, shifted to the 6th District and shed his party affiliation.

Running as an independent, Kiley came in first in the primary, winning less than 25 percent of the vote, according to the AP. 

Democrats were initially concerned about the party getting locked out of the November election. On Tuesday, the AP called the race for Kiley while physician and former state Sen. Richard Pan, a Democrat, took second place.