District: CA-01
Cook Political Ranking: Solid D
Performance Voter Index: D+7
Mike McGuire is running for Congress in California’s 1st district. McGuire is currently a member of the California State Senate representing the 2nd district. He has represented this district since 2014. He served as majority leader from 2022 to 2024 and Senate president pro tempore from 2024 to 2025. McGuire is now running for Congress because “ Northern California needs strong representation on the issues families deal with every day, including the cost of living, access to healthcare, housing, wildfire protection, good-paying jobs, reproductive freedom, and protection of our democratic institutions.”

California’s 1st Congressional District is based in the Northern part of the state and includes Santa Rosa. Ahead of the 2026 race, this district was redrawn after Proposition 50 passed in November. This measure allowed California to redraw its congressional maps in the middle of the decade, a response from Gov. Gavin Newsom to the Texas redistricting effort launched in 2025. The new district will include the same areas above, as well as a small section of Madera County. After Prop 50 passed, the partisan voter index for this district shifted from R+12 to D+7. This district is currently held by Republican Rep. James Gallagher. This seat was left vacant in January after long-serving Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s (R) death. Gallagher won the election to this seat in the June special election for the vacant 1st District. In 2026, McGuire is challenging incumbent Rep. Gallagher.