Mike McGuire Leads California 1st District Congressional Race
Democratic State Senator Mike McGuire holds a significant lead over Republican James Gallagher in the race for California's 1st Congressional District.
State Senator Mike McGuire holds an early lead in the race for California’s 1st Congressional District. As of 9:45 p.m. on election night, November 4, 2026, McGuire secured 58.1% of the 136,750 votes counted, while Republican James Gallagher trailed with 41.9%.
If victorious, McGuire will be the first Democrat to represent the district in 50 years. This shift follows the passage of Proposition 50, which redrew congressional boundaries to include Santa Rosa and remove conservative counties. McGuire previously helped lead the effort to put Proposition 50 before voters.
James Gallagher, a former state Assembly minority leader, had held the seat since a June 4 special election but faced a structural disadvantage under the new boundaries. McGuire has expressed interest in joining the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability to hold the Trump administration accountable.
