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Ballot Explained

U.S. House · November 3, 2026

Who's running in California's 31st congressional district

2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.

Candidates
2
Incumbent
Gil Cisneros
Parties
Republican · Democratic
State primary
Jun 2

Candidates appear in ballot order. We do not rank them, score them, or recommend one — here is how this is put together, and here is what the office actually does.

2 candidates · ballot order · Gil Cisneros currently holds this seat

Low confidenceLow confidenceOnly one weak source, dated material, or indirect evidence. Treat specifics with caution.What would raise it: An official filing record and at least one independent report about this candidate would raise this.

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • United States energy independence.
  • A balanced approach to environmental policy that avoids harm to industry and business.
  • Reducing regulatory burdens on businesses.
  • Voter identification requirements.
  • Term limits.
  • Disaster aid for wildfire victims, and stronger action on crime.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Walnut city councilmember since 2012, including a term as mayor.
  • Republican candidate in California's 38th District in 2022 and 2024; lost both.
  • Advanced from the June 2, 2026 top-two primary; the Associated Press called his second-place finish.

Arguments in favor

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No published criticism of Ching by name could be found: not from Gil Cisneros or his campaign, not from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and not from San Gabriel Valley news coverage. Because no case against him exists on the record, none is presented for him either, rather than showing his own campaign's case unanswered.
  • His positions and record were not stated in material available.
  • His fundraising totals were not reported in material available.
Sources:wtop.cominsideelections.comballotpedia.orgnbcnews.com

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Lowering health care costs; he voted to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
  • Federal project funding for San Gabriel Valley infrastructure.
  • Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security; he co-sponsored a resolution to impeach Secretary Kristi Noem.
  • Veterans' issues, drawing on his Navy service and Pentagon role.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • U.S. Representative for the 31st District since January 2025; won the seat in 2024 with 59.7%.
  • Previously represented California's 39th District, 2019 to 2021.
  • Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Biden administration.
  • U.S. Navy veteran.
  • Secured 15 community project funding requests totalling $18,292,000 for the district in February 2026.
  • Co-sponsored a resolution to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
  • Led the June 2, 2026 primary field.

Arguments in favor

  • He won this seat in 2024 after losing two previous campaigns, and served as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness before returning to Congress.

    — Gil Cisneros's office

  • He is recommended by the LA Progressive voter guide and holds the California Democratic Party's endorsement for the general election.

    — LA Progressive voter guide and California Democratic Party endorsements

Arguments against

  • A $266 million lottery winner, he made urgent public pleas for donations to his campaign and then cut himself a $200,000 cheque from it.

    — Washington Free Beacon

What we couldn’t verify

  • Cisneros's response to that reporting was not established from the sources found, and the transaction's characterisation comes from a conservative outlet rather than from a filing analysis reviewed here.
  • No criticism of him by name from Eric Ching's campaign or from the National Republican Congressional Committee was found.
  • The district's boundaries changed under Proposition 50, approved in November 2025; how that changes his position was not established from the sources found.
Sources:cisneros.house.govballotpedia.orgballotpedia.orgnbcnews.comfreebeacon.comlaprogressive.com

Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.

California's June 2, 2026 top-two primary sent Democratic incumbent Gil Cisneros and Republican Eric Ching to the November ballot; the Associated Press called Ching's second-place finish. The district covers the eastern San Gabriel Valley. Neither candidate is listed with arguments for or against here: no published criticism of either candidate by name from someone opposing them could be found, and setting out a case against one and not the other would tilt the page.

This is one contest on a longer ballot

A California ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.

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