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Ballot Explained

U.S. House · November 3, 2026

Who's running in California's 4th 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
Mike Thompson
Parties
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.

The choice, in one sentence

Both candidates are Democrats, so the choice is less about party than about seniority and approach: a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee with nearly three decades of relationships in Washington, against a first-time candidate arguing that experience has not produced results and that corporate money is the problem.

2 candidates · ballot order · Mike Thompson currently holds this seat

Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Get corporate money out of politics; he has pledged not to accept PAC contributions.
  • Term limits for members of Congress and stronger accountability rules.
  • Close corporate tax loopholes and use the revenue to give families $10,000 a year.
  • Universal child care and in-home care for seniors.
  • Hold utilities including PG&E accountable, and stop pharmaceutical price manipulation.
  • End gerrymandering.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Former executive at the investment firm Dragoneer.
  • Founder of the American Dream Institute.
  • Has never held elected office.
  • Contributed roughly $5 million of his own money to the campaign, including $4.8 million on April 22, 2026 and $200,000 on May 21 — among the largest self-funding totals in any House race this cycle.
  • Endorsed by Our Revolution.
  • Finished second in the June 2, 2026 primary, edging past Republican Ray Riehle as late ballots from the district's more Democratic areas were counted.

Arguments in favor

  • The district needs new blood rather than the same old same old, and a member who takes no PAC money would owe nothing to corporate donors.

    — Eric Jones's campaign

  • He would push the party to fight the Trump administration harder than its current members do, and would have voted against the trillion-dollar defense authorisation bill.

    — Eric Jones, in interviews with The Press Democrat

Arguments against

  • His wealth came from an investment firm with stakes in gambling and oil companies, and in companies investigated over the treatment of seniors.

    — Mike Thompson's campaign, in advertising

  • His pledge to refuse PAC money sits awkwardly beside the more than $440,000 a super PAC called New Leadership Now spent supporting him.

    — Reporting by The Press Democrat

What we couldn’t verify

  • How he would fund the $10,000-a-year family payment beyond closing corporate tax loopholes; his campaign states the goal but not the arithmetic.
  • His positions on agriculture and wine-industry issues central to the district's economy.
  • Whether he would caucus and vote with House Democratic leadership if elected.
Their campaign site ↗Sources:ericjones.uspressdemocrat.compressdemocrat.comkqed.orgballotpedia.org

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Bring down the cost of living for families struggling with mortgages and groceries.
  • Affordable health care.
  • Well-paying jobs and dignity in retirement.
  • A clean environment.
  • Quality public education.
  • Opposition to the current Republican congressional majority's economic priorities.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • U.S. Representative since January 1999; 14 terms.
  • Member of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
  • Vietnam veteran; served in the California State Senate before entering Congress.
  • Voted for the National Defense Authorization Act in December 2025.
  • Filed for re-election in the redrawn 4th District after Proposition 50 changed the boundaries.
  • Led the June 2, 2026 primary field.

Arguments in favor

  • A senior seat on Ways and Means, the committee that writes tax and health law, gives the district influence a first-term member would not have.

    — Mike Thompson's campaign

  • Costs are rising and the current congressional majority is putting the well-off ahead of ordinary people; his record is one of working on jobs, health care and retirement security.

    — Mike Thompson, at his campaign launch in Napa

Arguments against

  • Decades of seniority have not produced results, and Democrats like him have gotten worse at fighting the Trump administration, not better.

    — Eric Jones, his opponent

  • He voted for a trillion-dollar defense authorisation bill his opponent says he would have opposed.

    — Eric Jones's campaign

What we couldn’t verify

  • His response to the generational argument beyond pointing to his record; he has said relatively little publicly about his age, which is 75.
  • Whether he will debate Jones before November.
Their campaign site ↗Sources:mikethompsonforcongress.commikethompsonforcongress.comnapavalleyregister.compressdemocrat.comnews.ballotpedia.org

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.

This is a race between two Democrats. Under California's top-two primary the two highest finishers on June 2, 2026 advance regardless of party, and here that was 14-term incumbent Mike Thompson and self-funding challenger Eric Jones. Six Republicans and one independent also ran in the primary and none advanced. The district was redrawn under Proposition 50 and Thompson filed for re-election in the new lines. Roster confirmed against Ballotpedia's primary result, The Press Democrat and KQED.

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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