Discovery Insights Elections Candidates Calendar Watchlist

Republican

James Gallagher

Republican

James Gallagher

Who will win the CA-01 special election?

$24.8K

JUN 3, 2026

Candidate standings

Live market pricing for the leading candidates in this election.

Overview

Current roleFormer Commissioner

PartyRepublican

Political ideologyConservative Republican

Age45 years old (Mar 7, 1981)

GenderMale

LocationCalifornia

BackgroundPolitician

Notable personal detailsJames Gallagher is a Republican politician who has served in the California State Assembly representing District 3 (Butte, Glenn, Placer, Sutter, Tehama, and Yuba counties). He previously served as Minority Leader of the California State Assembly (Assembly Republican Leader) from 2022 to 2025. In 2026, he filed to run for U.S. House in California’s 1st Congressional District.

SourcesShow

fec.gov assembly.ca.gov en.wikipedia.org territorialdispatch.com thecandidate.com nationaltoday.com pollingsource.com apnews.com cookpolitical.com sacbee.com docquery.fec.gov multistate.us theorion.com lines.com afterschoolnetwork.org tax.lakecountyca.gov electjamesgallagher.com ad03.asmrc.org sierradailynews.com asmrc.org turn0news12 justfacts.votesmart.org reproductivefreedomforall.org nhpr.org californiaglobe.com ad47.asmrc.org ijpr.org firearmspolicy.org lassennews.com sierrabooster.com politico.com legislation.ballotpedia.org voterguide.ballotpedia.org developer.ballotpedia.org cdn.ballotpedia.org ballotready.org kiley.house.gov wikidata.org congress.gov

Positions

LiberalConservative

Economy & Taxes

Supports lower taxes, fewer regulations, and protections for existing taxpayer limits (including Proposition 13); has advocated suspending the gas tax, cutting utility rates, and opposing new state or local tax increases. Backed a Taxpayer Protection Act that would require voter approval for state and local taxes and has filed legal/legislative actions to defend taxpayer protections. Policy priorities emphasize tax relief for families and small businesses and reducing government-imposed costs.

Healthcare

Supports tightening and auditing California’s Medicaid program (Medi‑Cal), opposes expansion of benefits to undocumented immigrants, and has pushed fiscal accountability measures and enrollment limits to curb program costs.

Immigration & Border

Supports tougher border security and stronger enforcement while opposing public-benefit expansions for undocumented immigrants. Has criticized state policies that extend Medi‑Cal or housing subsidies to undocumented immigrants and has called the southern border a crisis requiring stronger action to address fentanyl and human trafficking.

Abortion & Reproductive Rights

The candidate opposes broad, unrestricted access to abortion and has voted against multiple California bills expanding abortion protections or access. He is rated poorly by reproductive-rights advocacy groups and has publicly expressed concern about removing gestational limits on abortion.

Climate & Energy

Supports prioritizing affordability and energy infrastructure over aggressive renewable mandates, advocates using biomass and forest fuels removal to reduce wildfire risk, and opposes California fuel and low‑carbon regulations that he says raise costs for consumers.

Public Safety & Guns

James Gallagher has a voting record opposing many California gun-control bills and has received high ratings from pro-gun organizations. He frames his positions in defense of lawful gun ownership and has been graded highly by gun-rights groups.

News

AINews Summary

Last updatedJun 3, 2026

James Gallagher is leading early in California's 1st Congressional District race, with returns showing him ahead in both the special election for the current seat and the contest for the newly drawn district. In the reshaped district, he is not yet over 50%, so a runoff could still be needed if no candidate wins a majority. He has also been in the news for sponsoring AB 2700, a wildfire restitution bill that passed the California Assembly unanimously and is now headed to the state Senate. Gallagher recently took part in a district debate on energy costs, rural issues, infrastructure, trade, and executive power.

fec.gov+38

Articles

SRSanta Rosa Press Democrat9 hours ago