CA-08 primary: first place
8dJohn Garamendi’s first-place contract in the CA-08 primary rose from 99% to 95% in the last hour, with early California returns still showing him ahead, keeping the market firmly aligned with the race’s front-runner.


Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Current roleU.S. Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
LocationCalifornia
Supports raising revenue by closing tax loopholes for wealthy individuals and corporations and opposes large tax cuts for the highest earners; backs policies to simplify filing and reduce costs for ordinary taxpayers. Advocates using tax policy to fund expanded government investments (for example climate and domestic programs) while criticizing Republican tax cuts as benefiting the wealthy.
Supports Medicare-for-All / single-payer and considers healthcare a basic human right; also supports measures to expand coverage such as a national public option and strengthening the ACA. Has cosponsored federal legislation to establish an improved Medicare-for-All program.
Supports protecting asylum access and limits on militarization and diversion of military resources to immigration enforcement, while opposing additional ICE funding and calling for humane treatment of migrants. Advocates for immigration system reforms and oversight of enforcement practices rather than expansion of enforcement-only measures.
Supports protecting and expanding access to abortion and has cosponsored legislation to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law. Advocates defending reproductive rights and has participated in events with reproductive-health organizations.
Supports federal clean energy investments and climate legislation while promoting renewable energy deployment (geothermal, offshore wind, hydrogen) and wildfire/forest management measures; backs clean energy tax credits and infrastructure for EV charging and transmission. Also sponsors bipartisan bills to expand renewable generation and biomass/geothermal as part of energy and forest management solutions.
Supports banning assault weapons, expanding background checks, and other gun-violence prevention measures; has sponsored and advocated for legislation to keep military-style weapons off civilian streets and implement commonsense regulations. Has a long record of supporting extreme-risk (red flag) measures, closing loopholes, and holding manufacturers/accountable.
John Garamendi’s first-place contract in the CA-08 primary rose from 99% to 95% in the last hour, with early California returns still showing him ahead, keeping the market firmly aligned with the race’s front-runner.
John Garamendi is in the news because he is leading early returns in California’s newly formed 8th Congressional District primary, with 54% of the vote counted so far. The race is still early, but he said he plans to keep campaigning into the general election. He is also being mentioned as one of several long-serving California House Democrats facing serious primary challenges this cycle.
2022
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2026
LatestCycle 2022
Cycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.