U.S. House, California 1st Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 1st Congressional District?
Mike McGuire has the strongest record in California's 1st Congressional District. Mike McGuire scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of James Gallagher at 58, as of October 9, 2026. Mike McGuire's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. James Gallagher's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
James Gallagher
58 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
Democratic
Strongest record
Mike McGuire
66 / 100
Public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 63
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
James Gallagher
- On the record2026-03-10
His campaign says he lives in Sutter County, which the Prop. 50 map places wholly in the 4th District; federal law does not require House members to live in their district.
Sources: Campaign site, About, California Senate Office of Demographics, 2025 Congressional Districts (Prop. 50)
- On the record2021-05-05
With Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, sued Gov. Newsom in 2020 over pandemic emergency orders; a Sutter County judge ruled for them, and the Third District Court of Appeal reversed in May 2021.
Sources: KQED, May 2021, KEYT (AP), May 2021
- On the record2020-12-16
PolitiFact rated False his Dec. 3, 2020 tweet, as an Assembly member, that government-imposed lockdowns do not reduce COVID-19 cases.
Source: PolitiFact, Dec. 16, 2020
- Credit2022
Rated Meets expectations in the CEL state legislative effectiveness file for 2021 to 2022, with 9 of 26 sponsored Assembly bills becoming law.
Source: CEL state legislative effectiveness file, California Assembly 2021 to 2022
Mike McGuire
- On the record2025-08-21
As Senate president pro tempore, joined the governor at the Aug. 21, 2025 signing of the Election Rigging Response Act, which put the Prop 50 congressional maps on the ballot.
Source: CalMatters, Nov. 13, 2025
- Credit2024
Rated Meets expectations in the CEL state legislative effectiveness file for 2023 to 2024, with 15 of 20 sponsored bills becoming law.
Source: CEL state legislative effectiveness file, California Senate 2023 to 2024
- Credit2016-01-01
Named 2015 Legislator of the Year by AMVETS, the veterans organization, as reported by Lake County News on Jan. 1, 2016.
Source: Lake County News, Jan. 1, 2016
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
James Gallagher. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and House candidate financial disclosures are on the Clerk index. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Committee on Ethics site search for Gallagher, FEC administrative fines search
Mike McGuire. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure is on the Clerk index. No FEC administrative fine or FPPC penalty naming him found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
James Gallagher. No public record found.
Mike McGuire. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
James Gallagher. Took part in a general election candidate forum with McGuire in Ukiah on Oct. 6, 2026, and in a May 2026 debate. His campaign says he also accepted Plumas County LWV and KCRA invitations.
Sources: Corning Observer (Appeal-Democrat), May 2026, Campaign site, home page, Press Democrat, Oct. 8, 2026 (updated Oct. 9), Mendocino Voice (Bay City News), Oct. 7, 2026
Mike McGuire. Took part in a general election candidate forum with Gallagher in Ukiah on Oct. 6, 2026, hosted by the Mendocino Women's Political Coalition, AAUW and the League of Women Voters, and in a May 2026 debate.
Sources: Corning Observer (Appeal-Democrat), May 2026, Press Democrat, Oct. 8, 2026 (updated Oct. 9), Mendocino Voice (Bay City News), Oct. 7, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
James Gallagher. Served six years as a Sutter County supervisor, 12 years in the Assembly including as Republican leader from 2022 to 2025, and in the House since June 2026. No censure or conduct finding found.
Mike McGuire. Has held local and state office since 1998, including Senate majority leader and president pro tempore. No censure, reprimand or formal conduct finding found.
Sources: CalMatters, Nov. 13, 2025, Ballotpedia, Mike McGuire
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
James Gallagher. Has held sworn county, state and federal office. Took his House seat June 11, 2026, long after the January 2021 electoral count; no misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, James Gallagher
Mike McGuire. Has held sworn office on a school board, city council, county board and in the State Senate. No official finding of misuse of office and no action against certified results found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Mike McGuire
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
James Gallagher. In the Assembly from 2014 to 2026, Assembly Republican leader from 2022 to 2025, in the U.S. House since June 2026, and a former Sutter County supervisor.
Sources: Ballotpedia, James Gallagher, ChicoSol, June 4, 2026
Mike McGuire. State senator since 2014 (more than two full terms), Senate majority leader and president pro tempore; earlier a Sonoma County supervisor and Healdsburg council member.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Mike McGuire, CalMatters, Nov. 13, 2025
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
James Gallagher. Held the elected post of Assembly Republican leader from 2022 to 2025 and sits on the House Foreign Affairs, Science and Transportation committees. Gave KQED specific positions, including support for the Fix Our Forests Act.
Sources: Ballotpedia, James Gallagher, GovTrack, committee membership, KQED voter guide, District 1
Mike McGuire. Held the elected Senate posts of majority leader and president pro tempore and chairs the Senate Rules and Fisheries committees. Gave KQED specific federal proposals on health care and wildfire.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Mike McGuire, KQED voter guide, District 1
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
James Gallagher. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, offers an office newsletter, publishes a platform and took part in a May 2026 debate.
Sources: Ballotpedia, James Gallagher, Office site, home page, Corning Observer (Appeal-Democrat), May 2026
Mike McGuire. Publishes plain-language issue pages and took part in a May 2026 televised debate. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, Issues, Corning Observer (Appeal-Democrat), May 2026, Ballotpedia, Mike McGuire
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
James Gallagher. Born in Yuba City; his campaign says he lives in Sutter County, which the official Prop. 50 map places wholly in the new 4th District, not the 1st. FEC by-state totals show about 94 percent from California.
Sources: Campaign site, About, California Senate Office of Demographics, 2025 Congressional Districts (Prop. 50), Statewide Database, AB 604 City Splits Report, FEC contribution totals by state
Mike McGuire. Born in Healdsburg in 1979 and based in Santa Rosa, which the new district includes; has represented the North Coast since 2014. FEC by-state totals show about 93 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Mike McGuire, CalMatters, Nov. 13, 2025, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
James Gallagher. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Mike McGuire. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
James Gallagher. Not yet scored by the Center for Effective Lawmaking in Congress. In the Assembly, rated Meets expectations in 2023 to 2024 with 7 of 24 sponsored bills becoming law, and 9 of 26 in 2021 to 2022.
Source: CEL state legislative effectiveness file, California Assembly 2023 to 2024
Mike McGuire. State legislative effectiveness data rate him Meets expectations in 2023 to 2024, with 15 of 20 bills he sponsored becoming law, and 14 of 33 in 2021 to 2022.
Source: CEL state legislative effectiveness file, California Senate 2023 to 2024
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
James Gallagher. Missed 6 of 98 roll call votes, 6.1 percent, from June 2026 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Mike McGuire. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
James Gallagher. Lists district offices in Chico, Redding and Yuba City and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Mike McGuire. His Senate office lists five district offices, in Eureka, Santa Rosa, San Rafael, Ukiah and Crescent City. No published casework totals found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
James Gallagher. No public record found.
Mike McGuire. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
James Gallagher. No public record found.
Mike McGuire. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in California's 1st Congressional District?
Mike McGuire has the strongest record in California's 1st Congressional District. Mike McGuire scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of James Gallagher at 58, as of October 9, 2026. Mike McGuire's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. James Gallagher's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in California's 1st Congressional District in 2026?
James Gallagher (Republican, incumbent), Mike McGuire (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is James Gallagher a good candidate for Congress?
James Gallagher scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Mike McGuire a good candidate for Congress?
Mike McGuire scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every California race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the California 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.