U.S. House, California 13th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 13th Congressional District?
Adam Gray has the strongest record in California's 13th Congressional District. Adam Gray scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Kevin Lincoln at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Adam Gray's highest marks are relevant experience and courage. Kevin Lincoln's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Adam Gray
58 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 44
Republican
Kevin Lincoln
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
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.
Adam Gray
- Mark against2017-08
In August 2017 the Fair Political Practices Commission fined Gray for Assembly 2014, Gray and his treasurer $8,500 for late 24-hour and $5,000 reports and accepting $5,000 over the contribution limit.
Source: FPPC Stipulation, Decision and Order, Case No. 16/455
- Mark against2014-08-21
On Aug. 21, 2014 the Fair Political Practices Commission fined Gray and Adam Gray for Assembly 2012 $2,000 for not disclosing a $1,900 non-monetary contribution from the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
Sources: FPPC news release, Enforcement Decisions: August 2014, FPPC news release PDF, August 21, 2014
- On the record2024-08
In August 2024 the Los Angeles Times reported, per the San Joaquin Valley Sun, that a firm partly owned by Gray bought Castle Air Force Base barracks in 2022 and his federal disclosure omitted it.
Sources: San Joaquin Valley Sun, Aug. 26, 2024, San Joaquin Valley Sun, House Clerk candidate report, Filing ID 10047354 (May 9, 2022)
- On the record2020-12
In December 2020 he was removed as chair of the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee; he said it followed his opposition to a State Water Board budget item.
Source: Agri-Pulse, Dec. 14, 2020
- Credit2025-01-07
Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act (House Clerk Roll Call 6 of 2025) when Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and most House Democrats voted Nay.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 6, 2025
- Credit2025-11
In November 2025 he was one of six House Democrats who voted with Republicans for the deal ending the 43-day government shutdown.
Kevin Lincoln
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Adam Gray. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed with the House Clerk Aug. 13, 2026, after an extension. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076344, House Committee on Ethics site search, FEC administrative fines search
Kevin Lincoln. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed May 13, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10077678, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Adam Gray. Voted for the Laken Riley Act in January 2025 when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted no, and was one of six House Democrats to vote for the November 2025 shutdown deal. Lost an Assembly chair in 2020 after opposing a water budget item.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 6, 2025, Los Angeles Times via Yahoo News, Nov. 18, 2025, Agri-Pulse, Dec. 14, 2020
Kevin Lincoln. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Adam Gray. No public record found.
Kevin Lincoln. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Adam Gray. Served 10 years in the California Assembly and in Congress since January 2025. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: Office site, About, House Committee on Ethics site search
Kevin Lincoln. Served in the Marine Corps, worked as a security company manager and church executive pastor, and was mayor of Stockton from 2021 to 2024. No formal conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Kevin Lincoln II
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Adam Gray. Has held sworn state and federal legislative office since 2012. Took his House seat in January 2025, after the January 2021 electoral count; no misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Adam Gray, GovTrack, Adam Gray
Kevin Lincoln. Served in the Marine Corps and as mayor of Stockton from 2021 to 2024. No official finding of misuse of office and no recorded action on certified results found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Kevin Lincoln II
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Adam Gray. Served five terms in the California Assembly (2012 to 2022) and is completing his first term in the U.S. House.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Adam Gray, GovTrack, Adam Gray
Kevin Lincoln. Mayor of Stockton for one term (2021 to 2024), a Marine Corps veteran, and a former private security district manager and church executive pastor.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Kevin Lincoln II, Wikipedia, Kevin Lincoln (politician)
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Adam Gray. Sits on the House Agriculture and Natural Resources committees and has introduced specific water bills, including the Central Valley Water Solution Act and the WATER Act.
Sources: Office site, About, GovTrack, Adam Gray
Kevin Lincoln. Publishes an issues page on border security, taxes and spending, policing, artificial intelligence and digital assets, mostly in general terms, with support for named bills (CLARITY and GENIUS Acts).
Source: Campaign site, Issues
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Adam Gray. Offers an e-newsletter, a constituent survey and issue pages on his office site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Adam Gray
Kevin Lincoln. Publishes a plain-language issues page. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, Issues, Ballotpedia, Kevin Lincoln II
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Adam Gray. Born and raised in Merced, where he lives, and represented Merced in the Assembly for 10 years. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 46 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Office site, About, FEC contribution totals by state
Kevin Lincoln. Born and raised in Stockton, which redistricting placed in the district, and served as its mayor. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 41 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Kevin Lincoln II, Ballotpedia News, July 20, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Adam Gray. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no FEC fine. In August 2017 the state Fair Political Practices Commission fined his 2014 Assembly committee $8,500 for late reports and an over-limit contribution.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FPPC Stipulation, Decision and Order, Case No. 16/455, FEC administrative fines search
Kevin Lincoln. 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.
Adam Gray. No Legislative Effectiveness Score yet for his House term. As an Assemblymember, rated Meets Expectations in four of five terms (Below in 2021 to 2022), with 34 bills becoming law (Center for Effective Lawmaking).
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, state legislative scores
Kevin Lincoln. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Adam Gray. Missed 40 of 676 roll call votes, 5.9 percent, from January 2025 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Kevin Lincoln. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Adam Gray. Lists a district office in Merced and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office site, About, Office site, home page
Kevin Lincoln. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Adam Gray. No Lugar Center score yet for his House term. Voted with Republicans for the November 2025 bipartisan funding deal that ended the shutdown.
Kevin Lincoln. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Adam Gray. No public record found.
Kevin Lincoln. 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 13th Congressional District?
Adam Gray has the strongest record in California's 13th Congressional District. Adam Gray scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Kevin Lincoln at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Adam Gray's highest marks are relevant experience and courage. Kevin Lincoln's highest marks are relevant experience and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in California's 13th Congressional District in 2026?
Adam Gray (Democratic, incumbent), Kevin Lincoln (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Adam Gray a good candidate for Congress?
Adam Gray scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 44 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Kevin Lincoln a good candidate for Congress?
Kevin Lincoln scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. 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.