U.S. House, California 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 2nd Congressional District?
Jared Huffman has the strongest record in California's 2nd Congressional District. Jared Huffman scores 70 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jared Huffman's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Robin Littau (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Jared Huffman
70 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 60
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 69
Republican
Robin Littau
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 63
- 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.
Jared Huffman
- On the record2023-05-31
Voted No on the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the 2023 debt limit agreement, which Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted for.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023
- Credit2025
Rated Exceeds expectations by the Center for Effective Lawmaking for the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 1.286 against a 0.543 benchmark).
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress
- Credit2024
Sponsored the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023 (H.R. 2950), which GovTrack lists among six bills he sponsored that were enacted.
Source: GovTrack, enacted legislation
- Credit2022
Sponsored the Katimiîn and Ameekyáaraam Sacred Lands Act (H.R. 6032), enacted in the 117th Congress.
Source: GovTrack, enacted legislation
Robin Littau
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.
Jared Huffman. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed July 30, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10078256, House Committee on Ethics site search for Huffman, FEC administrative fines search
Robin Littau. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Jared Huffman. Voted No on the Fiscal Responsibility Act in 2023 and the intelligence surveillance reauthorization in 2024, and Nay on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, each time when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted for passage.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 243, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 119, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 45, 2026
Robin Littau. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Jared Huffman. Held open in-person town halls across the district in 2025 and 2026, including Ukiah in April 2025, and joined the April 2026 League of Women Voters candidate forum in Redding.
Sources: Mendocino Voice (Bay City News), April 2, 2025, Office site, Town Halls in 119th Congress, Shasta Scout, April 2026
Robin Littau. Took part in the April 2, 2026 League of Women Voters candidate forum in Redding. No record found yet of a general election debate.
Sources: Shasta Scout, April 2026, League of Women Voters event listing, April 2, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Jared Huffman. In elected office since 2006 (Assembly, then the House since 2013) with no censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jared Huffman, House Committee on Ethics site search for Huffman
Robin Littau. Served in the Coast Guard from 1997 to 2001 and on the Enterprise Elementary School District board since her November 2024 election. No conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Candidate Connection survey, Enterprise Elementary School District, Board of Education
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Jared Huffman. Has held sworn state and federal office since 2006. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors and made no 2017 objection; no misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
Robin Littau. Served in the Coast Guard with an honorable discharge, per her survey answers, and holds sworn local office as a school board trustee. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Candidate Connection survey, Enterprise Elementary School District, Board of Education
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Jared Huffman. In the U.S. House since January 2013, seeking an eighth term; served in the California Assembly from 2006 to 2012.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jared Huffman
Robin Littau. Elected school board trustee since 2024, Coast Guard veteran and owner of two small businesses. Has not held higher office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Candidate Connection survey, Enterprise Elementary School District, Board of Education
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Jared Huffman. Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee; also serves on Transportation and Infrastructure. Six bills he sponsored have been enacted.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Robin Littau. Publishes priorities in general terms on regulation, immigration, parental rights, public safety and small business.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Jared Huffman. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, offers an e-newsletter, holds town halls and took part in an April 2026 candidate forum.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jared Huffman, Office site, Town Halls in 119th Congress, Shasta Scout, April 2026
Robin Littau. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, publishes priorities and took part in an April 2026 candidate forum.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Robin Littau, Campaign site, home page, Shasta Scout, April 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Jared Huffman. Marin-based and has represented the North Coast in the Assembly and the House since 2006. FEC by-state totals show about 74 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Shasta Scout, Mendocino Voice (Bay City News), April 2, 2025, FEC contribution totals by state
Robin Littau. Has lived in Redding for 10 years, per her survey, and was elected to a Redding-area school board in 2024; Shasta County is in the new district. No itemized contributions are reported to the FEC.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Candidate Connection survey, Shasta Scout, April 2026, Shasta Scout
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Jared Huffman. 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
Robin Littau. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Jared Huffman. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.286 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.543, exceeding expectations. Six sponsored bills enacted, including the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Robin Littau. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Jared Huffman. Missed 230 of 7,608 roll call votes, 3.0 percent, from January 2013 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Robin Littau. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Jared Huffman. Lists five district offices and publishes casework totals: 45,474 cases resolved and $66.5 million recovered for constituents.
Sources: Office site, home page, Office site, Offices
Robin Littau. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Jared Huffman. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.93471 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 316, negative but above the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Robin Littau. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Jared Huffman. No public record found.
Robin Littau. 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 2nd Congressional District?
Jared Huffman has the strongest record in California's 2nd Congressional District. Jared Huffman scores 70 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Jared Huffman's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Robin Littau (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in California's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Jared Huffman (Democratic, incumbent), Robin Littau (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Jared Huffman a good candidate for Congress?
Jared Huffman scores 70 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 60 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 69 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Robin Littau a good candidate for Congress?
Robin Littau has public evidence on 7 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
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.