U.S. House, California 35th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 35th Congressional District?
Norma J. Torres has the strongest record in California's 35th Congressional District. Norma J. Torres scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Norma J. Torres's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Mike Cargile (6 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.
Republican
Mike Cargile
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Norma J. Torres
67 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- 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.
Mike Cargile
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Norma J. Torres
- On the record2020-09-23
On Sept. 23, 2020 she retracted an office press release about law enforcement, saying she had not read it carefully and took full responsibility.
- On the record2019-06-12
On June 12, 2019 she withdrew a House floor remark calling Republican colleagues "sex-starved males" during an abortion debate after Republicans objected, per Roll Call.
Source: Roll Call, June 12, 2019
- Credit2022-08-09
Sponsored H.R. 6118, the National MEP Supply Chain Database Act, incorporated into the CHIPS Act of 2022, signed Aug. 9, 2022.
- Credit2021-06-08
Sponsored H.R. 2492, the GIVE Act, whose provisions were incorporated into the THRIVE Act signed June 8, 2021.
- Credit2020-10-10
Sponsored H.R. 2733, Savanna's Act, on missing and murdered Native Americans, enacted through the identical S. 227 on Oct. 10, 2020; the House bill had 18 Republican cosponsors.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Mike Cargile. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine or official finding found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Norma J. Torres. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 was filed May 15, 2026; the Clerk index lists no periodic transaction reports. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075170, House Committee on Ethics site search for Torres, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Mike Cargile. No public record found.
Norma J. Torres. Voted against both Minority Leader Jeffries and Whip Clark on several significant 2025 to 2026 roll calls, including the HALT Fentanyl Act, the GENIUS Act and a 2026 FISA Section 702 extension.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 166, 2025, HALT Fentanyl Act, House Clerk Roll Call 200, 2025, GENIUS Act, House Clerk Roll Call 155, 2026, FISA Amendments Act extension
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Mike Cargile. No public record found.
Norma J. Torres. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Mike Cargile. No public record found.
Norma J. Torres. Worked as a 911 dispatcher, served on the Pomona City Council and as mayor, in the State Assembly and Senate from 2008 to 2014, and in the House since 2015. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Norma Torres, House Committee on Ethics site search for Torres
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Mike Cargile. Served in the U.S. Army from 1990 to 1991. No official finding of misuse of office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Mike Cargile
Norma J. Torres. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors and raised no objection in January 2017. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 6, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Mike Cargile. President of the film company Big Event Pictures and a former Army officer. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Mike Cargile
Norma J. Torres. In the House since January 2015, after six years in the California Legislature and service as Pomona mayor.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Mike Cargile. Campaign site states positions on war, corporate monopolies, energy and elections in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Norma J. Torres. Ranking Member of the House Administration Subcommittee on Modernization and Innovation and a member of the Appropriations Committee; five bills she sponsored were enacted.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Mike Cargile. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020, 2022 and 2024 and publishes an issues page; has not completed the 2026 survey.
Source: Ballotpedia, Mike Cargile
Norma J. Torres. Offers a newsletter and publishes issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Mike Cargile. No public record found.
Norma J. Torres. A Pomona resident who served on its city council from 2000 and as mayor from 2006 to 2008. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 57 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Office site, About, Ballotpedia, Norma Torres, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Mike Cargile. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Norma J. Torres. Campaign committee 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.
Mike Cargile. No public record found.
Norma J. Torres. Center for Effective Lawmaking rated her Meets expectations in the 118th Congress (LES 2.0 0.296, benchmark 0.539). Her National MEP Supply Chain Database Act was incorporated into the CHIPS Act of 2022.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, H.R. 6118 (117th Congress)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Mike Cargile. No public record found.
Norma J. Torres. Missed 95 of 6,404 roll call votes, 1.5 percent, from January 2015 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Mike Cargile. No public record found.
Norma J. Torres. Runs a district office in Ontario and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Sources: Office site, Office Locations, Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Mike Cargile. No public record found.
Norma J. Torres. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.85958 in the 118th Congress (2023), ranked 303 of 436, a negative score above the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Mike Cargile. No public record found.
Norma J. Torres. 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 35th Congressional District?
Norma J. Torres has the strongest record in California's 35th Congressional District. Norma J. Torres scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Norma J. Torres's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Mike Cargile (6 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 35th Congressional District in 2026?
Mike Cargile (Republican), Norma J. Torres (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Mike Cargile a good candidate for Congress?
Mike Cargile has public evidence on 6 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.
Is Norma J. Torres a good candidate for Congress?
Norma J. Torres scores 67 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 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.