U.S. House, California 4th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 4th Congressional District?
Mike Thompson has the strongest record in California's 4th Congressional District. Mike Thompson scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Eric Jones at 53, as of October 9, 2026. Mike Thompson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Eric Jones's highest marks are command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Eric Jones
53 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- 50
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Mike Thompson
73 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 60
- Qualifications
- 85
- Performance
- 75
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.
Eric Jones
- On the record2026-05-16
His lawyers sent the Thompson campaign a letter alleging an illegal recording of a private Davis meet-and-greet and threatening legal action; no suit was found filed.
- On the record2025-12
A teenage volunteer for his campaign surveilled Thompson's St. Helena home for two months per a law enforcement report; Jones said he takes responsibility for the volunteer's over-enthusiasm.
Sources: Napa Valley Register, May 16, 2026, Patch (Napa Valley), Dec. 4, 2025
Mike Thompson
- Mark against2005-08-29
The FEC approved a $2,500 negotiated settlement with his campaign committee after it failed to disclose $65,115 in disbursements on its third quarter 2004 report.
Sources: FEC, ADR 261, Mike Thompson for Congress, FEC, ADR 261 negotiated settlement, Sept. 2, 2005
- On the record2026-03-18
Former opponent Jim Hinton filed an FEC complaint alleging the campaign did not report wine served at a fundraiser; the campaign called it politically motivated. No FEC action found.
Where it stands: Complaint filed with the FEC in March 2026 (Napa Valley Register). No second outlet found; the FEC enforcement search shows no public matter, as pending complaints are confidential until closed. No finding as of Oct. 9, 2026.
- On the record2025-02-06
Voted Yea on the HALT Fentanyl Act in February 2025, which Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted against.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 33, 2025
- Credit2025
Ranked 101st in the House on the Lugar Center Bipartisan Index for 2023, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
- Credit2022
Sponsored H.R. 6241 in the 117th Congress, setting rules for using retirement funds after federally declared disasters, which GovTrack lists as enacted.
Source: GovTrack, enacted legislation
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Eric Jones. House candidate financial disclosure filed Sept. 2, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC. No FEC administrative fine or other official finding found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10082767, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Mike Thompson. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and his 2025 annual financial disclosure is 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 "Mike Thompson", FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Eric Jones. No public record found.
Mike Thompson. Voted Yea on the HALT Fentanyl Act in 2025 when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Nay, and Nay on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 when Jeffries voted Yea.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 33, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 45, 2026
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Eric Jones. Took part in the Feb. 9, 2026 Sonoma Valley Democrats online candidate forum and has invited Thompson to nine county debates plus a televised one.
Sources: Press Democrat (Sonoma Index-Tribune), Feb. 3, 2026, Napa Valley Register (Sacramento Bee), July 23, 2026
Mike Thompson. Took part in a February 2026 candidate forum and joined in-person town halls in 2026, including in Petaluma in August; his office reports 29 town halls.
Sources: Press Democrat (Sonoma Index-Tribune), Feb. 3, 2026, Rep. Huffman office site, Town Halls in 119th Congress, Office site, home page
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Eric Jones. Worked at JP Morgan and helped build Dragoneer Investment Group, where he was a partner, then co-founded a family foundation. No conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Eric Jones, Press Democrat (Sonoma Index-Tribune), Feb. 3, 2026
Mike Thompson. Army veteran (1969 to 1972), state senator from 1990 to 1998 and in Congress since 1999. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Mike Thompson
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Eric Jones. No public record found.
Mike Thompson. Served in the Army and has held sworn state and federal office since 1990. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections, did not vote on the 2005 objection and made no 2017 objection.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021, Ballotpedia, Mike Thompson
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Eric Jones. Former partner at an investment firm and co-founder of a family foundation and a youth engagement group. Has not held public office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Eric Jones, CalMatters, September 2026
Mike Thompson. In the U.S. House since January 1999, seeking a 15th term; California state senator from 1990 to 1998.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Eric Jones. Publishes 27 policy plans under three priorities, including congressional stock trading and term limit proposals, a working class tax cut and water and farm policy.
Source: Campaign site, Priorities
Mike Thompson. Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Tax subcommittee and earlier chaired Select Revenue Measures; 21 bills he sponsored were enacted.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Eric Jones. Publishes plain-language policy pages and took part in a February 2026 candidate forum. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, Priorities, Press Democrat (Sonoma Index-Tribune), Feb. 3, 2026, Ballotpedia, Eric Jones
Mike Thompson. Offers an e-newsletter, holds town halls and took part in a 2026 candidate forum. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Press Democrat (Sonoma Index-Tribune), Feb. 3, 2026, Ballotpedia, Mike Thompson
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Eric Jones. Moved to Napa in 2021 and is raising his family there. FEC by-state totals show about 74 percent of itemized individual contributions from California; he has also put in more than $5.1 million of his own money.
Sources: Press Democrat (Sonoma Index-Tribune), Feb. 3, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Mike Thompson. Born in St. Helena in 1951 and still lives in the family home there. FEC by-state totals show about 79 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Mike Thompson, CalMatters, September 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Eric Jones. 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 Thompson. 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.
Eric Jones. No public record found.
Mike Thompson. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.095 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.572, below expectations. Raised to 2 under E14: a disaster retirement-funds bill he sponsored was enacted in the 117th Congress.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Eric Jones. No public record found.
Mike Thompson. Missed 224 of 17,390 roll call votes, 1.3 percent, from January 1999 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Eric Jones. No public record found.
Mike Thompson. Lists district offices in Napa, Santa Rosa and Woodland and publishes casework totals: 4,036 cases resolved and $24.4 million recovered.
Source: Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Eric Jones. Endorsed by Ray Riehle, the Republican who finished third in the June primary.
Source: CalMatters, September 2026
Mike Thompson. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.14626 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 101, in the top quarter of the House.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Eric Jones. No public record found.
Mike Thompson. 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 4th Congressional District?
Mike Thompson has the strongest record in California's 4th Congressional District. Mike Thompson scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Eric Jones at 53, as of October 9, 2026. Mike Thompson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Eric Jones's highest marks are 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 4th Congressional District in 2026?
Eric Jones (Democratic), Mike Thompson (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Eric Jones a good candidate for Congress?
Eric Jones scores 53 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 55 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Mike Thompson a good candidate for Congress?
Mike Thompson scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 60 of 100, qualifications 85 of 100, performance 75 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, and the California 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.