U.S. House, California 44th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 44th Congressional District?
Nanette Diaz Barragan has the strongest record in California's 44th Congressional District. Nanette Diaz Barragan scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Nanette Diaz Barragan's highest marks are relevant experience and results. Genevieve Angel (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
Genevieve Angel
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Nanette Diaz Barragan
66 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 60
- Qualifications
- 75
- 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.
Genevieve Angel
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Nanette Diaz Barragan
- On the record2025-07-17
Voted Nay, against Minority Leader Jeffries, on final passage of the GENIUS Act stablecoin bill, which passed 308 to 122.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 200, July 17, 2025 (GENIUS Act)
- Credit2026
GovTrack lists four bills she sponsored that were enacted, including H.R. 9139 in the 118th Congress on Navy land at a defense fuel site.
Source: GovTrack, Nanette Barragan
- Credit2025
The Center for Effective Lawmaking rated her lawmaking in the 118th Congress as exceeding expectations for a member in her position.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, House data file 93rd to 118th Congress
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Genevieve Angel. 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
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed July 27, 2026. No House Ethics matter or FEC administrative fine found. Two 2024 transaction reports for Treasury bond purchases were filed past 45 days (see notes).
Sources: House Clerk annual disclosure, Filing ID 10078029, House Ethics Committee site search, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Genevieve Angel. No public record found.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Voted against Minority Leader Jeffries on several significant 2025 votes, including Nay on final passage of the GENIUS Act and Nay on tabling an impeachment resolution.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 200, July 17, 2025 (GENIUS Act), House Clerk Roll Call 175, June 24, 2025 (motion to table H.Res. 537)
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Genevieve Angel. No public record found.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Holds open in-person town halls and community meetings, including a 2017 San Pedro town hall reported by the Los Angeles Times and a May 2026 community conversation with over 250 constituents.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, April 2017 (reposted by her House office), Barragan House office, May 5, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Genevieve Angel. No public record found.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Ten years in elected city and federal office with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: GovTrack, Nanette Barragan
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Genevieve Angel. No public record found.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Took the House oath in 2017 and voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors; no misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Genevieve Angel. Family nurse practitioner and healthcare executive with nursing and graduate degrees. Has not held public office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Genevieve Angel, Campaign site
Nanette Diaz Barragan. In her fifth U.S. House term since 2017, after serving on the Hermosa Beach City Council from 2013 to 2015.
Sources: GovTrack, Nanette Barragan, Ballotpedia, Nanette Barragan
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Genevieve Angel. Publishes priorities on affordability, public safety, healthcare and immigration in general terms.
Source: Campaign site
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and its Health, Environment, and Communications and Technology subcommittees, and co-chairs the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. Holds no committee chair or ranking post.
Sources: GovTrack, Nanette Barragan, Barragan House office, About
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Genevieve Angel. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026 and publishes a priorities page.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Genevieve Angel, Campaign site
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Communicates through an email newsletter, published issue pages, town halls and community meetings. Did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 to 2024 surveys.
Sources: Barragan House office, Contact, Barragan House office, May 5, 2026, Ballotpedia, Nanette Barragan
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Genevieve Angel. Says she has lived in Lakewood and the district for about 30 years. FEC by-state totals show about 72 percent of a small itemized total ($9,193) from California.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Born in Harbor City, part of the district, and listed by the Los Angeles Times as D-San Pedro. FEC by-state totals show about 48 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Wikipedia, Nanette Barragan, Los Angeles Times, April 2017 (reposted by her House office), FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Genevieve Angel. 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
Nanette Diaz Barragan. 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.
Genevieve Angel. No public record found.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Center for Effective Lawmaking rates her LES 2.0 of 1.03 in the 118th Congress as exceeding expectations. GovTrack lists 4 bills she sponsored that were enacted.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking, House data file 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, Nanette Barragan
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Genevieve Angel. No public record found.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Missed 109 of 5,079 roll call votes, 2.1 percent, from January 2017 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, Nanette Barragan
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Genevieve Angel. No public record found.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Lists district offices in Long Beach and San Pedro plus satellite offices at Carson and South Gate city halls. No published casework totals found.
Source: Barragan House office, Contact
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Genevieve Angel. No public record found.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.19991 for the 118th Congress (2023), ranked 374 of 436, in the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center Bipartisan Index, House, 118th Congress
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Genevieve Angel. No public record found.
Nanette Diaz Barragan. 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 44th Congressional District?
Nanette Diaz Barragan has the strongest record in California's 44th Congressional District. Nanette Diaz Barragan scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Nanette Diaz Barragan's highest marks are relevant experience and results. Genevieve Angel (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 44th Congressional District in 2026?
Genevieve Angel (Republican), Nanette Diaz Barragan (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Genevieve Angel a good candidate for Congress?
Genevieve Angel 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 Nanette Diaz Barragan a good candidate for Congress?
Nanette Diaz Barragan scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 60 of 100, qualifications 75 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.