U.S. House, California 5th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 5th Congressional District?
Tom McClintock has the strongest record in California's 5th Congressional District. Tom McClintock scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Michael Masuda at 58, as of October 9, 2026. Tom McClintock's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Michael Masuda's highest marks are roots in the constituency and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Michael Masuda
58 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Tom McClintock
64 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- 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.
Michael Masuda
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Tom McClintock
- On the record2026-05-01
Did not respond to invitations to a Modesto Focus-moderated primary debate; challenger Michael Masuda took part alone.
Source: The Modesto Focus, May 1, 2026
- On the record2026-02-16
Outlets identify him as of Elk Grove, a city the Prop. 50 map places wholly in the 7th District; federal law does not require House members to live in their district.
Sources: San Joaquin Valley Sun, Feb. 16, 2026, Statewide Database, AB 604 City Splits Report
- On the record2024-02-13
Voted Nay on the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, which Speaker Mike Johnson voted for and which passed.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 43, 2024
- On the record2024-04-20
Voted Nay on the April 2024 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, part of the national security supplemental package, which Speaker Johnson voted for.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 145, 2024
- On the record2021-01-06
Signed the December 2020 House amicus brief supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania, then voted Nay on the Jan. 6 and 7, 2021 objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electors.
Sources: Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives, House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- On the record2019-02-20
PolitiFact rated False his Jan. 29, 2019 statement that in 2017 illegal aliens murdered 1,800 Americans.
Source: PolitiFact, Feb. 20, 2019
- Credit2022-12
Sponsored the Big Cat Public Safety Act (H.R. 211), enacted in the 117th Congress.
Source: GovTrack, enacted legislation
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Michael Masuda. House candidate financial disclosure filed Sept. 15, 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 10082866, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Tom McClintock. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed May 14, 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 10076731, House Committee on Ethics site search for McClintock, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Michael Masuda. No public record found.
Tom McClintock. Voted Nay on the February 2024 impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas and on the April 2024 national security supplemental, both backed by Speaker Johnson, and broke with leadership on dozens of other passage votes.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 43, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 145, 2024
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Michael Masuda. Took part in a pre-recorded KVML candidate forum with McClintock that aired Sept. 3, 2026, and held a public town hall in Bishop in September 2026.
Tom McClintock. Took part in a pre-recorded candidate forum with Masuda on KVML radio in Sonora, aired Sept. 3, 2026. Did not respond to a Modesto Focus primary debate invitation in spring 2026.
Sources: myMotherLode (KVML), Sept. 3, 2026, The Modesto Focus, May 1, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Michael Masuda. Worked as an engineer at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and as a State Department Foreign Affairs Officer. No conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Michael Masuda, Inyo Register
Tom McClintock. Served in the California Assembly and State Senate (the CEL state file records him from 1997 to 2008) and in the House since 2009. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Source: CEL state legislative effectiveness file, California Assembly 1997 to 1998
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Michael Masuda. Served in the federal civil service as a State Department Foreign Affairs Officer. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Michael Masuda
Tom McClintock. Signed the December 2020 House amicus brief in Texas v. Pennsylvania, then voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives, 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.
Michael Masuda. Engineering and diplomatic career, including State Department service. Has not held elected office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Michael Masuda, Inyo Register
Tom McClintock. In the U.S. House since January 2009, after the State Senate (to 2008) and the Assembly.
Sources: GovTrack, missed votes, CEL state legislative effectiveness file, California Senate 2007 to 2008
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Michael Masuda. Publishes issue priorities on affordability, health care, wildfire and agriculture, mostly in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, Issues
Tom McClintock. Chairs the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement and serves on Budget and Natural Resources; publishes issue positions.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Michael Masuda. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, publishes issue pages and holds town halls.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Michael Masuda, Campaign site, Issues, Inyo Register
Tom McClintock. Offers a newsletter and telephone town halls and publishes issue pages and ballot measure positions. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Campaign site, home page, Ballotpedia, Tom McClintock
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Michael Masuda. Grew up in Amador County and graduated from Amador High School; Amador lies in the new district, where he says he lives. FEC by-state totals show about 79 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Michael Masuda, Campaign site, About, Campaign site, About CA5, FEC contribution totals by state
Tom McClintock. Has represented Sierra and Gold Country areas since 2009; the Inyo Register identifies him as R-Elk Grove, a Sacramento County city. FEC by-state totals show about 90 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Inyo Register, FEC contribution totals by state, San Joaquin Valley Sun, Feb. 16, 2026, Statewide Database, AB 604 City Splits Report, California Senate Office of Demographics, 2025 Congressional Districts (Prop. 50)
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Michael Masuda. 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
Tom McClintock. 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.
Michael Masuda. No public record found.
Tom McClintock. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.896 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.485, meeting expectations, with eight sponsored bills enacted over his tenure, including the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Michael Masuda. No public record found.
Tom McClintock. Missed 137 of 10,869 roll call votes, 1.3 percent, from January 2009 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Michael Masuda. No public record found.
Tom McClintock. Lists district offices in El Dorado Hills and Modesto and offers satellite staff office hours. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, home page
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Michael Masuda. No public record found.
Tom McClintock. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.87924 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 308, negative but 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.
Michael Masuda. No public record found.
Tom McClintock. 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 5th Congressional District?
Tom McClintock has the strongest record in California's 5th Congressional District. Tom McClintock scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Michael Masuda at 58, as of October 9, 2026. Tom McClintock's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Michael Masuda's highest marks are roots in the constituency and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in California's 5th Congressional District in 2026?
Michael Masuda (Democratic), Tom McClintock (Republican, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Michael Masuda a good candidate for Congress?
Michael Masuda scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Tom McClintock a good candidate for Congress?
Tom McClintock scores 64 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 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.