U.S. House, California 7th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 7th Congressional District?
Doris Matsui has the strongest record in California's 7th Congressional District. Doris Matsui scores 70 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Mai Vang at 61, as of October 9, 2026. Doris Matsui's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Mai Vang's highest marks are roots in the constituency and relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Doris Matsui
70 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 55
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 81
Democratic
Mai Vang
61 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- 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.
Doris Matsui
- On the record2026-01
Voted Nay on final passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries supported; it passed 341 to 88.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 45, 2026
- On the record2026-08-27
Debated challenger Mai Vang at a League of Women Voters event in the general election campaign.
Source: The Sacramento Bee, debate video
- Credit2024-03-09
Sponsored H.R. 7545, adding certified community behavioral health clinic services as a Medicaid state plan option; its provisions were enacted in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024.
Mai Vang
- On the record2026-08-27
Debated Rep. Doris Matsui at a League of Women Voters event in the general election campaign.
Source: The Sacramento Bee, debate video
- On the record2026-05
Drew criticism in May 2026 after clips showed her not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at Sacramento City Council meetings; in a 2025 post she said she chooses not to recite it.
Sources: Lodi News-Sentinel, May 27, 2026, Fox News Digital via WFMD, May 25, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Doris Matsui. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and her 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed May 14, 2026. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Committee on Ethics site search for Matsui, FEC administrative fines search
Mai Vang. A House candidate financial disclosure was filed May 15, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075632, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Doris Matsui. Voted Nay on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 and on the 2026 FISA title VII extension when Democratic Leader Jeffries and Whip Clark voted Yea.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 45, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 155, 2026
Mai Vang. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Doris Matsui. Debated Mai Vang on Aug. 27, 2026 at a League of Women Voters event.
Mai Vang. Debated Rep. Doris Matsui on Aug. 27, 2026 at a League of Women Voters event.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Doris Matsui. Has served in the House since March 2005. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, Doris Matsui, House Committee on Ethics site search for Matsui
Mai Vang. Has held elected local office since 2016 (school board, then city council). No censure or conduct finding found.
Sources: City of Sacramento, Councilmember Vang biography, Ballotpedia, Mai Vang
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Doris Matsui. Voted Nay on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electors in January 2021 and did not object in January 2017. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
Mai Vang. Has held sworn local office since 2016, on the Sacramento City Unified school board and the Sacramento City Council. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: City of Sacramento, Councilmember Vang biography, Ballotpedia, Mai Vang
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Doris Matsui. In the U.S. House since March 2005 and seeking another term.
Source: GovTrack, Doris Matsui
Mai Vang. Sacramento City Council member since December 2020 and a school board member from 2016; earlier executive director of the Buck Scholars Association.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Mai Vang, City of Sacramento, Councilmember Vang biography
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Doris Matsui. Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology; primary sponsor of 16 enacted bills.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Mai Vang. Publishes a platform page with positions on health care, costs and other issues, mostly in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, Platform
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Doris Matsui. Offers an e-newsletter and issue pages on her office site and debated her opponent in August 2026. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, The Sacramento Bee, debate video, Ballotpedia, Doris Matsui
Mai Vang. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, publishes a platform page and debated her opponent in August 2026.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Mai Vang, Campaign site, Platform, The Sacramento Bee, debate video
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Doris Matsui. Keeps a residence in Sacramento, per a 2009 Roll Call report citing Sacramento tax records. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 44 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Roll Call, April 4, 2009, FEC contribution totals by state
Mai Vang. A Sacramento native who has represented a Sacramento council district since 2020. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 92 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: City of Sacramento, Councilmember Vang biography, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Doris Matsui. 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
Mai Vang. 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.
Doris Matsui. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.390 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.560, exceeding expectations. Primary sponsor of 16 enacted bills, including H.R. 7545 (118th), enacted in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 7545 (118th Congress)
Mai Vang. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Doris Matsui. Missed 154 of 13,896 roll call votes, 1.1 percent, from March 2005 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Mai Vang. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Doris Matsui. Keeps a Sacramento district office and takes casework requests for help with federal agencies. No casework totals published.
Sources: Office site, Office Locations, Office site, home page
Mai Vang. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Doris Matsui. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.27539 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 82 of 436, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Mai Vang. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Doris Matsui. No public record found.
Mai Vang. 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 7th Congressional District?
Doris Matsui has the strongest record in California's 7th Congressional District. Doris Matsui scores 70 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Mai Vang at 61, as of October 9, 2026. Doris Matsui's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Mai Vang's highest marks are roots in the constituency and relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in California's 7th Congressional District in 2026?
Doris Matsui (Democratic, incumbent), Mai Vang (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Doris Matsui a good candidate for Congress?
Doris Matsui scores 70 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 55 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 81 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Mai Vang a good candidate for Congress?
Mai Vang scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance no record. 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.