U.S. House, California 8th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 8th Congressional District?
John Garamendi has the strongest record in California's 8th Congressional District. John Garamendi scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Rudy Recile at 50, as of October 9, 2026. John Garamendi's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
John Garamendi
60 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
Republican
Rudy Recile
50 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- 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.
John Garamendi
- On the record2026
Outlets in 2026 place his home in Walnut Grove, which the state Senate demographics office lists wholly in the new 7th District; House members need not live in their district.
Sources: Richmondside, May 15, 2026, Daily Republic, July 2026, California Senate Office of Demographics, Congressional District 07 (2025), California Senate Office of Demographics, Congressional District 08 (2025)
- On the record2025
Voted Yea on the HALT Fentanyl Act in 2025 when Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted Nay; the bill passed 321 to 104.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 166, 2025
- Credit2021-11-15
Sponsored the Make It in America Act (H.R. 5059), raising American-made content requirements; its provisions were enacted in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed Nov. 15, 2021.
Rudy Recile
- On the record2026-07-29
Held a virtual town hall after advancing from the June 2 primary to face Rep. John Garamendi.
Source: Daily Republic, July 17, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
John Garamendi. His 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed July 22, 2026, after an extension request filed May 14, 2026; his one periodic transaction report since 2019 was filed on time. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075753, House Committee on Ethics site search for Garamendi, FEC administrative fines search
Rudy Recile. A House candidate financial disclosure was filed June 11, 2024, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10060163, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
John Garamendi. Voted Nay on the GENIUS Act in 2025 when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Yea, and Yea on the HALT Fentanyl Act in 2025 when Jeffries voted Nay.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 200, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 166, 2025
Rudy Recile. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
John Garamendi. No public record found.
Rudy Recile. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
John Garamendi. Has served in the House since November 2009 after statewide office as insurance commissioner and lieutenant governor. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding found in the last 10 years.
Sources: GovTrack, John Garamendi, House Committee on Ethics site search for Garamendi
Rudy Recile. Served in the U.S. Army from 1988 to 2014 and later at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. No conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Rudy Recile
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
John Garamendi. 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
Rudy Recile. Served in the U.S. Army from 1988 to 2014, retiring as a major. No official finding of misconduct found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Rudy Recile, Daily Republic, April 1, 2022
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
John Garamendi. In the U.S. House since November 2009; earlier deputy secretary of the Interior Department and a Peace Corps volunteer.
Sources: GovTrack, John Garamendi, Ballotpedia, John Garamendi
Rudy Recile. Retired Army major with 26 years of service as a logistician and project manager, a former USDA trainer of agriculture officers, and a web development business owner. Has not held public office.
Sources: Daily Republic, April 1, 2022, Ballotpedia, Rudy Recile
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
John Garamendi. Ranking Member of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness; primary sponsor of eight enacted bills.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Rudy Recile. Lists platform issues (energy independence, public safety, veterans, water, education) in general terms in his 2024 Ballotpedia survey.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
John Garamendi. Offers an e-newsletter and issue pages on his office site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Ballotpedia, John Garamendi
Rudy Recile. Answered Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024 and 2022 (not 2026) and scheduled a virtual town hall in July 2026.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Rudy Recile, Daily Republic, July 17, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
John Garamendi. Outlets in 2026 place him in Walnut Grove, which the state Senate demographics office lists wholly in the new 7th District; his FEC address is a Fairfield post office box. About 78 percent of itemized individual contributions came from California.
Sources: Office site, home page, Office site, Offices, FEC contribution totals by state, Richmondside, May 15, 2026, California Senate Office of Demographics, Congressional District 07 (2025)
Rudy Recile. Lives in Solano County, his home for about 18 years as of 2024; his FEC filing lists Vacaville. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 88 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Rudy Recile, 2024 survey, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
John Garamendi. 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
Rudy Recile. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through Sept. 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
John Garamendi. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.339 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.551, meeting expectations. Primary sponsor of eight enacted bills, most recently the Make It in America Act, enacted in the 2021 infrastructure law.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 5059 (117th Congress)
Rudy Recile. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
John Garamendi. Missed 527 of 10,012 roll call votes, 5.3 percent, from November 2009 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Rudy Recile. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
John Garamendi. Keeps district offices in Fairfield, Vallejo and Richmond and offers help with federal agencies. No casework totals published.
Sources: Office site, Offices, Office site, home page
Rudy Recile. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
John Garamendi. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.10680 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 153 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Rudy Recile. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
John Garamendi. No public record found.
Rudy Recile. 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 8th Congressional District?
John Garamendi has the strongest record in California's 8th Congressional District. John Garamendi scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Rudy Recile at 50, as of October 9, 2026. John Garamendi's highest marks are relevant experience and 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 8th Congressional District in 2026?
John Garamendi (Democratic, incumbent), Rudy Recile (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is John Garamendi a good candidate for Congress?
John Garamendi scores 60 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Rudy Recile a good candidate for Congress?
Rudy Recile scores 50 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 50 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, 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.