U.S. House, California 9th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 9th Congressional District?
Josh Harder has the strongest record in California's 9th Congressional District. Josh Harder scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Josh Harder's highest marks are relevant experience and results. John McBride (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.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Josh Harder
68 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 60
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 75
Republican
John McBride
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 6 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- 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.
Josh Harder
- On the record2025-01
Voted Yea on final passage of the Laken Riley Act (S. 5), which Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed; it passed 263 to 156.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 23, 2025
- Credit2025-12-01
Sponsored the Safer Response Act of 2025 (H.R. 4079), reauthorizing first responder training grants; its provisions were enacted in the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, signed Dec. 1, 2025.
John McBride
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Josh Harder. His 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed May 13, 2026; the Clerk index lists no periodic transaction reports for him. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10076099, House Committee on Ethics site search for Harder, FEC administrative fines search
John McBride. 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
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Josh Harder. Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act and the HALT Fentanyl Act in 2025 when Democratic Leader Jeffries voted Nay; a Clerk scan found 33 such splits in 2025 and 2026.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 23, 2025, House Clerk Roll Call 166, 2025
John McBride. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Josh Harder. Holds open in-person town halls, including one with more than 300 Lodi residents in August 2025. No 2026 general election debate record found.
Sources: Office site, press release, Aug. 22, 2025, Office site, press release, Jan. 12, 2023, Office site, press release, Oct. 4, 2019
John McBride. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Josh Harder. Has served in the House since January 2019. No censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Sources: GovTrack, Josh Harder, House Committee on Ethics site search for Harder
John McBride. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Josh Harder. Voted Nay on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electors in January 2021. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
John McBride. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Josh Harder. In the U.S. House since January 2019, seeking a fifth term; earlier a venture capital vice president and Modesto Junior College instructor.
John McBride. Strength and conditioning coach for more than three decades, the first at the University of the Pacific (12 years) and later at St. Mary's High School in Stockton; owns a sports performance business. Has not held public office.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Josh Harder. Sits on the Appropriations Committee (Interior and Labor-HHS-Education subcommittees) and publishes issue plans on costs, gas prices and water.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Office site, home page
John McBride. Publishes priorities on health care, crime, water, the economy and education in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, home page
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Josh Harder. Offers an e-newsletter, telephone town halls, issue pages and in-person town halls. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Office site, press release, Ballotpedia, Josh Harder
John McBride. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey and publishes a priorities page.
Sources: Ballotpedia, John McBride, Campaign site, home page
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Josh Harder. Born in Turlock and a Modesto High School graduate; his office is in Stockton. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 78 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Josh Harder, FEC contribution totals by state
John McBride. A Stockton-area resident who has lived in the district about 35 years, per the Lodi News-Sentinel. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 10 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Lodi News-Sentinel via Yahoo News, July 23, 2025, Ballotpedia, John McBride, 2026 survey, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Josh Harder. 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
John McBride. 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.
Josh Harder. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.847 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.530, exceeding expectations. Primary sponsor of four enacted bills, most recently the Safer Response Act of 2025.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 4079 (119th Congress)
John McBride. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Josh Harder. Missed 57 of 3,869 roll call votes, 1.5 percent, from January 2019 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
John McBride. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Josh Harder. Keeps a Stockton district office and offers help with federal agencies. No casework totals published.
Sources: Office site, Offices, Office site, home page
John McBride. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Josh Harder. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.09468 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 115 of 436, a positive score.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
John McBride. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Josh Harder. No public record found.
John McBride. 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 9th Congressional District?
Josh Harder has the strongest record in California's 9th Congressional District. Josh Harder scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Josh Harder's highest marks are relevant experience and results. John McBride (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 9th Congressional District in 2026?
Josh Harder (Democratic, incumbent), John McBride (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Josh Harder a good candidate for Congress?
Josh Harder scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 60 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is John McBride a good candidate for Congress?
John McBride 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.
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.