Ballotpedia Preferred Source

Redistricting turns California's 41st District into a Democratic district, setting up intra-party fight


Incumbent Linda Sánchez (D), Hector De La Torre (D), Shonique Williams (D), and Mitch Clemmons (R) are running in the top-two primary for California's 41st Congressional District on June 2, 2026. As of May 2026, Sánchez and De La Torre led in endorsements and fundraising.

The election is taking place in the context of redistricting in California that changed the 41st District's boundaries from those used in 2024. Incumbent Ken Calvert (R), who was elected 51.7%–48.3% in 2024, is running for re-election in the new 40th District. Inside Elections' Nathaniel Rakich said the "new map would much more dramatically reconfigure the 41st District, which would retain nothing except its number ... [the new district] is a D+16 seat in eastern Los Angeles County that would be a near-automatic pickup for Democrats."

The last Democrat to run against Sánchez was Michael Tolar (D) in 2020. Sánchez defeated Tolar 77.7%–22.3% in the primary and 74.3%–25.7% in the general election.

Sánchez was elected in 2002. She earlier worked as an attorney in private practice and as executive secretary and treasurer of the Orange County branch of the AFL-CIO. In a campaign ad, Sánchez said, "Republicans in Congress have done nothing to address rising costs. ... I'm fighting to lower prices and stand up for the hardworking people who keep our communities running." Sánchez's campaign website says she has "passed legislation to prevent health insurance companies from making women pay more for the same insurance that men get, and she’s fighting to pass legislation to make child care more affordable for working families." U.S. Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) endorsed Sánchez.

De La Torre is executive director of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments. He served in the California Assembly from 2004 to 2010. De La Torre's campaign website says, "[W]hen Hector De La Torre sees a powerful interest abusing the system, he fights back. He builds coalitions, takes on personal risk, writes the laws, and sees it through — even when it takes years and multiple attempts." A De La Torre campaign website alleges Sánchez had spent campaign funds on personal expenses and failed to report stock trades. Former U.S. Reps. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) and Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.), whose districts overlapped with the new 41st District, endorsed De La Torre.

In a top-two primary, all candidates running for a given office appear on the same ballot. The top two finishers—regardless of partisan affiliation—advance to the general election.

As of May 2026, major election forecasters rated the general election Solid/Safe Democratic.