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U.S. House · California's 8th District

Covers part of the Sacramento Valley and North Bay, including Fairfield, Vallejo and Richmond, following the 2025 Proposition 50 mid-decade redistricting.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

John Garamendi, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
John Garamendi162,80372.7%
Rudy Recile61,26727.3%

About 86% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • The district's boundaries changed as a result of California Proposition 50, approved by voters on November 4, 2025, which redrew the state's congressional map.[1]
  • In the June 2, 2026 top-two primary, John Garamendi (D) placed first with 54.4% (97,155 votes) and Rudy Recile (R) placed second with 27.8% (49,599 votes) out of 178,561 total votes cast; both advanced to the general election.[1]

On the November 3 ballot · 2 candidates

John GaramendiDINCUMBENTPROJECTED WINNERU.S. Representative (since 2009, prior districts)Full profile →Rudy RecileRRetired U.S. Army Major; small business ownerFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Protect legal access to abortion

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[38][39][40]

    Voted yes on Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755, 2021-09-24). Voted yes on Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 (H.R. 8296, 2022-07-15). Voted no on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36, 2017-10-03), which would have banned most abortions after 20 weeks.

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Stricter gun laws

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[33][34][35][36]

    Voted yes on Bipartisan Background Checks Act (H.R. 8, 2019-02-27), which would have required background checks on most private gun sales. Voted yes on Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808, 2022-07-29), which would have banned the sale of many semiautomatic assault weapons. Voted yes on Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938, 2022-06-24), which expanded background checks for buyers under 21 and funded state red-flag programs. Voted no on Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38, 2017-12-06), which would have required states to honor other states' concealed-carry permits.

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[18][19][20][24][25][26]

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations. Voted no on Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2, 2023-05-11). Voted yes on American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R. 6, 2019-06-04; 2021-03-18).

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[18][19][20][29][28]

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03; 2017-12-20), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent. Voted yes on Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376, 2022-08-12), which added a 15% minimum tax on large corporations and a stock-buyback excise tax.

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Expand public health coverage

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[18][19][20][21][22][23]

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted yes on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08), which extended enhanced ACA premium subsidies. Voted yes on Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590, 2010-03-21). Voted no on American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628, 2017-05-04), which would have capped federal Medicaid funding and ended enhanced funding for the Medicaid expansion.

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Faster transition away from fossil fuels

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[18][19][20][27][28]

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits. Voted yes on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19; 2022-08-12), which would have funded clean-energy tax credits.

  • Rudy Recile
    Opposes[8]

    Campaign issues page criticizes power plant shutdowns by those who dislike carbon fuels, calls wind and solar unreliable, and favors more oil exploration and nuclear energy.

Public funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)

  • John Garamendi
    —
  • Rudy Recile
    Supports[9]

    Campaign issues page says parents should have a choice where their children are taught and that money should follow the child.

Raise the minimum wage

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[37]

    Voted yes on Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 582, 2019-07-18).

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Broad tariffs on imported goods

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[32]

    Voted yes on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Universal, publicly funded child care

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[27]

    Voted yes on Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376, 2021-11-19), which would have funded universal pre-K and child-care subsidies.

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[17]

    Voted no on SAVE Act (H.R. 22, 2025-04-10).

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

  • John Garamendi
    Recorded votes[30][31]

    Voted yes on War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization. Voted yes on War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.

  • Rudy Recile
    —

Research notes & limits

Neither candidate has completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Garamendi's priorities and healthcare position are drawn from an older (2016) campaign-website excerpt reproduced on Ballotpedia, since no current 2026 issue statement was found; his committee record is current. Recile's issue positions were not detailed on his campaign homepage beyond the listed platform topics, so specific stances were not documented. Biography gaps: Garamendi's year of birth and birthplace come only from Ballotpedia (his office gives where he was raised); Recile's career dates beyond Ballotpedia and a 2022 Daily Republic profile were not found.

Sources · 44

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.California's 8th Congressional District · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.John Garamendi · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  3. 3.Rudy Recile · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  4. 4.Ending Gun Violence · Rep. John Garamendi official House website · 2026-10-03 Official record
  5. 5.Women's Equality · Rep. John Garamendi official House website · 2026-10-03 Official record
  6. 6.Environment · Rep. John Garamendi official House website · 2026-10-03 Official record
  7. 7.Garamendi Statement on Successful Iran War Powers Resolution Passing House · Rep. John Garamendi official House website · 2026-10-03 Official record
  8. 8.Energy Independence · Rudy Recile for U.S. Congress · 2026-10-03 Candidate's own words
  9. 9.Education and School Choice – Rudy Recile for U.S. Congress · Rudy Recile campaign website Candidate's own words
  10. 10.John Garamendi · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  11. 11.About John Garamendi · Office of Rep. John Garamendi · 2026-10-21 Official record
  12. 12.California U.S. House District 8 election results 2026 · NBC News News report
  13. 13.H.R. 2743, the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 (Raise the Wage Act of 2025) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  14. 14.H.R. 3069, the Medicare for All Act (Medicare for All Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  15. 15.H.R. 5427, the Billionaires Income Tax Act (Billionaires Income Tax Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  16. 16.H.R. 7392 (To impose a hiring freeze on United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and for other purposes.) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
  17. 17.Roll call: SAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-04-10 Official record
  18. 18.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  19. 19.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  20. 20.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  21. 21.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  22. 22.Roll call: Affordable Care Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2010-03-21 Official record
  23. 23.Roll call: American Health Care Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-05-04 Official record
  24. 24.Roll call: Secure the Border Act of 2023 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2023-05-11 Official record
  25. 25.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-06-04 Official record
  26. 26.Roll call: American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-03-18 Official record
  27. 27.Roll call: Build Back Better Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-11-19 Official record
  28. 28.Roll call: Inflation Reduction Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-08-12 Official record
  29. 29.Roll call: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-20 Official record
  30. 30.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
  31. 31.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
  32. 32.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
  33. 33.Roll call: Bipartisan Background Checks Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-02-27 Official record
  34. 34.Roll call: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-29 Official record
  35. 35.Roll call: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-06-24 Official record
  36. 36.Roll call: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-12-06 Official record
  37. 37.Roll call: Raise the Wage Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2019-07-18 Official record
  38. 38.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2021-09-24 Official record
  39. 39.Roll call: Women's Health Protection Act of 2022 — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2022-07-15 Official record
  40. 40.Roll call: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2017-10-03 Official record
  41. 41.Major (Ret) Rudy Recile For U.S. Congress · Rudy Recile for Congress campaign website · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
  42. 42.Rudy Recile · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  43. 43.Retired Army Major, Vacaville resident running for Congress · Daily Republic · 2026-10-21 News report
  44. 44.U.S. House · California's 8th District results 2026 · NBC News News report