Mike Cargile

Mike Cargile is the Republican nominee for California's 35th District and has faced Rep. Norma Torres in the general election in 2020, 2022 and 2024. Born in Fort Hood, Texas, he served briefly as an Army officer and later worked in film and entertainment in Southern California. He describes himself as a 'Reagan Republican, a Constitutional Conservative and America First.'[1]

Mike Cargile was born in Fort Hood, Texas, and earned a bachelor's degree in business from Columbus State University in 1987.[1] He says he served as a Quartermaster Army officer before going into the Individual Ready Reserve after the Gulf War, and Ballotpedia lists his Army service as 1990 to 1991.[1] Cargile says he moved to California in 1991, helped run a small independent music label, and handled private-label manufacturing for Power Rangers food products.[1] He says he worked in Hollywood as a writer, actor, director, producer, editor and marketing director, and Ballotpedia lists his career experience as including president of Big Event Pictures and filmmaker.[1] He also says he has been a coach, crossing guard, booster club president, Ways and Means chairman and church deacon, and that he lives in Southern California with his wife and two children.[1]

Cargile advanced from the top-two primary and lost to Torres in the 2020 general election (30.7% to her 69.3%), the 2022 general election (42.6% to 57.4%) and the 2024 general election (41.6% to 58.4%).[1] He placed second in the June 2, 2026 primary with 40.4% of the vote (51,641 votes), setting up a fourth general-election contest against Torres.[1] He has completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in multiple cycles, including 2020, 2022 and 2024.[1]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.