By Jim Ellis — Tuesday, January 13, 2026
House
Seven-term California Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village/ Ventura County)
Immediately after the Congresswoman made her political intentions public, state Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) declared her congressional candidacy with Rep. Brownley’s endorsement.
Brownley served three terms in the California Assembly prior to winning her first election to the Ventura County-anchored 26th Congressional District in 2012. In her seven congressional races, the Representative averaged 56.8 precent of the general election vote, which is the District 26 projected Democratic partisan lean number.
The new 26th saw only minor changes in the 2025 redistricting map. Prior to voters adopting the new plan, the Dave’s Redistricting App statisticians calculated a 56.8D – 41.2R partisan lean. The new 26th, which stretches a bit further east into Los Angeles County largely for the purpose of making freshman Rep. George Whitesides (D-Agua Dulce/Santa Clarita) 27th District slightly more Democratic, has a partisan lean of 56.7D – 42.5R.
The new 26th is moving closer to the competitive realm, but it is still wholly within the universe of distinctly Democratic California congressional districts. Under the 2022 redistricting map, Rep. David Valadao (D-Hanford/Fresno) represents the most Democratic California district to elect a Republican. Under that plan, the CA-22 partisan lean was 55.5D – 42.6R.
Jacqui Irwin was first elected to the state Assembly in 2014. Under the California term limit law that allows members to serve up to 12 years in one chamber, Irwin is ineligible to seek re-election. Prior to winning her seat in the legislature, Assemblywoman Irwin served two terms as Mayor of Thousand Oaks and three on the Thousand Oaks City Council. She begins her 2026 congressional campaign as the favorite to win the seat.
The 26th District covers about 80 precent of Ventura County, sharing with District 24 (Rep. Salud Carbajal-D) and veteran Democrat Brad Sherman’s CD-32. The CD-26 remaining constituency resides in Los Angeles County. In the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris carried the district over President Trump 56-41 precent, which is consistent with the regional partisan lean.
Rep. Brownley’s retirement announcement brings the total open seat count for the next election to 52. She is the 20th Democrat to leave the House.
A total of 18 members from both parties are retiring from elective politics (17) or have resigned from the House (1). Thirteen departing Representatives are running for the Senate and another 13 are seeking the Governorship of their respective state. One member, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Austin), is running for Texas Attorney General. Two seats are vacant due to the incumbent’s death.
Though articles have been written about the Republican exodus from the House, in actuality, more Democrats (11) are retiring from elective politics than Republicans (7). Obviously, a greater number of Republicans are seeking a different office.
Five new seats were created through 2025 redistricting maps in California and Texas. The latter state has three new vacant seats, while two California Democratic members are leaving their current congressional districts to run in another CD under the new map’s boundaries.
Sacramento area Rep. Ami Bera is leaving District 6 to run for election in CD-3, while Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Whittier) departs from the 38th CD to seek election in new District 41.