California State Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D) is poised to take over the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) after locking down a top-two finish in the state's primary election, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).
Irwin, who currently represents the 42nd Assembly District in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, captured 40.09 percent of the vote in the race for California's 26th Congressional District. She will face Republican businessman Sam Gallucci in November, who secured the second slot with 22.03 percent.
The contest is rated as “Solid” Democratic by the Cook Political Report, giving Irwin a strong advantage in the general election. The district has been reliably blue since Brownley first won it in 2012.
Irwin, a former two-term mayor of Thousand Oaks, first entered the state assembly in 2014. Her campaign website highlights her work on local infrastructure, education, and environmental issues. The open seat became available after Brownley announced in January she would not seek reelection.
“Serving our community and our country has been the honor of my lifetime,” Brownley said in her announcement. “Every step of this journey has been shaped by the people I represent, by their resilience, their determination, and their belief that government can and should work for the common good.”
The primary results come amid a broader reshaping of California's House map due to redistricting and retirements. In a related race, Republican Rep. Ken Calvert and Democrat Will Rollins are headed for a rematch in the redrawn 40th District. Meanwhile, state Senator Bob Archuleta and Republican businessman Eric Ching advanced in the 38th District, reflecting the ongoing partisan jockeying across the state.
Irwin's path to Congress is further smoothed by the district's demographics and Brownley's strong local popularity. However, Gallucci, a businessman with a focus on economic issues, has signaled he will campaign on inflation and public safety.
If elected, Irwin would join a growing class of California Democrats in the House, as the party seeks to hold its ground in a state where mail ballot counting often drags on for days. California's primary results have historically been slow to finalize, but Irwin's commanding lead in the top-two primary suggests a decisive outcome.
The general election in November will determine whether Irwin succeeds Brownley, who has served since 2013. For now, the Democratic assemblymember appears on track to continue the party's hold on the 26th District.
