Julia Brownley

U.S. Rep Julia Brownley announced Jan. 8 that she would not seek re-election to Congress in 2026.

Five peope have already filed statements of candidacy, including Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin and four Republican newcomers.

According to Irwin's campaign website, Brownley has already endorsed her.

U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley announced Jan. 8 that she will not seek re-election to Congress in 2026, and five people — Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin and four Republican candidates — have already filed statements of candidacy in the race for the 26th District seat, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Brownley, who is serving her seventh term in Congress, did not cite a reason for her decision in her news release.

The Westlake Village Democrat, however, has already endorsed Irwin, a Thousand Oaks Democrat, for the 26th District seat, according to Irwin's campaign website.

"Jacqui Irwin is the best-qualified and prepared candidate to represent our community in Congress,” Brownley said, according to the website. “Jacqui’s record of standing up for all of us and building coalitions to get things done gives her the experience and tools needed to represent us but also stand up to the Trump administration’s attack on our values and our democracy."

Irwin, who announced her candidacy on the social media platform X five hours after Brownley's announcement, thanked the congresswoman for her service and said she looked forward to earning the support of Ventura County and Los Angeles County voters.

"My energy and passion for public service has never been stronger," Irwin wrote. "I am ready to stand up for our district and state in Congress, fighting Trump’s assault on our democracy and values while prioritizing public safety, affordability, and the needs of Ventura County."

The other candidates for the 26th District seat, as of Friday, are Michael Koslow, Jonathan Wagoner, Samuel Gallucci and William Scott.

The district includes the cities of Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Calabasas and Agoura Hills.

'The obvious choice'

Herb Gooch, a professor emeritus of political science at California Lutheran University, and Tim Allison, an adjunct professor of political science at CSU Channel Islands, both predicted that Irwin would be interested in the 26th District seat.

"She's the obvious choice," Gooch said in an interview before Irwin's announcement. "She would be powerful and difficult to beat." He pointed to her party affiliation, name recognition, gender and age.

Gooch said the delayed nature of Brownley's announcement — the California Democratic Party’s endorsement filing deadline for races without incumbents is Jan. 14 — combined with her lack of explanation — she likely doesn't need to worry about not being re-elected — seemed strategic. Hooch believes it was because Brownley and the rest of the party leaders already identified her successor."It raises my sense of suspicion that someone’s already made quite a few deals and you're just smoothing the way, not giving anyone else time to raise funds and get their name out," Gooch said, prior to the news of Brownley's endorsement. "It's so quick and unexpected that it sounds like you're cutting everybody else off.”

'A steep uphill battle'

Though Brownley defeated Michael Koslow with 56% of the votes in the 2024 election, the Republican is throwing his name in the race for a second time.His key issues will be securing the border, reducing inflation and improving public safety, according to his campaign website. In a Jan. 8 news release, he criticized both Brownley and Irwin.

“The voters of the 26th Congressional District need a representative who isn’t afraid to vote his conscience in Washington," Koslow wrote. "If the voters elect me to represent them, they can count on me to make the difficult decisions that Irwin has avoided making in Sacramento.”

Wagoner calls himself a middle-class business owner focused on immigration reform, small business support and term limits, according to his website.

Gallucci, a businessman turned pastor, states on his website that he will prioritize ending homelessness, reforming immigration and reforming education.

Scott, a former civil servant for the U.S. Department of Defense, promises to advocate for the American dream, defend the Constitution and provide job opportunities for constituents, according to his website.

Gooch said he anticipates that any Republican candidate will have "a steep uphill battle" running for the seat, no matter who their opponent is, because of how much the district favors Democrats. The passage of Proposition 50 and the elimination of Simi Valley from the district will make the arena even more in favor of left-leaning candidates, he said.

Both Hooch and Allison said they expected Ventura County Supervisor Jeff Gorell to consider running for Brownley's seat.Gorell, however, told The Star on Thursday night that he would not run for Congress.

"I’m honored and grateful at the opportunity to serve my community as County Supervisor," he wrote in a statement. "I’m truly enjoying the opportunity to play a role in local government and wish to continue at this level representing my district and supporting its residents. "

'Solid, tangible results'

Brownley, who was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012, expressed gratitude for Ventura County residents' trust and support.

“Serving our community and our country has been the honor of my lifetime," the 73-year-old wrote in her news release. "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 congresswoman wrote that she was proud of her work to increase access to affordable healthcare, support veterans and working families and fight against the climate crisis and that she would continue to advance legislation that improves the lives of Americans in the remaining year of her term.

Allison and Gooch both described Brownley as an accomplished and responsive Congresswoman who has positively impacted Ventura County residents.

“She has solid, tangible results to show for her time in office at a time when it’s difficult for a member of Congress to show tangible results,” Allison said.

It is for that reason, the professor said, that he was not shocked by the news of her decision not to seek an eighth term.

“It’s nothing too surprising because in these times, being in Congress is a challenging job for someone who wants to get things done,” Allison said.

Brownley, who previously worked in private-sector marketing, served on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education from 1994 to 2006 and the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012.

She holds a bachelor's degree in political science from George Washington University and a master's degree in business administration from American University.