Commitment 2026: Four candidates compete for California's 18th Congressional District seat
Four candidates are vying for California's 18th Congressional District seat, which includes San Benito County, the Salinas Valley, parts of Watsonville, and the Santa Clara Valley.
Zoe Lofgren, the Democratic incumbent, has held the seat for over 30 years. "There are a lot of things that we've accomplished in terms of providing the Affordable Care Act, the CHIPS and Science Bill," Lofgren said. "I've brought hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure projects."
Lofgren considered retiring but decided to run again after encouragement from colleagues and constituents.
"I have been urged by many of my colleagues and many constituents to proceed," she said. If Democrats regain control, Lofgren said she would chair the Science Committee to address what she described as damage caused by the Trump administration to the nation's science enterprise. "What the Trump administration has done to the science enterprise in this country is tragic and will have lasting impacts on health in term…