California’s 26th Congressional District Opens for First Time in Over a Decade as Candidates Vie for Julia Brownley’s Ventura County Seat
Why It Matters
California’s 26th Congressional District — a Ventura County seat rated as solidly Democratic by Cook Political Report — is now an open race for the first time in more than 12 years following Rep. Julia Brownley’s retirement announcement. The seat carries significance not only for its favorable electoral terrain but also for the policy challenges facing the region, including wildfire risk, coastal erosion, and flooding that will shape candidates’ platforms heading into the June 2 primary.
The district’s mix of affluent suburbs and working-class agricultural communities makes it a politically complex battleground where candidates must appeal to a broad range of voters across Ventura County and portions of Los Angeles County.
What Happened
Rep. Brownley, a Democrat from Westlake Village, announced she would not seek reelection, triggering an open-seat contest in a district that spans from the Pacific coastline to the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. The district includes the cities of Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, and Moorpark, as well as the L.A. County communities of Calabasas and Agoura Hills.
California’s 2026 primary election is scheduled for June 2. A field of eight candidates — spanning both parties — has emerged to compete for the seat, with the race drawing attention from political observers statewide.
By the Numbers
12+ years — the length of time Brownley has held the seat, making this the first open race in the district in over a decade.
2014 — the year Democratic candidate and state Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin first took office in California’s State Assembly, giving her the longest current elected-office tenure among the field.
8 candidates — the total number of declared candidates, including four Democrats, three Republicans, and one additional Republican entrant.
June 2, 2026 — California’s primary election date, when voters will narrow the field under the state’s top-two primary system.
7 years — the length of the work-authorization program outlined in the Dignity Act of 2025, which Republican candidate Michael Koslow has voiced support for.
Meet the Candidates
Jacqui Irwin (Democrat) is a state Assembly member and former two-term mayor of Thousand Oaks who has served in the Assembly since 2014. She holds an engineering background and previously worked at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab. She is the only candidate in the race currently holding elected office.
Samuel Gallucci (Republican) is a pastor, nonprofit leader, and former IBM executive who has lived in Ventura County for 40 years. He founded the Kingdom Center, a nonprofit providing shelter and transitional housing for at-risk women and children, and another organization serving migrant agricultural workers.
Michael Koslow (Republican) is a retired Air Force veteran and former federal agent who served as a state command chief master sergeant in the California Air National Guard and investigated fraud in Department of Defense programs. He later founded a private investigation firm in Westlake Village.
Chris Espinosa (Democrat) is an environmental law advocate and consultant who previously served as legislative director for climate and energy policy at Earthjustice and as the chief operating officer at GreenLatinos. He has also worked with the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Sonia Devgan-Kacker (Democrat) is a physician and small-business owner who operates Westlake Village Urgent Care. She holds degrees from Stanford University and UC Irvine and teaches at UCLA and USC. Additional candidates include Republicans William Scott and Crystal Golden, and Democrats Kyle Langford and Liam Andres Hernandez.
Where They Stand: Immigration
Immigration has emerged as a defining issue in the race. Koslow has cited illegal immigration during the Biden administration as a major concern and supports the Dignity Act of 2025, which would create a seven-year work-authorization program and offer a pathway to legal status for DACA recipients. Gallucci said illegal immigrants who have “peacefully worked in our communities for decades” should be allowed to stay, while those who entered unchecked under the Biden administration should face deportation.
On the Democratic side, Irwin said accountability should come through trained law enforcement rather than aggressive federal tactics. Espinosa has called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and supports a citizenship pathway for immigrants brought to the country as children — positions that place him firmly on the left flank of the field.
What’s Next
California’s top-two primary system means the two candidates receiving the most votes on June 2 — regardless of party — will advance to the November general election. For more on competitive California congressional races this cycle, see our guide to the California 27th Congressional District race in Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley, and our coverage of the 2026 primary in the 4th Congressional District.