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California's 33rd Congressional District

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The boundaries of this district will change as a result of California Proposition 50, which voters approved on November 5, 2025. Click here to read more about the mid-decade redistricting effort in California and other states.

California's 33rd Congressional District
Incumbent
Assumed office: January 3, 2023

California's 33rd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives is represented by Pete Aguilar (D).

As of the 2020 Census, California representatives represented an average of 761,091 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 704,566 residents.

Elections

See also: California's 33rd Congressional District election, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for U.S. House California District 33

Incumbent Pete Aguilar (D) is running in the general election for U.S. House California District 33 on November 3, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Pete Aguilar
Pete Aguilar (D)

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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See also: California's 33rd Congressional District election, 2024

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 33

Incumbent Pete Aguilar (D) defeated Tom Herman (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 33 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Pete Aguilar
Pete Aguilar (D)
 
58.8
 
137,197
Image of Tom Herman
Tom Herman (R)  Candidate Connection
 
41.2
 
96,078

Total votes: 233,275
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 33

Incumbent Pete Aguilar (D) and Tom Herman (R) defeated Mark Porter (R) and Ernest Richter (R) in the primary for U.S. House California District 33 on March 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Pete Aguilar
Pete Aguilar (D)
 
57.1
 
45,065
Image of Tom Herman
Tom Herman (R)  Candidate Connection
 
42.8
 
33,815
Image of Mark Porter
Mark Porter (R) (Write-in)
 
0.1
 
104
Ernest Richter (R) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
3

Total votes: 78,987
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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See also: California's 33rd Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 33

Incumbent Pete Aguilar (D) defeated Mark Porter (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 33 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Pete Aguilar
Pete Aguilar (D)
 
57.7
 
76,588
Image of Mark Porter
Mark Porter (R)
 
42.3
 
56,119

Total votes: 132,707
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 33

Incumbent Pete Aguilar (D) and Mark Porter (R) defeated Rex Gutierrez (R) and Ernest Richter (R) in the primary for U.S. House California District 33 on June 7, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Pete Aguilar
Pete Aguilar (D)
 
59.8
 
41,046
Image of Mark Porter
Mark Porter (R)
 
17.6
 
12,096
Image of Rex Gutierrez
Rex Gutierrez (R)
 
15.4
 
10,587
Ernest Richter (R)
 
7.1
 
4,878

Total votes: 68,607
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

See also: California's 33rd Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 33

Incumbent Ted Lieu (D) defeated James P. Bradley (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 33 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ted Lieu
Ted Lieu (D)
 
67.6
 
257,094
Image of James P. Bradley
James P. Bradley (R)
 
32.4
 
123,334

Total votes: 380,428
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 33

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 33 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ted Lieu
Ted Lieu (D)
 
60.5
 
130,063
Image of James P. Bradley
James P. Bradley (R)
 
17.4
 
37,531
Image of Liz Barris
Liz Barris (D)  Candidate Connection
 
7.1
 
15,180
Image of Sarah Sun Liew
Sarah Sun Liew (R)  Candidate Connection
 
6.3
 
13,601
Image of Kenneth Wright
Kenneth Wright (Independent)
 
4.5
 
9,673
Image of Albert Maxwell Goldberg
Albert Maxwell Goldberg (D)
 
4.2
 
9,032

Total votes: 215,080
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 33

Incumbent Ted Lieu (D) defeated Kenneth Wright (R) in the general election for U.S. House California District 33 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ted Lieu
Ted Lieu (D)
 
70.0
 
219,091
Image of Kenneth Wright
Kenneth Wright (R)
 
30.0
 
93,769

Total votes: 312,860
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary

Nonpartisan primary election for U.S. House California District 33

Incumbent Ted Lieu (D) and Kenneth Wright (R) defeated Emory Rodgers (D) in the primary for U.S. House California District 33 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ted Lieu
Ted Lieu (D)
 
61.7
 
100,581
Image of Kenneth Wright
Kenneth Wright (R)
 
30.1
 
48,985
Image of Emory Rodgers
Emory Rodgers (D)
 
8.2
 
13,435

Total votes: 163,001
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Previous election results


District map

2023_01_03_ca_congressional_district_033.jpg

Redistricting

2025-2026

See also: Redistricting in California ahead of the 2026 elections

After Texas Republicans launched their congressional redistricting effort, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) tweeted on July 15, 2025, "two can play that game."[16] In August 2025, California began taking official action toward congressional redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections. Redistricting in California required the passage of a constitutional amendment in a November special election to permit the adoption of a replacement map through 2030. On August 21, 2025, the California Legislature passed a redistricting plan setting a special election for a constitutional amendment to redraw the state's congressional district boundaries. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed the two bills and scheduled a Nov. 4, 2025, special election.[17] Voters approved the proposition by a 65%-35% vote, allowing the map that would make five districts more favorable to Democrats to take effect.[18]

2020-2021

See also: Redistricting in California after the 2020 census

After the 2020 census, the California Citizens Redistricting Commission voted 14-0 in favor of a new congressional district map on December 20, 2021, and delivered those maps to the secretary of state on December 27, 2021.[19][20] California was apportioned 52 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, a net loss of one seat compared to apportionment after the 2010 census. This map took effect for California's 2022 congressional elections.

How does redistricting in California work? In California, a non-politician commission draws both congressional and state legislative district lines. Established in 2008 by ballot initiative, the commission comprises 14 members: five Democrats, five Republicans, and four belonging to neither party. A panel of state auditors selects the pool of nominees from which the commissioners are appointed. This pool comprises 20 Democrats, 20 Republicans, and 20 belonging to neither party. The majority and minority leaders of both chambers of the state legislature may each remove two members from each of the aforementioned groups. The first eight commission members are selected at random from the remaining nominees. These first eight comprise three Democrats, three Republicans, and two belonging to neither party. The first eight commissioners appoint the remaining six, which must include two Democrats, two Republicans, and two belonging to neither party.[21]

Commissioners must meet the following requirements in order to serve:[21]

  1. Members must have voted in at least two of the last three statewide elections.
  2. Members cannot have switched party affiliation for at least five years.
  3. "Neither commissioners nor immediate family may have been, within 10 years of appointment, a candidate for federal or state office or member of a party central committee; an officer, employee, or paid consultant to a federal or state candidate or party; a registered lobbyist or paid legislative staff; or a donor of more than $2,000 to an elected candidate."
  4. Members cannot be "staff, consultants or contractors for state or federal government" while serving as commissioners. The same prohibition applies to the family of commission members.

In order to approve a redistricting plan, nine of the commission's 14 members must vote for it. These nine must include three Democrats, three Republicans, and three belonging to neither party. Maps drawn by the commission may be overturned by public referendum. In the event that a map is overturned by the public, the California Supreme Court must appoint a group to draw a new map.[21]

The California Constitution requires that districts be contiguous. Further, the state constitution mandates that "to the extent possible, [districts] must ... preserve the geographic integrity of cities, counties, neighborhoods and communities of interest." Districts must also "encourage compactness." State Senate and Assembly districts should be nested within each other where possible.[21]

2020

2019_05_02_ca_congressional_district_033.jpg

2024

2023_01_03_ca_congressional_district_033.jpg

2010-2011

This is the 33rd Congressional District of California after the 2001 redistricting process.
See also: Redistricting in California after the 2010 census

In 2011, the California State Legislature re-drew the congressional districts based on updated population information from the 2010 census.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

2026

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is D+7. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 7 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 33rd the 149th most Democratic district nationally.[22]

2024

Heading into the 2024 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+12. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 12 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 33rd the 119th most Democratic district nationally.[23]

Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have defeated Donald Trump (R) 61.5%-36.2%.[24]

2022

Heading into the 2022 elections, based on results from the 2020 and 2016 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+12. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 12 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 33rd the 118th most Democratic district nationally.[25]

Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have received 61.5% of the vote in this district and Donald Trump (R) would have received 36.2%.[26]

2018

Heading into the 2018 elections, based on results from the 2016 and 2012 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+16. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 16 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 33rd Congressional District the 86th most Democratic nationally.[27]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.01. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.01 points toward that party.[28]

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices June 7, 2016, Presidential Primary Election," accessed April 4, 2016
  2. The New York Times, "California Primary Results," June 7, 2016
  3. The New York Times, "Henry Waxman, 20-Term Democrat, Leaving House," January 30, 2014
  4. Politico, "2012 Election Map, California," accessed August 15, 2012
  5. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
  6. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
  7. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
  8. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
  9. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002," accessed March 28, 2013
  10. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013
  11. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1998," accessed March 28, 2013
  12. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 1996," accessed March 28, 2013
  13. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 8, 1994," accessed March 28, 2013
  14. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1992," accessed March 28, 2013
  15. U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1990," accessed March 28, 2013
  16. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named newsomtweet
  17. New York Times, "California Democrats Pass Redistricting Plan to Counter Texas Republicans," August 21, 2025
  18. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named approved
  19. Politico, "California’s new congressional map boosts Democrats," Dec. 21, 2021
  20. Lake County News, "California Citizens Redistricting Commission delivers maps to California Secretary of State," Dec. 28, 2021
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 All About Redistricting, "California," accessed April 21, 2015
  22. Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
  23. Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed January 10, 2024
  24. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," accessed September 15, 2022
  25. Cook Political Report, "The 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI℠)," accessed February 6, 2023
  26. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2020 presidential results by congressional district, for new and old districts," accessed September 15, 2022
  27. Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  28. FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018


Senators
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
Ami Bera (D)
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
Adam Gray (D)
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
Ro Khanna (D)
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
Jim Costa (D)
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
Raul Ruiz (D)
District 26
District 27
District 28
Judy Chu (D)
District 29
Luz Rivas (D)
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
Ted Lieu (D)
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
Young Kim (R)
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
Dave Min (D)
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
Democratic Party (45)
Republican Party (9)