MENDOCINO CO., 5/20/26 — Inland Mendocino County is now part of California’s 1st Congressional District after last year’s state redistricting and has three candidates running on the June 2 ballot to be its new representative.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s death in January left the seat vacant and state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Santa Rosa, Assemblymember James Gallagher, R-Chico, and Audrey Denney, a California State University, Chico instructor and Democrat, are all running for that seat.
Voters will decide in a special primary election who should serve in the seat for the rest of LaMalfa’s term running through January in the previous version of the 1st District while separately deciding who should serve for the next two-year term in Congress under the new boundaries approved last year.
If a candidate does not get 50% of the vote in the special primary, the top two finishers would go to an Aug. 4 special general election to decide who will serve the rest of the term.
In addition, there is also the general primary, and the top two vote-getters for the 1st District race will advance to the general election in November to decide who will be the representative for the next two-year term.
In a November 2025 special statewide election, California voters approved Proposition 50, which adopted a newly drawn map of California’s congressional districts effective from the 2026 statewide primary election through 2030, when the next U.S. census will take place.
On the new map, Mendocino County is split into two congressional districts. The coast is in the 2nd District and inland is in the 1st. The 1st District also now stretches from Susanville in Lassen County to Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, covering Butte, Glenn and Plumas counties, and most of Lake County as well as about half of Tehama County.
McGuire
According to McGuire’s congressional campaign website, among the state senator’s priorities are healthcare access, strengthening fire protection and investing in rural communities.
“We can and must build a system that puts patients before profits,” McGuire’s issues page on his campaign website reads. “No more insurance company greed, no more denying care for profit, no more tying your healthcare to your job, and no more bankrupting families over medical bills.”
McGuire’s section on fire safety lists actions he would take if elected to Congress.
“Safely increase the number of prescribed burns and Indigenous land stewardship practices that reduce risk and restore forest health,” McGuire’s list reads. “Invest in local fire districts so rural communities have the equipment, staffing, and training they need to thrive.
McGuire’s site also lists what he plans to do for rural communities.
“I’ll fight for good-paying union jobs, stronger infrastructure, expanded broadband, clean energy development, wildfire resilience, and economic development that helps small towns and rural counties thrive,” McGuire’s issues page reads.
McGuire’s endorsements include the Inland Mendocino Democratic Club, Mendocino County Supervisors John Haschak, Maureen Mulheren and Ted Williams, as well as Gov. Gavin Newsom.
According to the Federal Election Commission, McGuire’s campaign raised $990,566 from November 2025 to March 2026 and has $480,050 on hand. McGuire’s largest donor was the Resource Conservation Political Action Committee with a $7,000 donation.
Gallagher
Gallagher’s congressional campaign website outlines his platform.
“Make life more affordable for North State families through lower taxes, lower fees and fewer regulations,” Gallagher’s site reads. “Expand energy production to bring prices down. Protect our Farms and Businesses from excessive government regulation.”
In Gallagher’s TV advertisement posted at the top of his campaign site, he said in Congress, he’ll fight to bring down costs and reduce taxes, “making life easier for you and your family.”
Gallagher’s endorsements include President Donald Trump, the Mendocino County Republican Central Committee and Ukiah Valley Republican Women Federated.
According to the FEC, Gallagher’s campaign has raised $676,140 from January to March 2026, with $507,627 currently on hand. Numerous donors donated $5,000, with Eureka Political Action Committee donating that much twice.
Denney
Denney’s website shows that among her priorities are forest health and fire prevention, healthcare and rural health, as well as working families and workers’ rights.
“In Congress, I’ll fight to make sure work pays by expanding job readiness programs, strengthening workers’ rights, investing in rural infrastructure, and supporting small businesses instead of handing out tax breaks to big corporations,” Denney’s campaign site reads.
Denney’s endorsements include the National Women’s Political Caucus, Progressive Democrats of America and Courage for Democracy.
According to the FEC, Denney’s campaign fundraising total from October 2025 to March 2026 was $703,432 and she has $188,843 on hand. Denney’s largest donation was $10,000 from 314 Action Impact Slate, which is an organization that aims to elect Democrats with a background in science to public office.
Potter Valley Project
Gallagher stopped in Mendocino County for a campaign event Friday at Brutocao Winery’s tasting room in Hopland, where he spoke to residents and answered their questions about concerns they had.
Gallagher’s statement about what he thinks should happen with the Potter Valley Project — a hydroelectric facility owned by PG&E that could be dismantled as soon as 2028 — garnered an excited and approving reaction from the crowd for the Republican candidate.
After the event, Gallagher told The Mendocino Voice that if PG&E doesn’t want to operate the Potter Valley Project anymore, another operator could be found, like the Bureau of Reclamation, a federal water management agency.
“Let’s have an abundance philosophy, and to me, taking down the dams doesn’t make any sense,” Gallagher said.
Through his campaign team, McGuire told The Mendocino Voice that the push from President Donald Trump’s administration to have Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District from Riverside County buy the project is a “disingenuous proposition.”
“Despite the new craziness surrounding the project, our communities will continue to work together to make sure all concerns are heard and resolved,” McGuire said. “This has been a multi-year process, and there is a long way to go, but in the end we will have a new project that provides certainty for all involved, just has it has for the last 100 years.”