Your guide to California's 6th Congressional District race

The Sacramento area’s 6th Congressional District race features a slate of high-profile candidates with experience in elected office or leadership roles.

Among the most well-known names are U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley, former California state Sen. Richard Pan, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho and West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero. Planned Parenthood Mar Monte leader Lauren Babb Tomlinson and Tyler Vandenberg, a military veteran, are also in the fray.

The candidates are hoping to break away from the pack and secure enough support to advance in the redrawn left-leaning district, which has grown significantly in land size under Proposition 50 — a voter-approved initiative to shift California’s congressional boundaries to favor Democrats, in response to a similar Republican-backed move in Texas.

U.S. Rep Ami Bera currently holds the seat, but he has chosen to run in the 3rd District.

Kiley, who chose to run in the 6th after weeks of deliberation, has recently registered to become an Independent. He previously spent years as a Republican, who frequently aligned with President Donald Trump. All the other candidates are Democrats.

The top two finishers in the June primary will advance to the November ballot.

Where is the district?

The new 6th District spans from Roseville and Rocklin in the north to West Sacramento in the south. Roseville, Citrus Heights, North Highlands, Natomas, North Sacramento and parts of East Sacramento are also within the boundaries. The new district leaves out downtown and midtown Sacramento.

Arden Arcade, Rancho Cordova and other neighborhoods around Mather Airport are no longer in the district following Prop 50

Who are the candidates?

Kiley has represented the 3rd Congressional District since 2022. He is seeking re-election in the 6th District after Proposition 50 dramatically reshaped his district into more Democratic-friendly territory. Kiley, who was raised in Granite Bay, attended Harvard University and Yale Law School. He served in the California Legislature for six years and raised his state profile by being a chief critic of Gov. Gavin Newsom. According to his website, Kiley has prioritized policies to reduce inflation, increase choice in education and the responsible management of public lands while in the House. Kiley announced in March that he would run as an Independent, which is a departure from his many years as a registered Republican.

Pan is a former Sacramento lawmaker who served in the California Assembly and Senate from 2012 to 2022. He was best known for passing bills to crack down on school vaccine requirements, but also authored legislation to ban smoking at youth sports and control the prescription drug market. Pan, who is the son of Taiwanese immigrants, is a pediatrician and teaches public health at UC Davis. In an interview last year, Pan said wants to push back against the Trump administration’s efforts to scale back access to health care and to protect Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies. His website lists keeping neighborhoods safe, helping families with housing costs and rolling back tariff policies as other priorities.

Ho has served as Sacramento County district attorney since January 2023 after nearly 20 years in the office. As a deputy district attorney, he led the prosecution against Joseph DeAngelo, also known as the Golden State Killer. Ho, whose family fled Vietnam when he was a young child, previously told The Bee that his “number one” priority in Congress would be “to defend democracy.” He also wants to “fight to make California more affordable,” lower taxes for working families, and reduce health care costs that have “skyrocketed.” His website also emphasizes the cost of groceries, protection for working families and ensuring the country remains the “Land of the Free.”

Guerrero has served on the West Sacramento City Council since 2018 and was elected mayor in 2020. She has earned a bachelor degree from California State University, Los Angeles and a master’s degree from USC. Guerrero, a Los Angeles native, previously told The Sacramento Bee that her campaign would draw upon her decades of experience in local government and as a licensed social worker. Guerrero’s website says her campaign run stems from the growing gaps between needs and services as the Republican Party and Trump “starve critical support programs of resources.” Some of her priorities are strengthening public education, reducing gun violence, combating climate change, increasing the supply of affordable housing

Babb Tomlinson is chief public affairs officer at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, which covers clinics in Northern California and Nevada. She has attributed her decision to run to HR 1, better known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Five California Planned Parenthood clinics closed last year after President Donald Trump signed the bill, which Tomlinson has called “the most devastating day of my career.” Tomlinson, who is originally from Michigan, moved to California after obtaining a political science degree and previously worked as a labor organizer for government employee unions. Her website lists reproductive freedom, expanding health care access, public safety and strengthening Social Security and Medicare as some of her top issues.

Vandenberg is a seven-year Marine Corps veteran, former Jeopardy champion and is studying for a masters degree in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Vandenberg entered the race after frustration from HR 1 and what he called fear from Congress members to speak out against Trump’s agenda. Vandenberg is focused on holding the GOP accountable for its “crime and corruption under Trump,” rebuilding housing and health care and building a “safer America for our immigrant neighbors, women, and LGBTQ+ communities,” according to his website. Other priorities include limiting the president’s ability to start brand-new wars, banning stock trading in Congress and building homes “that every generation can afford.”

Who is funding the races?

Kiley leads all the candidates with nearly $2.09 million raised from January 1 to December 31, 2025. His main funder was Grow the Majority, a House Republican fundraising committee, with at least $458,842 in donations, according to the Federal Election Commission website. Other top funders include NORPAC and American Israel Public Affairs Committee, two Pro-Israel political action committees.

Ho has the second largest haul of donations with about $377,000 from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. Some of his top funders are ActBlue, an American Democratic Party political action committee, and the United Auburn Indian Community of Auburn Rancheria.

Pan has raised slightly less than Ho, with nearly $318,000 from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. Many of his top donations come from political action committees affiliated with medicine, including the Doctors Company, American Medical Association and American Hospital Association.

Babb Tomlinson received about $162,000 in donations from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. Her top funders were progressive political action committees such as the Voter Protection Project, Vote Mama and Leaders We Deserve.

Vandenberg is near the bottom of fundraising with roughly $33,000 raised and $5,000 loan from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025. His top funders are himself and family members.

Guerrero did not have campaign finance information available on the FEC website, as of Tuesday afternoon.

The filing deadline to report campaign fundraising from January to March is April 15.

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