Nevada, California Candidates Launch 2026 Congressional Bids

Lydia Dominguez, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Clark County School Board Trustee, announced her campaign for Nevada's 3rd Congressional District, pledging to support term limits, oppose tax increases, and back a balanced budget amendment. She emphasized securing the border, tackling the fentanyl crisis, and banning insider stock trading by Members of Congress, aligning herself with President Trump's agenda, noting that Trump carried the district in 2024. Meanwhile, San Diego City Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert declared her candidacy for California's 48th Congressional District, aiming to challenge incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa and flip the seat from red to blue. Von Wilpert highlighted her background as a city prosecutor, federal labor attorney, and Peace Corps alum, emphasizing her commitment to workers' rights, women's safety, and her track record of legislative achievements, such as banning ghost guns and supporting affordable housing. Her campaign's viability depends in part on a proposed redistricting map that could shift the district's political makeup to favor Democrats. Both candidates are positioning themselves as champions of change in competitive districts important to their respective parties' strategies for Congress.