Race · November 3, 2026

U.S. House · California's 49th District

2 candidates on the ballot.1

How this race is decided: Under California's top-two system, only the two candidates who received the most votes in the June 2, 2026, primary, regardless of party preference, appear on this general-election ballot.1,2

§1Candidates

Why this matters: Every candidate the state lists for this race on the November ballot, in the state's own order.

Mike Levin
Democratic · Incumbent
Currently represents California's 49th District in the U.S. House.
Armen Kurdian
Republican · Challenger

§2Side by side

Why this matters: The same facts for every candidate, in the same order. Where we found nothing for a candidate, the cell says so — that means we didn't find it in public sources, not that it doesn't exist.

Scroll sideways on small screens. Select a name for the full page.
Mike LevinArmen Kurdian
Party on the ballotDemocratic1,3Republican1,3
StatusIncumbent4Challenger
Raised$3,564,690 through October 14, 20265$189,196 through October 14, 20266
Cash on hand$1,360,7785$30,4276
Outside spending$60,445 for · $0 against7Not found in the public sources we checked
Police funding
Increase police funding, for example to hire more officers
His campaign website says he has never supported defunding the police and believes police funding should increase, and that he cosponsored the Invest to Protect Act for smaller police departments.8		His campaign website says he will back police, firefighters, the Coast Guard and other first responders and make sure they have the training, equipment and support they need.9

Issues only one candidate has addressed

By candidate, in ballot order. We found nothing public from the other candidates in this race on these issues.

Mike Levin — 38 issues
  • Government funding and abortion
    Let Medicaid and other public programs cover abortion (ending the Hyde Amendment)
    His campaign website says he cosponsored the EACH Woman Act to ensure reproductive freedom for women with Medicare and Medicaid, and that he will continue to defend Planned Parenthood.10
  • Who sets abortion law
    A national law making abortion legal in every state, at least until viability, as under Roe v. Wade
    His campaign website says he is an original cosponsor of the Women's Health Protection Act to write Roe v. Wade into law.10
  • Animal welfare laws
    Add federal protections, such as bans on horse slaughter and on testing cosmetics on animals
    His campaign website says he cosponsored animal protection bills including the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act and the Big Cat Public Safety Act.11
  • Discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity
    Pass broad protections such as the Equality Act
    His campaign website says he cosponsored and voted for the Equality Act.12
  • Voting Rights Act protections
    Restore and widen protections by law, such as federal approval of voting changes in places with a history of discrimination (for example, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act)
    His campaign website says he signed on to legislation to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965.13
  • Cryptocurrency rules
    Write separate federal rules for crypto, as the House-passed bill would, with most tokens overseen as commodities rather than securities
    His campaign website says comprehensive regulatory frameworks are essential for industries such as blockchain and cryptocurrency, and that he voted for the GENIUS Act, the CLARITY Act and the FIT21 Act.14
  • Federal minimum wage
    His campaign website calls for raising the federal minimum wage so that people who work full time do not live in poverty.15
  • Small business loans and programs
    Expand SBA loans, research awards and contracting help for small businesses
    His campaign website says he signed on to legislation to raise how much banks can invest in Small Business Investment Companies, give small businesses more chances to compete for federal contracts, and reauthorize the Small Business Development Center Program.14
  • Tariffs
    Lower or remove most tariffs
    His campaign website says President Trump's tariffs are raising families' bills and hurting small businesses, and that he has called on the president to lift them immediately.16
  • Student loan forgiveness
    Add targeted relief, such as more forgiveness for public service workers or through income-based repayment
    His campaign website says he authored legislation to expand Public Service Loan Forgiveness to graduates who work at veteran service organizations, supports improving loan forgiveness for those who need it most, and backs setting federal student loan interest at zero.15,17
  • US Department of Education
    His campaign website says that while the Trump administration tries to disband the Department of Education, he is working to secure federal resources for students.17
  • Campaign finance rules
    His campaign website says he takes no corporate PAC money and co-chairs the End Corruption Caucus, which it says supports reforms to keep dark money, corporate PACs and special interests out of democracy.13
  • Senate 60-vote rule (filibuster)
    Keep it, but make exceptions for some kinds of bills, such as voting rights or government funding
    His campaign website says he supports targeted exceptions to Senate rules so voting rights and civil rights bills can overcome a filibuster.13
  • Stock trading by members of Congress
    Ban members themselves from trading individual stocks
    His campaign website says banning members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks is one of his top priorities, and that he and his wife sold their individual stocks when he was elected.13,15
  • Clean energy tax credits
    His campaign website says he helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act's climate investments, including energy efficiency and clean vehicle tax credits, and has fought the Trump administration's efforts to roll them back.18
  • Electric vehicles
    His campaign website says he introduced legislation to transition the nation to zero-emission vehicles and fought for infrastructure-law provisions expanding electric vehicle charging.18,19
  • Nuclear power
    His campaign website says federal efforts to promote more nuclear energy should account for the technology's full life span, including spent fuel, and describes his work to move spent nuclear fuel away from San Onofre.20
  • Oil and gas drilling on federal land and offshore
    His campaign website says he introduced a bill to prohibit new oil and gas leasing off the Southern California coast and cosponsored bills to block new offshore drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and to stop drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.11,18
  • Conservation and development on federal lands
    His campaign website says he helped pass the Great American Outdoors Act, which provides permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.11
  • Endangered species protections
    Strengthen protections and spend more on helping species recover
    His campaign website says he has worked to protect endangered species and their habitats and cosponsored the Recovering America's Wildlife Act.11
  • Child tax credit
    His campaign website says he was proud to help pass the expanded Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan Act.16
  • AR-15-style rifles
    Ban the sale of these rifles
    His campaign website says he cosponsored the Assault Weapons Ban.21
  • Background checks for gun sales
    Require checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members)
    His campaign website says he signed on to the Bipartisan Background Checks Act to require background checks on all gun sales and transfers, with narrow exceptions such as gifts to family members.21
  • Red flag laws
    Adopt more red flag laws, including a national one
    His campaign website says he cosponsored the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act and helped pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which encourages states to adopt red flag laws.21
  • ACA premium tax credits
    His campaign website says he has fought to improve health insurance affordability, including by strengthening tax credits for middle-class families.22
  • Federal Medicaid funding
    His campaign website says Medicaid and Medicare must be protected and access to them expanded.15
  • Health insurance system
    His campaign website says he strongly supports the Affordable Care Act and that ideas to improve it should be explored, including a public option and an early buy-in to Medicare through the insurance marketplaces.22
  • Help for first-time homebuyers
    His campaign website says he has supported a refundable tax credit for first-time homebuyers and a home loan program with no down payment for first responders and educators.23
  • Homelessness
    His campaign website says he secured funding for a homeless shelter with support services in Oceanside and is working to end veteran homelessness in San Diego and Orange counties, including through more project-based housing vouchers.23
  • Large investors buying single-family homes
    His campaign website says he supports a large federal real estate transfer tax on institutional investors and private equity firms that buy single-family homes on the open market.23
  • Immigration enforcement inside the country
    His campaign website says he has voted against funding ICE without guardrails on its conduct, that violent criminals should be deported, and that enforcement must be grounded in law and public trust.24
  • Legal status for immigrants here without permission, including Dreamers
    A path to citizenship for most who meet requirements such as background checks
    His campaign website says he cosponsors the bipartisan DIGNITY Act and supports comprehensive immigration reform with stronger border security, asylum process reforms and an earned path to citizenship.24
  • Medicare drug price negotiation
    His campaign website says he helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which lets Medicare negotiate lower prices with drug companies.22,25
  • Social Security payroll tax cap
    His campaign website says he cosponsored the Social Security 2100 Act, which it says would keep the system strong by making those at the very top pay their fair share of payroll taxes.15,26
  • Social Security retirement age
    Keep it at 67
    His campaign website says he opposes efforts to privatize Social Security or raise the retirement age.26
  • Rules for artificial intelligence
    His campaign website says the country can encourage innovation in artificial intelligence while setting guardrails to protect jobs, privacy and national security.15
  • Private care for veterans
    Expand the VA's own hospitals and clinics, using private care mainly when the VA can't provide it
    His campaign website says he has fought against efforts to privatize the VA.27
  • VA staffing
    Hire more VA staff, including to replace jobs lost in 2025
    His campaign website says veterans' health care requires hiring more VA staff, modernizing facilities and holding leadership accountable.15
Armen Kurdian — 4 issues

Issue statements are drafted by AI from the public sources cited, and only cover what each candidate has said publicly.