Candidate · November 3, 2026

Jay Obernolte

On the ballot for U.S. House · California's 23rd District

RepublicanIncumbent
raised through Oct 14, 2026
$1.9M
cash on hand
$1.4M
issues with public statements
5
outside spending for or against
$419K

§1On the ballot

Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.

OfficeU.S. House · California's 23rd District1
Party on the ballotRepublican1,2
StatusIncumbent — Currently represents California's 23rd District in the U.S. House.3
How it's decidedUnder 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.1,4
Also on the ballot

§2Who they are

Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Jay Obernolte has lived in California's 23rd District for more than 25 years.5 He earned a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from Caltech, a master's degree in artificial intelligence from UCLA and a doctorate in public administration from CalBaptist University.5 In 1990 he started FarSight Studios, a software development company.5 He was elected to a local airport board in 2005, served four years on a city council and two terms as mayor of Big Bear Lake, was elected to the California State Assembly in 2014 and was elected to Congress in 2020.5

Why they say they're running

His campaign website says he is running to keep fighting for conservative values and to deliver on the issues that matter to families in the district.5

Service in Congress since 2023

  • 2025–nowU.S. Representative, CA-233
  • 2023–2025U.S. Representative, CA-233

Websites and accounts

§3What they've said on the issues

Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.

Taxes and Budget

Federal spending levels

His campaign website says he is working to balance the federal budget and stop spending it blames for inflation, and that he wrote legislation to require the federal government to balance its budget and cut wasteful spending.5

Business tax breaks

His campaign website says he fought to provide tax relief for small businesses.5

Family and Social Policy

Child tax credit

His campaign website says he fought to expand the child tax credit for working families.5

Immigration

Border wall and barriers

His campaign website says he wants to finish the border wall and increase the number of Border Patrol agents to stop drug trafficking.5

Foreign Policy and Defense

Military spending

His campaign website says he voted to fully fund the military and to give troops a pay raise.5

§4Popular bills that never got a vote

Why this matters: Many bills with wide support from both parties never reach a vote, so no member of Congress is ever on record for or against them. Signing on as a sponsor or cosponsor is the only public record of support.

While Jay Obernolte served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. Jay Obernolte sponsored or cosponsored 21 of the 52. How bills die without a vote.

See all 52

§5Money

Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.

Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.59

Raised$1,854,658
Spent$1,473,930
Cash on hand$1,378,568
Debts owed by the campaign$725,000

Where the money came from

Individual donors$619K · 33%
PACs and other political committees$1.1M · 60%
Transfers from the candidate's other committees$86K · 5%
Other receipts (other loans, refunds, interest)$40K · 2%

Outside spending

Groups spending independently reported $400,130 supporting and $18,690 opposing Jay Obernolte this cycle, primary and general combined, in the 24- and 48-hour reports the law requires for larger expenditures, filed through October 16, 2026.60

Largest independent spenders, as named in their FEC filings.
GroupSupportingOpposing
AMERICAN MISSION$400,130—
WORKING CLASS HEROES FUND—$18,690

Smaller expenditures that appear only on a group's regular monthly or quarterly report aren't in these totals, so the full amounts can be somewhat higher. When a group amends a report, only its latest version is counted.

§6Financial disclosures

Why this matters: Federal candidates and members of Congress must report their assets, income, debts and outside jobs, and members must report stock trades. These filings show possible conflicts of interest.