Candidate · November 3, 2026
Mike Thompson
On the ballot for U.S. House · California's 4th District
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $5.5M
- cash on hand
- $1.4M
- issues with public statements
- 15
- outside spending for or against
- $6.4M
§1On the ballot
Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.
| Office | U.S. House · California's 4th District1 |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Democratic1 |
| Status | Incumbent — Currently represents California's 4th District in the U.S. House.2 |
| How it's 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, |
| Also on the ballot |
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§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.
Mike Thompson served in combat in Vietnam with the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant and platoon leader in the 173rd Airborne Brigade, was wounded and received a Purple Heart, and was an instructor at the Army's Airborne School.4 He was maintenance supervisor at Beringer Winery, owns a small vineyard, and has taught public administration and state government at San Francisco State University and California State University, Chico.4 He was the first Vietnam veteran elected to the California State Senate, where he chaired the Budget Committee.4 He was first elected to Congress in 1998 and serves on the Ways and Means Committee, where he is ranking member of the Tax Policy Subcommittee.4
Why they say they're running
His campaign website says his top priority in Congress is growing the economy, creating good jobs and strengthening the middle class, and that he is working to bring down the cost of living.5
Service in Congress since 2023
Websites and accounts
- Official websitemikethompson.house.gov2
- X (Twitter)x.com/RepThompson6
- Facebookfacebook.com/RepMikeThompson6
- YouTubeyoutube.com/CongressmanMThompson6
- Campaign websitemikethompsonforcongress.com7,
8 - Facebookfacebook.com/mikethompsonforcongress8
- X (Twitter)twitter.com/Mike_CA058
- Instagraminstagram.com/mikethompson4congress8
- YouTubeyoutube.com/@mikethompsonforcongress8
- Blueskybsky.app/profile/mt4congress.bsky.social8
- Threadsthreads.com/@mikethompson4congress8
- TikToktiktok.com/@mt4congress8
§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.
Guns
His campaign website says he wrote bipartisan legislation requiring criminal background checks for all commercial gun sales, so buyers could not avoid checks by going online or to a gun show, while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners.9
- Require checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members)
- Require checks for private sales at gun shows and online, but not other private sales
- Keep current law, with checks required only for sales by licensed dealers
Immigration
His campaign website calls for comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for families who have been in the country for generations and protections for Dreamers.10,
- No new legal status, including for people brought here as children
- Legal status only for people brought here as children, such as DACA recipients
- Legal status, but not citizenship, for most who pass background checks and pay a fine
- A path to citizenship for most who meet requirements such as background checks
Agriculture and Rural Life
His campaign website says he supports creating workable guest worker programs for agricultural workers.11
His campaign website lists among his accomplishments writing the law that created the Emergency Relief Program, which it says provided $10 billion to help farmers recover from wildfires, droughts and other disasters.12
Energy and Climate
His campaign website says many clean energy tax provisions were recently ended by law and that he is fighting to restore them.5
- End the remaining clean energy credits
- Keep the credits as the 2025 law left them
- Restore the credits the 2025 law ended or cut back
Social Security and Medicare
His campaign website says he helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act provision allowing the government to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.13
His campaign website says he continues to lead efforts to make telehealth services permanent and expand them.13
- Add more services by law, such as permanent telehealth from home and testing and treatment by pharmacists
- Leave new coverage mainly to Medicare's own reviews of the medical evidence
- Add services only when savings elsewhere in Medicare cover their cost
Health Care
His campaign website says he continues to fight health care cuts in a recent law that it says takes health coverage away from 15 million Americans.13
Taxes and Budget
His campaign website says the debt should be reduced through a balanced approach of cutting spending, having everyone pay their fair share and growing the economy, and that he has fought for pay-as-you-go budget rules.14
His campaign website lists among his accomplishments passing $500 million in tax relief so that wildfire survivors who received settlements for the loss of their homes no longer owe federal tax on those payments.12
Foreign Policy and Defense
His campaign website says defense spending should be on the table when reviewing the budget, and that the strongest national defense does not have to be the most expensive.14
Economy, Jobs and Trade
Environment and Public Lands
His campaign website lists among his accomplishments helping protect more than 1 million acres of public land in California, including through the designation of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.12
His campaign website lists among his accomplishments a tax law he wrote and passed that pays farmers who manage their land in ways that help conserve endangered species.12
Housing
His campaign website lists among his accomplishments voting for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which it says is meant to increase the supply of affordable housing, streamline construction, modernize federal housing programs, expand paths to homeownership and help renters.12
§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 Mike Thompson served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. Mike Thompson sponsored or cosponsored 35 of the 52. How bills die without a vote.
See all 52
- Lets combat-disabled veterans get full military retirement pay plus disability pay (H.R. 2102, 119th Congress · 340 cosponsors)15Cosponsored
- Ends pay reductions for combat-disabled military retirees with under 20 years of service (H.R. 1282, 118th Congress · 326 cosponsors)16Cosponsored
- Allows Medicare to cover multi-cancer early detection screening tests (H.R. 2407, 118th Congress · 319 cosponsors)17Cosponsored
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (H.R. 3514, 119th Congress · 308 cosponsors)18Cosponsored
- Ends waiting periods for disability benefits and Medicare for metastatic breast cancer (H.R. 549, 118th Congress · 272 cosponsors)19Cosponsored
- Ends disability benefit and Medicare waiting periods for metastatic breast cancer (H.R. 2048, 119th Congress · 271 cosponsors)20Cosponsored
- Requires new vehicles to include AM radio as standard equipment (H.R. 3413, 118th Congress · 270 cosponsors)21Cosponsored
- Extends the parks maintenance fund and adds higher park fees for foreign visitors (H.R. 9250, 119th Congress · 263 cosponsors)22Cosponsored
- Expands federal anti-soring rules for show horses and raises penalties (H.R. 3090, 118th Congress · 248 cosponsors)23Cosponsored
- Expands Medicare telehealth coverage by removing location limits and other restrictions (H.R. 4206, 119th Congress · 248 cosponsors)24Sponsored
- Bans slaughtering horses and other equines for human food (H.R. 1661, 119th Congress · 238 cosponsors)25Cosponsored
- Sets new federal care standards for dogs kept by commercial dog dealers and breeders (H.R. 1624, 118th Congress · 237 cosponsors)26Cosponsored
- Permanently bans slaughtering horses and other equines for human food (H.R. 3475, 118th Congress · 236 cosponsors)27Cosponsored
- Requires employer health plans to allow exceptions to step-therapy drug rules (H.R. 2630, 118th Congress · 235 cosponsors)28Cosponsored
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (H.R. 8702, 118th Congress · 231 cosponsors)29Cosponsored
- Targets crimes against postal workers; authorizes money for more secure mailboxes and keys (H.R. 1065, 119th Congress · 231 cosponsors)30Cosponsored
- Adds Medicare coverage of blood tests to screen for early Alzheimer's disease (H.R. 6130, 119th Congress · 231 cosponsors)31Cosponsored
- Bans most animal testing of cosmetics and sales of cosmetics developed with it (H.R. 5399, 118th Congress · 227 cosponsors)32Cosponsored
- Bars insurers from discriminating against living organ donors (H.R. 2923, 118th Congress · 225 cosponsors)33Cosponsored
- Restores fines for charging veterans unauthorized fees for help with VA claims (H.R. 1139, 118th Congress · 221 cosponsors)34Cosponsored
- Requires health plans to cover birth defect care for the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth or jaw (H.R. 3277, 119th Congress · 214 cosponsors)35Cosponsored
- Sends False Claims Act fraud recoveries to the Crime Victims Fund through 2029 (H.R. 8061, 118th Congress · 210 cosponsors)36Cosponsored
- Raises Medicare physician fee schedule payments by 6.62% for April through December 2025 (H.R. 879, 119th Congress · 198 cosponsors)37Cosponsored
- Orders a study of Holocaust education in public schools across the states (H.R. 603, 118th Congress · 183 cosponsors)38Cosponsored
- Lets surviving military and veteran spouses keep benefits after remarrying (H.R. 1004, 119th Congress · 183 cosponsors)39Cosponsored
- Raises the tax credit for maintaining short line railroad track (H.R. 516, 119th Congress · 183 cosponsors)40Cosponsored
- Expands Medicare coverage to all services chiropractors provide (H.R. 1610, 118th Congress · 180 cosponsors)41Cosponsored
- Authorizes CIA payments to former Air America employees and survivors for 1950-1976 work (H.R. 2192, 119th Congress · 178 cosponsors)42Cosponsored
- Expands Medicare coverage to all services chiropractors are licensed to provide (H.R. 539, 119th Congress · 174 cosponsors)43Cosponsored
- Counts recovery from organ donation surgery as a serious health condition for family leave (H.R. 4582, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)44Cosponsored
- Bars insurers from discriminating against living organ donors (H.R. 4583, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)45Cosponsored
- Requires nursing homes and similar facilities to let essential caregivers see residents (H.R. 6766, 119th Congress · 160 cosponsors)46Cosponsored
- Requires annual VA reports and studies on preventing veteran suicide (H.R. 4157, 118th Congress · 159 cosponsors)47Cosponsored
- Requires VA clinicians to certify a veteran's death within 48 hours (H.R. 4398, 119th Congress · 158 cosponsors)48Cosponsored
- Bans betting on animal fights and allows private lawsuits over animal fighting (H.R. 3946, 119th Congress · 150 cosponsors)49Cosponsored
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rental housing (H.R. 3238, 118th Congress · 273 cosponsors)50Did not cosponsor
- Lets businesses deduct research costs right away instead of over five years (H.R. 2673, 118th Congress · 223 cosponsors)51Did not cosponsor
- Keeps paying military members and support staff during a shutdown in fiscal 2026 (H.R. 5401, 119th Congress · 210 cosponsors)52Did not cosponsor
- Expands U.S.-Israel military cooperation on counter-drone and emerging technology (H.R. 1229, 119th Congress · 178 cosponsors)53Did not cosponsor
- Ties yearly Medicare physician payment increases to the Medicare Economic Index (H.R. 2474, 118th Congress · 172 cosponsors)54Did not cosponsor
- Adds military spouses to a tax credit for employers who hire from certain groups (H.R. 1277, 118th Congress · 170 cosponsors)55Did not cosponsor
- Requires FHA mortgage notices to compare costs with VA home loans (H.R. 4335, 118th Congress · 169 cosponsors)56Did not cosponsor
- Gives new-car dealers through 2025 to restock 2020-21 inventory without triggering tax (H.R. 700, 118th Congress · 169 cosponsors)57Did not cosponsor
- Requires employer health plans to offer exceptions to step therapy drug rules (H.R. 5509, 119th Congress · 169 cosponsors)58Did not cosponsor
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rentals (H.R. 2725, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)59Did not cosponsor
- Extends U.S.-Israel defense, energy and development cooperation programs (H.R. 3792, 118th Congress · 163 cosponsors)60Did not cosponsor
- Lets 529 education savings plans pay for aviation mechanic and pilot training (H.R. 1818, 118th Congress · 162 cosponsors)61Did not cosponsor
- Doubles the amount of profit from selling a primary home that is exempt from tax (H.R. 1340, 119th Congress · 159 cosponsors)62Did not cosponsor
- Directs a Justice Department grant to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (H.R. 3381, 118th Congress · 156 cosponsors)63Did not cosponsor
- No-down-payment, federally insured mortgages for first responders and teachers (H.R. 2094, 119th Congress · 154 cosponsors)64Did not cosponsor
- Lets 529 education savings pay for job certifications and other credentials (H.R. 1477, 118th Congress · 150 cosponsors)65Did not cosponsor
- Funds research on firefighter protective gear made without PFAS chemicals (H.R. 3184, 119th Congress · 150 cosponsors)66Did not cosponsor
§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, 2026.67
| Raised | $5,482,944 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $5,290,993 |
| Cash on hand | $1,401,440 |
| Debts owed by the campaign | $15,495 |
Where the money came from
Outside spending
Groups spending independently reported $2,798,547 supporting and $3,558,966 opposing Mike Thompson this cycle, primary and general combined, in the 24- and 48-hour reports the law requires for larger expenditures, filed through October 26, 2026.68
| Group | Supporting | Opposing |
|---|---|---|
| NEW LEADERSHIP NOW | — | $3,525,625 |
| Article One PAC | $1,293,390 | — |
| CENTER FORWARD COMMITTEE | $750,000 | — |
| BDA PAC | $600,000 | — |
| National Association of Realtors Political Action Committee | $115,157 | — |
| Public Integrity Alliance | $40,000 | — |
| CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP FUND | — | $33,341 |
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.
- Annual financial disclosure report69filed May 14, 2026
- Annual financial disclosure report70filed May 14, 2025