Candidate · November 3, 2026
Robert Garcia
On the ballot for U.S. House · California's 42nd District
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $3.4M
- cash on hand
- $1.6M
- issues with public statements
- 15
- outside spending for or against
- $266K
§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 42nd District1 |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Democratic1 |
| Status | Incumbent — Currently represents California's 42nd 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.
Robert Garcia immigrated to the United States from Peru as a young child, was raised in Southern California and became a U.S. citizen in his 20s.4,
Why they say they're running
His campaign website says he is running for re-election so that every child and family has a real shot at opportunity, like the one he says his mother and the country gave him, and that Congress should help improve Americans' lives.6,
Service in Congress since 2023
Websites and accounts
- Official websiterobertgarcia.house.gov2
- X (Twitter)x.com/RepRobertGarcia8
- Facebookfacebook.com/reprobertgarcia8
- Instagraminstagram.com/RepRobertGarcia8
- Campaign websiterobertgarcia.com7,
9 - Facebookfacebook.com/robertgarcialb7
- Instagraminstagram.com/robertgarcialb7
- X (Twitter)x.com/RobertGarcia7
- YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKziM4QP3dG_CppESdHL5QA7
§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.
Elections and Government Reform
His campaign website says he strongly supported California's Proposition 50 to redraw the state's congressional maps, which it presents as a response to President Trump calling on Republican-led states to eliminate Democratic seats.6
His campaign website says he supports ending Citizens United and a full lobbying ban for former members of Congress.6
- Limit spending by outside groups, including by amending the Constitution to overturn Citizens United
- Keep spending unlimited but require groups to name their major donors
- Keep current rules
- Raise or remove limits on donations to candidates and parties
Economy, Jobs and Trade
His campaign website says he fights for a nationwide $15 minimum wage.6
- Keep at $7.25 or leave to states
- Raise it to less than $15, such as $10 or $12
- Raise to $15 or more
His campaign website says he will fight to make it easier to join and form a union and is working to pass the PRO Act.6
- Make it easier to form a union (for example, the PRO Act)
- Keep current rules
- Add requirements such as a secret-ballot election before every union is recognized
Family and Social Policy
His campaign website says he fights to expand paid family leave.6
His campaign website says every parent should be able to afford child care and that he fights for universal child care and pre-K in Congress.6
His campaign website says he has opposed what it describes as President Trump's targeting of food assistance programs for families and children.6
Education
His campaign website says he has strongly opposed President Trump's cuts to the Department of Education.6
- Close the department and move or end its programs
- Shrink it and give states more control over federal school money
- Keep the department and its programs, or expand it
His campaign website says he is fighting to cancel student debt across the country.6
- Narrow or end existing forgiveness programs, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Keep current forgiveness programs, with no new cancellation
- Add targeted relief, such as more forgiveness for public service workers or through income-based repayment
- Broad cancellation of student debt
His campaign website says every young adult should be able to attend a tuition-free college or skilled trade program, and that he is fighting for no-cost college for all students.6
- No free tuition program
- Free tuition at community colleges
- Free tuition at public colleges and universities
Immigration
His campaign website says every undocumented child and their family should be able to earn citizenship, and that he is fighting to expand pathways to citizenship for undocumented residents.6
- 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
Health Care
His campaign website says the best way to fix the health care system is to pass Medicare for All, and that health coverage should not depend on a person's job.6
- One government plan for everyone (Medicare for All)
- Add a government plan that anyone can choose to buy
- Keep the current mix of private and public coverage, including the ACA
- Fewer federal insurance rules and more private plan choices, with aid paid to individuals
Guns
His campaign website says he will work to put universal background checks in place, and that he introduced the AMMO Act to require background checks for ammunition purchases and limit how much ammunition can be bought.6
- 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
His campaign website says he will work for a ban on AR-15 rifles, and that the national minimum age to own a firearm should be raised to 21.6
- Ban the sale of these rifles
- Keep sales legal, with added limits such as a minimum buying age of 21
- No bans or added limits on these rifles
Housing
His campaign website says people who are unhoused should have access to shelter, services and permanent supportive housing, and calls for expanding affordable housing and building public housing.6
§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 Robert Garcia served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. Robert Garcia sponsored or cosponsored 23 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)10Cosponsored
- Ends pay reductions for combat-disabled military retirees with under 20 years of service (H.R. 1282, 118th Congress · 326 cosponsors)11Cosponsored
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rental housing (H.R. 3238, 118th Congress · 273 cosponsors)12Cosponsored
- Ends waiting periods for disability benefits and Medicare for metastatic breast cancer (H.R. 549, 118th Congress · 272 cosponsors)13Cosponsored
- Ends disability benefit and Medicare waiting periods for metastatic breast cancer (H.R. 2048, 119th Congress · 271 cosponsors)14Cosponsored
- Extends the parks maintenance fund and adds higher park fees for foreign visitors (H.R. 9250, 119th Congress · 263 cosponsors)15Cosponsored
- Expands federal anti-soring rules for show horses and raises penalties (H.R. 3090, 118th Congress · 248 cosponsors)16Cosponsored
- Expands Medicare telehealth coverage by removing location limits and other restrictions (H.R. 4206, 119th Congress · 248 cosponsors)17Cosponsored
- Bans slaughtering horses and other equines for human food (H.R. 1661, 119th Congress · 238 cosponsors)18Cosponsored
- Sets new federal care standards for dogs kept by commercial dog dealers and breeders (H.R. 1624, 118th Congress · 237 cosponsors)19Cosponsored
- Permanently bans slaughtering horses and other equines for human food (H.R. 3475, 118th Congress · 236 cosponsors)20Cosponsored
- Targets crimes against postal workers; authorizes money for more secure mailboxes and keys (H.R. 1065, 119th Congress · 231 cosponsors)21Cosponsored
- Bans most animal testing of cosmetics and sales of cosmetics developed with it (H.R. 5399, 118th Congress · 227 cosponsors)22Cosponsored
- Bars insurers from discriminating against living organ donors (H.R. 2923, 118th Congress · 225 cosponsors)23Cosponsored
- Restores fines for charging veterans unauthorized fees for help with VA claims (H.R. 1139, 118th Congress · 221 cosponsors)24Cosponsored
- Requires FHA mortgage notices to compare costs with VA home loans (H.R. 4335, 118th Congress · 169 cosponsors)25Cosponsored
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rentals (H.R. 2725, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)26Cosponsored
- Counts recovery from organ donation surgery as a serious health condition for family leave (H.R. 4582, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)27Cosponsored
- Bars insurers from discriminating against living organ donors (H.R. 4583, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)28Cosponsored
- Extends U.S.-Israel defense, energy and development cooperation programs (H.R. 3792, 118th Congress · 163 cosponsors)29Cosponsored
- Doubles the amount of profit from selling a primary home that is exempt from tax (H.R. 1340, 119th Congress · 159 cosponsors)30Cosponsored
- No-down-payment, federally insured mortgages for first responders and teachers (H.R. 2094, 119th Congress · 154 cosponsors)31Cosponsored
- Funds research on firefighter protective gear made without PFAS chemicals (H.R. 3184, 119th Congress · 150 cosponsors)32Cosponsored
- Allows Medicare to cover multi-cancer early detection screening tests (H.R. 2407, 118th Congress · 319 cosponsors)33Did not cosponsor
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (H.R. 3514, 119th Congress · 308 cosponsors)34Did not cosponsor
- Requires new vehicles to include AM radio as standard equipment (H.R. 3413, 118th Congress · 270 cosponsors)35Did not cosponsor
- Requires employer health plans to allow exceptions to step-therapy drug rules (H.R. 2630, 118th Congress · 235 cosponsors)36Did not cosponsor
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (H.R. 8702, 118th Congress · 231 cosponsors)37Did not cosponsor
- Adds Medicare coverage of blood tests to screen for early Alzheimer's disease (H.R. 6130, 119th Congress · 231 cosponsors)38Did not cosponsor
- Lets businesses deduct research costs right away instead of over five years (H.R. 2673, 118th Congress · 223 cosponsors)39Did not cosponsor
- Requires health plans to cover birth defect care for the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth or jaw (H.R. 3277, 119th Congress · 214 cosponsors)40Did not cosponsor
- Sends False Claims Act fraud recoveries to the Crime Victims Fund through 2029 (H.R. 8061, 118th Congress · 210 cosponsors)41Did not cosponsor
- Keeps paying military members and support staff during a shutdown in fiscal 2026 (H.R. 5401, 119th Congress · 210 cosponsors)42Did not cosponsor
- Raises Medicare physician fee schedule payments by 6.62% for April through December 2025 (H.R. 879, 119th Congress · 198 cosponsors)43Did not cosponsor
- Orders a study of Holocaust education in public schools across the states (H.R. 603, 118th Congress · 183 cosponsors)44Did not cosponsor
- Lets surviving military and veteran spouses keep benefits after remarrying (H.R. 1004, 119th Congress · 183 cosponsors)45Did not cosponsor
- Raises the tax credit for maintaining short line railroad track (H.R. 516, 119th Congress · 183 cosponsors)46Did not cosponsor
- Expands Medicare coverage to all services chiropractors provide (H.R. 1610, 118th Congress · 180 cosponsors)47Did not cosponsor
- Expands U.S.-Israel military cooperation on counter-drone and emerging technology (H.R. 1229, 119th Congress · 178 cosponsors)48Did not cosponsor
- Authorizes CIA payments to former Air America employees and survivors for 1950-1976 work (H.R. 2192, 119th Congress · 178 cosponsors)49Did not cosponsor
- Expands Medicare coverage to all services chiropractors are licensed to provide (H.R. 539, 119th Congress · 174 cosponsors)50Did not cosponsor
- Ties yearly Medicare physician payment increases to the Medicare Economic Index (H.R. 2474, 118th Congress · 172 cosponsors)51Did not cosponsor
- Adds military spouses to a tax credit for employers who hire from certain groups (H.R. 1277, 118th Congress · 170 cosponsors)52Did not cosponsor
- Gives new-car dealers through 2025 to restock 2020-21 inventory without triggering tax (H.R. 700, 118th Congress · 169 cosponsors)53Did not cosponsor
- Requires employer health plans to offer exceptions to step therapy drug rules (H.R. 5509, 119th Congress · 169 cosponsors)54Did not cosponsor
- Lets 529 education savings plans pay for aviation mechanic and pilot training (H.R. 1818, 118th Congress · 162 cosponsors)55Did not cosponsor
- Requires nursing homes and similar facilities to let essential caregivers see residents (H.R. 6766, 119th Congress · 160 cosponsors)56Did not cosponsor
- Requires annual VA reports and studies on preventing veteran suicide (H.R. 4157, 118th Congress · 159 cosponsors)57Did not cosponsor
- Requires VA clinicians to certify a veteran's death within 48 hours (H.R. 4398, 119th Congress · 158 cosponsors)58Did not cosponsor
- Directs a Justice Department grant to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (H.R. 3381, 118th Congress · 156 cosponsors)59Did not cosponsor
- Lets 529 education savings pay for job certifications and other credentials (H.R. 1477, 118th Congress · 150 cosponsors)60Did not cosponsor
- Bans betting on animal fights and allows private lawsuits over animal fighting (H.R. 3946, 119th Congress · 150 cosponsors)61Did 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, 2026.62
| Raised | $3,394,175 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $2,233,623 |
| Cash on hand | $1,572,980 |
Where the money came from
Outside spending
Groups spending independently reported $266,422 supporting and $0 opposing Robert Garcia this cycle, primary and general combined, in the 24- and 48-hour reports the law requires for larger expenditures, filed through October 23, 2026.63
| Group | Supporting | Opposing |
|---|---|---|
| Equality PAC | $266,422 | — |
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 report64filed Aug 11, 2026
- Annual financial disclosure report65filed Aug 8, 2025