The battle for the U.S. House majority runs through California this November, but most Bay Area congressional seats are expected to remain in Democratic hands.

Most Bay Area seats remain safely Democratic, while the redrawn 1st District, now including more of Sonoma County, offers a potential Democratic pickup. California voters last year approved Proposition 50, redrawing House districts to favor Democrats and counter a similar move by Texas to favor Republicans.

Republicans currently hold the minimum 218 seats needed to secure a House majority, while Democrats hold 214 seats. California Rep. Kevin Kiley left the Republican Party and is running as an independent in a redrawn Sacramento-area district. Two seats remain vacant following lawmakers’ resignations in April.

In the Bay Area, a couple of districts have seen open races with no incumbent, though Democrats are guaranteed or heavily favored to win all of them. In San Francisco’s 11th Congressional District, Democrats Scott Wiener, a state senator, and Connie Chan, a city supervisor, are competing to succeed Nancy Pelosi, the retiring former House speaker.

In the East Bay’s 14th Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Aisha Wahab, a former state senator, is seeking a full term after winning a special election in August to succeed Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April amid sexual misconduct allegations he has denied. She faces fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez, the BART board president whom she defeated in the special election runoff.

Farther north, redistricting has given Democrats an opportunity to flip the Republican-held 1st Congressional District, which now includes a heavily Democratic area of Sonoma County. Republican Rep. James Gallagher, who won a special election to complete the term of the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa, faces Democratic state Sen. Mike McGuire in November. The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rates the redrawn district “Solid D.”

Cook also rates the districts below as “Solid D,” meaning they are safely Democratic — a rating that does not favor either candidate when both are Democrats. Here’s a look at the candidates and their priorities:

8th District

Incumbent John Garamendi, a former state lawmaker, insurance commissioner and lieutenant governor and U.S. deputy interior secretary under President Bill Clinton, first was elected to the House in 2009 in what then was the 10th District. He’s represented the 8th District that includes much of Contra Costa and Solano counties since beginning the term in 2023. He touts his experience and recent efforts to prevent Travis Air Force Base from hosting Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers and secure federal funding for district schools.

Challenging Garamendi for reelection is Republican Rudy Recile, a retired U.S. Army Major and businessman from Fairfield who is campaigning to address rising costs for families, obstacles to small businesses and to make government more responsive.

Federal campaign finance reports show Garamendi had nearly $1.2 million in cash on hand as of June 30, compared with $1,541 for Recile.

10th District

Incumbent Mark DeSaulnier, a former restaurant owner, Concord City Council member, Contra Costa County supervisor and state lawmaker, first was elected to the House in 2014 in what then was the 11th District. He’s represented the 10th District that includes much of Contra Costa County and a part of Alameda County since 2022. He describes himself in his reelection campaign as “a progressive voice in Congress” focusing on improving transportation, workers’ rights, and educational opportunities.

Republican challenger Jeff Frese, a Moraga businessman who founded and later sold the low-carbohydrate snack company Fat Snax, is campaigning on lowering costs for families, strengthening law enforcement, requiring voter identification and protecting Social Security. He also advocates what he calls “back-to-basics education” focused on reading, math, history and civics.

Federal election reports show DeSaulnier had more than $586,000 in cash on hand as of June 30. The Federal Election Commission had no campaign finance information to report on Frese. The candidate said that’s because the campaign raised and spent less than $5,000, has received no political action committee or big donor money and is running on volunteer work.

12th District

Incumbent Lateefah Simon, a former civil rights advocate, Bay Area Rapid Transit District board member and California State University trustee, first was elected to the House in 2024 to the Alameda County-centered district seat vacated by Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee, who after an unsuccessful U.S. Senate run was elected mayor of Oakland. Simon is campaigning for her first reelection as an advocate for racial and social justice, reproductive freedom, transportation, immigration, health care and affordable housing.

Challenging Simon is fellow Democrat Jamie Joyce of Berkeley, who says her background in technology and artificial intelligence would inform her efforts to regulate AI and “make sure a people-centered democracy survives.” She also has criticized Israel’s war in Gaza.

Federal election reports, however, show Simon with an advantage in campaign cash, with more than $777,000 on hand as of June 30 compared to $8,800 for Joyce.

15th District

Incumbent Kevin Mullin first was elected to the seat spanning San Mateo County’s Highway 101 corridor in 2022 following the retirement of former Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier, for whom he had worked as an aide. Mullin, who started a communications and video production company, served on the South San Francisco City Council and as a state Assembly speaker pro tempore, pursuing legislation about campaign finance and voting by mail. In Congress he’s advocated for reproductive rights and in vitro fertilization and funding for transportation, including electrification of Caltrain.

Challenging Democrat Mullin for reelection is Republican Charles Hoelter, who according to responses to a Ballotpedia questionnaire is a retired UPS supervisor who moved to San Mateo County after nearly three decades in San Francisco. He is campaigning for secure borders, lower taxes and support for law enforcement.

Federal election reports show Mullin with more than $219,000 in cash on hand as of June 30. The FEC had no campaign reports posted for Hoelter.

16th District

Incumbent Sam Liccardo, the former San Jose mayor, is making his first reelection bid after winning the seat of retired Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo in a district that stretches from southwestern San Mateo County into northwestern Santa Clara County and part of San Jose. In his first term, Liccardo helped develop four bipartisan bills incorporated into the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which became law in July and aims to reduce barriers to housing construction. He also helped lead a New Democrat Coalition technology agenda that calls for expanding computer science and artificial intelligence education in K-12 schools.

Challenging Democrat Liccardo for reelection is Peter Soule, a Republican who worked in his family’s San Francisco-based steel business. Soule says Democratic Party policies have raised home and energy prices and frustrated efforts to deport criminals who illegally entered the U.S. and that he would support President Donald Trump.

Federal election reports show Liccardo had more than $2.1 million in cash on hand as of June 30, while Soule had $400.

17th District

Incumbent Ro Khanna has represented the 17th District, stretching from southern Fremont through Milpitas, northern San Jose and Sunnyvale, since defeating fellow Democrat Mike Honda in 2016. A progressive who also has cultivated support among Silicon Valley tech leaders, Khanna drew opposition from some of those supporters over his backing of the Proposition 40 billionaires tax but advanced to November’s election despite their support for a Democratic challenger in the June primary. He also has raised his national profile through a bipartisan push to disclose federal files on Jeffrey Epstein as he weighs a possible presidential bid.

Challenging his reelection is Ritesh Tandon, a Republican who says he’s running on a platform of reduced taxes and regulations to promote innovation and affordability. He also says he’s seeking secure borders with an immigration system that protects American workers, welcomes legal new talent and is fair.

Federal election reports showed Khanna had nearly $17 million in cash on hand as of June 30, while Tandon had less than $900.

18th District

Incumbent Zoe Lofgren has served in the House since 1995, after winning election the previous year. The 18th District stretches from eastern San Jose south through the Salinas Valley. In Congress, she has advocated for net neutrality and criticized the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies. She also helped advance the Proposition 50 redistricting effort.

Challenging Lofgren for reelection is Shane Lewis, a Republican Marine Corps veteran and music teacher. Lewis supports immigration reform with legal pathways to citizenship to support business labor needs, a low flat income tax, expanding water storage and clean technology.

Federal election reports show Lofgren had more than $600,000 in cash on hand as of June 30, while Lewis had $3,300.

19th District

Incumbent Jimmy Panetta — whose father, Leon Panetta, was CIA director and defense secretary under former President Barack Obama — is a former Navy intelligence officer first elected a decade ago to what was then the 20th District. The 19th District spans the Monterey Bay and Big Sur coastline region. In Congress he has supported environmental protection by opposing offshore oil production, expanding Medicare and expanding federal tax credits to build more low-income and middle-income housing.

Challenging Panetta for reelection is Peter Verbica, a Republican managing director for a money management and investment firm. He’s running on a platform including smaller government, lower taxes, immigration reform, strong national defense and school choice.

Federal election reports show Panetta had more than $5.1 million in cash on hand as of June 30, compared to nearly $25,000 for Verbica.