Who is running in California's 9th Congressional District?

William Melhado, The Sacramento Bee on Feb 15, 2026

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California’s 9th Congressional District is unusual. Of the state’s 52 districts, it’s one of only two that went for Donald Trump in the 2024 election but conversely sent a Democrat to Congress.

The 9th District has become more favorable to the Democratic incumbent looking to hold onto his seat after last year’s gerrymandering effort.

Josh Harder, a four-time congressman from Turlock, faces three Republican challengers in the primary. Harder’s opponents include John McBride, a strength and conditioning coach, Jim Shoemaker, a business owner, and Parminder Singh, a commercial real estate analyst.

In November, the Cook Political Report updated the race in the 9th District from leaning towards Democrats to solidly Democratic.

Harder, McBride, Shoemaker and Singh will face off in the new 9th District, which now stretches farther into the Bay Area and encompasses parts of Antioch. The redrawn map trimmed off sections of the current district to the north and east.

Stockton, previously in the center of the 9th District, will be partially represented by whomever wins in the 13th Congressional District, which was the only other California district that supported Trump and elected a Democrat. In that race, Adam Gray bested Republican incumbent John Duarte by only a few hundred votes.

Here are the candidates in alphabetical order. Candidates have until early March to file nominating papers.

Josh Harder (D)

Running for reelection, Harder was first elected to Congress in 2018. He represented the 10th District for two consecutive terms before winning his current seat in the 9th District in 2022. Harder, 39, grew up in Turlock, worked at a venture capital firm and taught business at Modesto Junior College. While in Congress, Harder has advocated for banning corporate political action committees and has opposed the Delta Tunnel project. He was one of 46 Democrats to join Republicans to vote for the Laken Riley Act, which requires the federal detention of non-citizens who have been accused of crimes. Harder’s priorities include cutting health care costs, including how much people pay for prescription drugs like insulin, and to repeal gas taxes in Washington and California. His campaign website states another goal is to bring jobs in the IT, agriculture-technology and clean energy sector to his district.

John McBride (R)

McBride is a former strength and conditioning coach at the University of the Pacific and St. Mary’s High School in Stockton. McBride was born in Wallingford, Connecticut, and moved to the Golden State in 1989, according to his campaign website. He currently works as an athletic performance consultant and bodybuilding coach. His priorities include advocating for “energy independence,” in part by expanding investments in nuclear power, and reducing the federal government’s regulation of American farms. The candidate also listed support for local law enforcement, reducing government spending and eliminating taxes on Social Security as other campaign priorities. McBride unsuccessfully ran for the 9th District seat in 2024.

Jim Shoemaker (R)

Shoemaker, 64, is a trucking and construction business owner from San Pedro. He started his businesses after working as a truck driver throughout California and serving as a member of the Teamsters union, according to his campaign website. In a campaign video, Shoemaker vowed to work with the Trump administration “to continue the progress of protecting our Southern border.” His priorities include pushing for harsher penalties for violent criminals and reducing California families’ tax burdens. To support the Central Valley’s agricultural industry, he advocated for building more water storage and encouraged the adoption of more sustainable water-use practices including rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation methods. In recent years, he unsuccessfully ran for the 9th District seat and a state Senate seat.

Parminder Singh (R)

Singh worked as a commercial real estate analyst for nearly four decades and currently lives in Sacramento, according to the candidate’s LinkedIn profile. His platform is focused on supporting small businesses, helping families by reducing the cost of living and creating opportunities for young people. His campaign website states that Singh “supports fair and consistent enforcement of the law, respect for law enforcement, and policies that protect families, seniors and children.” This is the first time Singh has run for office, according to Ballotpedia.

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