The congressional candidates running to represent San Diego County

SAN DIEGO — This primary election, voters are casting their ballots for who they want to represent them in Washington.

Five congressional districts make up San Diego County, with some districts also covering parts of neighboring counties. Not sure which congressional district you’re in? Find out by entering your ZIP code on House.gov.

Below is a breakdown of the candidates in each district race. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order, with incumbents at the top.

District 48  

District 48 is comprised of central and eastern San Diego County — including Santee, Poway, Escondido, Lakeside, Alpine, Escondido, Ramona, Valley Center, Bonsall and Fallbrook — as well as Temecula and Murrieta in Riverside County.

Incumbent Darrell Issa (R) is running for re-election in District 48. He is a retired U.S. Army captain and former CEO who has served as a lawmaker in various districts since 2000. Issa supports securing the border, defunding Planned Parenthood, and the Second Amendment. Read more about his stance on issues on his website. Issa is endorsed by Donald Trump, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, former San Diego Supervisor Dianne Jacob, San Diego and Riverside counties’ deputy sheriff’s associations, Republican Party of Riverside County, among others.

Stephen Houlahan (D) is a registered nurse. Houlahan says he is pro-choice, supports the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and wants to gain federal funding to diversify the district’s energy infrastructure. Read more about his stance on issues on his website. Houlahan is endorsed by California Democratic Party, San Diego Democrats for Equality and California Young Democrats, among others.

Lucinda KWH Jahn (no party preference) is an entertainment industry technician. Jahn says she supports term limits, reproductive rights and legal immigration. Read more about her stance on issues on her website.

Matthew Rascon (D) is a community volunteer. Rascon supports enacting term limits, requiring legislature members to divest by their inauguration date, and consequences for violators of the STOCK Act. Read more about his stance on issues on his website.

Whitney Shanahan (D)
Shanahan is a reproductive healthcare advocate. Shanahan says she is running to protect safe and legal abortions, fight for livable wages and tackle “big corporate special interest that prioritize profits over people.” Read more about her stance on issues on her website.

Mike Simon (D) is an energy technology entrepreneur. Simon says he supports stronger border controls, expanding federal financial aid programs to ease obtaining vocational training and strengthening social security. Read more about his stance on issues on his website.

District 49

District 49 covers San Diego’s North County — Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista — and southern Orange County.

Incumbent Mike Levin (D) is running for re-election to represent District 49, what would be his fourth term. Levin supports funding for smart border security technology, protecting rights of LGBTQ+ people and climate action. Read more about his stance on issues on his website. Levin is endorsed by the California Democratic Party, San Diego Democratic Party and AFL-CIO – San Diego Labor Federation, among others.

Sheryl Adams (R) is an automotive technology executive. Adams supports closing the border, making the U.S. energy independent and reforming the tax system to reduce taxes for families, seniors, young adults and small businesses. Read more about her stance on issues on her website. Adams is endorsed by Rep. Darrell Issa and Rep. Virginia Foxx.

Matt Gunderson (R) is a business owner. Gunderson says he is running “to provide common-sense, fiscally responsible leadership” in the district. Read more about Gunderson’s stance on issues on his website. Gunderson is endorsed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Sen. Brian Jones and Sen. Janet Nguyen, among others.

Kate Monroe (R) is a veteran advocate and businesswoman. She is also a former Marine. Monroe says she supports removing “many of the barriers that deter woman from considering adoption” and securing the border. Read more about Monroe’s stance on issues on her website. Monroe is endorsed by the California Republican Assembly, Rep. Ronny Jackson and Rep. Keith Self, among others.

Margarita Wilkinson (R) is a businesswoman. She says she wants to secure the border, end inflation by controlling spending, and lowering taxes. Read more about her stance on issues on her website. Wilkinson is endorsed by former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer, former San Diego County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar, San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones and former San Juan Capistrano mayor Brian Maryott, among others.

District 50

District 50 includes Coronado, San Marcos, Escondido and coastal San Diego.

Incumbent Scott Peters (D) is running for re-election in District 50. Peters supports providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, allowing women to make their own health care decisions, and protecting Medicare and Social Security. Read where he stands on other issues on his website. Peters is endorsed by Rep. Juan Vargas, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and the San Diego County Democratic Party, among others.

Timothy Bilash (D) is a physician/educator. He says he is a proponent of single-payer healthcare, ending the Senate filibuster and supporting the Freedom to Vote Act. Read more about his stance on issues on his website.

Peter J. Bono (R) is a retired Navy technician. He supports term limits for local officials, free childcare facilities for working families in need and reducing government spending. Read more about his stance on issues on his website.

Solomon David Moss (R) is a small business owner. Moss supports “bringing back a government for the people,” “a well-balanced approach to domestic energy production” and not allowing mail-in ballots to become commonplace. Read more about his stance on issues on his website.

District 51

District 51 includes much of the northern and eastern parts of the city of San Diego and all of El Cajon, La Mesa and Lemon Grove, as well as Spring Valley and La Presa.

Incumbent Sara Jacobs (D) is seeking what would be her third term in Congress, assuming office in District 53 in 2021 as the youngest U.S. representative from California. Jacobs supports addressing “the epidemic of gun violence,” fighting for affordable housing and reproductive care. Read more about Jacobs’ platform on her website. Jacobs is endorsed by Sen. Alex Padilla, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the California Democratic Party, among others.

Stan Caplan (no party preference) is a small business owner. Caplan has proposed no income taxes on the first $50,000 of income and supports enforcing existing immigration laws and professional treatment centers for homeless “until they are self sufficient.” Read more about Caplan’s platform on his website.

Hilaire “Fuji” Sihoura (no party preference) is an educator and business owner. Sihoura supports immigration reform including protecting rights of asylum seekers, combating inflation and reforming the education system through teacher support and technology. Read more about where he stands on his website.

Bill Wells (R) is the current mayor of El Cajon. During his time as mayor, Wells has taken a stand against the Housing First and Defund the Police movements, and has supported keeping businesses open when they faced closures during the pandemic. Read more about where Wells stands on his website. Wells is endorsed by the California Republican Party, the Republican Party of San Diego County and Rep. Darrell Issa, among others.

District 52

District 52 includes San Diego’s South Bay, including Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, National City and Otay Mesa.

Incumbent Juan Vargas (D) is running for re-election for District 52 for what would be his seventh term in Congress. Previously, Vargas served in the California State Assembly, State Senate and on San Diego City Council. Vargas says he supports protecting women’s reproductive rights, passing gun reform and safeguarding social security and Medicare. Vargas is endorsed by the California Democratic Party, the California Labor Federation and California Young Democrats.

Justin Lee (R) is a business owner. In a Q&A, Lee told the San Diego Union-Tribune that he supports enhancing border security, protecting families from human trafficking and reforming the Veterans Affairs to fix wait times for mental health appointments. Read his other answers here.

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