By admin 
Incumbent Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, faces Republican challenger John McBride in the general election for California’s 9th Congressional District.
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Harder was first elected to Congress in 2018, when he represented the 10th District. After redistricting, he was elected to the 9th District in 2022.
McBride ran for the seat in 2024 but did not advance past the primary. In the 2024 general election, the 9th District was one of two in California to support Donald Trump while also electing a Democrat to Congress. However, its borders were redrawn to favor Harder’s reelection.
Harder received 60% of the vote in the June primary over McBride’s 23%.
Where is the district?
The 9th District is largely in the northern San Joaquin Valley, though its new boundaries extend into the East Bay.
The redrawn map trimmed sections to the north and east. Lodi, once fully within the district, is split among three districts, and part of Stockton is shifted into the 13th District, the only other district in the state that supported Trump while electing a Democrat. Antioch is also now within the district’s boundaries.
The district is primarily in San Joaquin County and includes parts of Contra Costa County.
Who are the candidates?
Rep. Josh Harder, 40, was first elected to Congress in 2018. Before entering politics, Harder worked in venture capital until 2017. He left during his first congressional bid and teaches at Modesto Junior College.
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While in Congress, Harder has been an advocate of eliminating the gas tax and has pushed for the development of alternative energy projects, including through a bill he introduced earlier this year that aims to eliminate red tape and provide political protections for such permitted projects.
Harder has also pushed for banning corporate political action committees. He said this stance cuts ties between himself and pharmaceutical companies, putting him in a unique position to advocate for cutting healthcare costs, such as how much people pay for prescription drugs like insulin. The cost of healthcare is a central priority for Harder and defending the Affordable Care Act was a key reason he first decided to run for Congress, he said.
John McBride, 65, has lived in the Central Valley for 40 years. He has worked primarily as a strength and conditioning coach for athletes, including at the University of the Pacific and St. Mary’s High School in Stockton.
McBride was born in Wallingford, Connecticut, and moved to California in 1989. He has volunteered with organizations such as Helping Hands Ministry, which provided free meals, and has served on the board of a Christian-based nonprofit now named Directions Medical Clinic, which aims at “helping women choose to keep their babies, as opposed to abortion,” McBride said in an interview with The Sacramento Bee.
McBride’s priorities include affordability, healthcare — which he likens to the Make America Healthy Again movement — and support for agriculture. He also supports stricter penalties for crimes and backs measures targeting judges he describes as “soft on crime.” He ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2024.
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