California’s third congressional district stretches from Lake Tahoe to communities east of Sacramento.
The district changed drastically under California’s redistricting plan, Proposition 50, which passed in a 2025 special election. Independent Congressman Kevin Kiley represents the current, solidly red district.
The new boundaries include communities like Folsom and Arden Arcade to create a new Democratic-leaning district.
Democratic Congressman Ami Bera is the frontrunner in the race and has positioned himself as the incumbent candidate with some overlap with his current district, the former CD 6. He’s a medical doctor and former teacher who has served in Congress since 2013.
Bera is pitching himself as a leader with a proven track record of delivering federal resources for the Sacramento region and as a representative who will push back against the Trump administration.
“I am proud that we’ve helped close to 40,000 individuals navigate the immigration system, get their IRS benefits,” Bera said during a candidates forum hosted by the League of Women Voters back in May. “We’ve gotten hundreds of millions of dollars to Sacramento County for the airport, for infrastructure projects.”
Bera’s opponent, Republican Nevada County Supervisor Robb Tucker, says CD 3 needs someone who will represent rural interests. Public safety, wildfire preparedness, and job creation are among the business owner’s priorities.
Tucker has also criticized California’s Democratic-led policies on homelessness prevention.
“I think we have a model here in California, 16 years of those policies, and it’s failed in virtually every aspect,” Tucker said during the same candidate forum.
Bera outpolled Tucker 34% to 30% in the June primary. The general election is on November 3.
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