California's 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. As of 2023, Democrat John Garamendi represents the district. Currently, the 8th district includes parts of the Bay Area counties of Contra Costa County and Solano County, including the cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, Richmond and parts of Martinez.
Competitiveness Before the 2011 redistricting, the 8th district was a Democratic stronghold. It gave John Kerry his best performance in California in 2004, backing the Democrat with 84.2% of the vote. Barack Obama continued on this trend in 2008 when he received 85.22% of the vote in the district while John McCain received 12.38%.
The 8th district from 2013-2023 was located in a politically conservative region of the state with a "Strongly Republican" Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+10. The Cook Political Report ranked it the 87th most Republican-leaning congressional district in the United States.
In the 2012 election, the first after the state's adoption of top-two primaries, the 8th district was one of only two in California where two Republicans faced each other in a runoff election. In 2018, it was the only such California district. In 2022, the district was moved to the northern San Francisco Bay Area and became solidly Democratic.
Recent election results from statewide races 2023–2027 boundaries Year Office Results2008 PresidentObama 76% - 24%2010 GovernorBrown 71% - 25% Lt. GovernorNewsom 67% - 25% Secretary of StateBowen 69% - 23% Attorney GeneralHarris 64% - 28% TreasurerLockyer 72% - 21% ControllerChiang 71% - 21%2012 PresidentObama 78% - 22%2014 GovernorBrown 77% - 23%2016 PresidentClinton 75% - 19%2018 GovernorNewsom 75% - 25% Attorney GeneralBecerra 76% - 24%2020 PresidentBiden 76% - 22%2022 Senate (Reg.)Padilla 75% - 25% GovernorNewsom 74% - 26% Lt. GovernorKounalakis 74% - 26% Secretary of StateWeber 75% - 25% Attorney GeneralBonta 74% - 26% TreasurerMa 74% - 26% ControllerCohen 71% - 29%2024 PresidentHarris 70% - 27% Senate (Reg.)Schiff 72% - 28%
Composition County Code County Seat Population 13 Contra Costa Martinez 1,161,413 95 Solano Fairfield 451,716 Under the 2020 redistricting, California's 8th district is located in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area counties of Contra Costa and Solano. The area in Contra Costa County includes the north side of the cities of Antioch and Martinez; the cities of Pittsburg, Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Pinole, and Hercules; and the census-designated places Kensington, East Richmond Heights, North Richmond, Rollingwood, El Sobrante, Montalvin Manor, Tara Hills, Bayview, Rodeo, Crockett, Port Costa, and Bay Point. The area in Solano County includes part of the city of Vacaville; the entirety of the cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, Suisun City, and Benicia; and the census-designated places Green Valley and Elmira.
Contra Costa County is split between this district and the 10th district. They are partitioned by Grizzly Peak Blvd, Seaview Trail, Camino Pablo, Bear Creek Rd, San Pablo Creek, Bear Creek, Brianes Reservoir, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Highway 4, Alhambra Ave, Pacheco Blvd, Grandview Ave, Central Ave, Imhoff Dr, Bares Ave, Mount Diablo Creek, Union Pacific, Contra Costa Canal, 4WD Rd, Bailey Rd, James Donlon Blvd, Cambridge Dr, Reseda Way, S Royal links Cir, Carpinteria Dr, Barmouth Dr, Hillcrest Ave, Highway 4, and Highway 160.
Solano County is split between this district and the 4th district. They are partitioned by Soda Springs Rd, Union Pacific, Alamo Dr, Leisure Town Rd, Hawkins Rd, Bay Area Exxextric, Shilo Rd, Collinsville Rd, and Montezuma Slough.
Cities and CDPs with 10,000 or more people Vallejo – 126,090 Fairfield – 119,881 Richmond – 116,448 Antioch – 115,291 Vacaville – 102,386 Pittsburg – 76,416 Martinez – 37,287 San Pablo – 32,127 Suisun City – 29,518 Benicia – 27,131 Hercules – 26,016 El Cerrito – 25,962 Bay Point – 23,896 Pinole – 19,022 El Sobrante – 15,524
2,500 – 10,000 people
Rodeo – 9,653 Kensington – 5,428 Tara Hills – 5,364 North Richmond – 4,175 East Richmond Heights – 3,460 Crockett – 3,242 Montalvin Manor – 3,099 Rollingwood – 3,015
Future composition Beginning with the 2026 election, the 8th district will consist of the following counties:
Contra Costa (part) Sacramento (part) San Joaquin (part) Solano Yolo (part)
List of members representing the district
Member Party Dates Congress(es) Electoral history Counties District created March 4, 1903 Milton J. Daniels Republican March 4, 1903 –March 3, 1905 Elected in 1902.Retired. 1903–1913Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Ventura Sylvester C. Smith Republican March 4, 1905 –January 26, 1913 Elected in 1904.Re-elected in 1906.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Died. Vacant January 27, 1913 –March 3, 1913 Everis A. Hayes Republican March 4, 1913 –March 3, 1919 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Lost re-election. 1913–1933Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Ventura Hugh S. Hersman Democratic March 4, 1919 –March 3, 1921 Elected in 1918.Lost re-election. Arthur M. Free Republican March 4, 1921 –March 3, 1933 Elected in 1920.Re-elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Lost re-election. John J. McGrath Democratic March 4, 1933 –January 3, 1939 Elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Lost re-election. 1933–1943Monterey, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz Jack Z. Anderson Republican January 3, 1939 –January 3, 1953 Elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Re-elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Retired. 1943–1953San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz George P. Miller Democratic January 3, 1953 –January 3, 1973 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1952.Re-elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.Re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Lost renomination. 1953–1975Alameda outside Oakland Pete Stark Democratic January 3, 1973 –January 3, 1975 Elected in 1972.Redistricted to the . Ron Dellums Democratic January 3, 1975 –January 3, 1993 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1974.Re-elected in 1976.Re-elected in 1978.Re-elected in 1980.Re-elected in 1982.Re-elected in 1984.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Redistricted to the . 1975–1983Alameda (Oakland) 1983–1993Alameda (Oakland), southwestern Contra Costa Nancy Pelosi Democratic January 3, 1993 –January 3, 2013 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1992.Re-elected in 1994.Re-elected in 1996.Re-elected in 1998.Re-elected in 2000.Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Re-elected in 2010.Redistricted to the . 1993–2003Most of San Francisco 2003–2013:Most of San Francisco Paul Cook Republican January 3, 2013 –December 7, 2020 Elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Resigned when elected to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. 2013–2023 Inyo, Mono, most of San BernardinoVacant December 7, 2020 –January 3, 2021 Jay Obernolte Republican January 3, 2021 –January 3, 2023 Elected in 2020.Redistricted to the . John Garamendi Democratic January 3, 2023 –present Redistricted from the and re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2023–presentParts of Contra Costa and Solano
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See also List of United States congressional districts California's congressional districts
References
External links GovTrack.us: California's 8th congressional district RAND California Election Returns: District Definitions (out of date) California Voter Foundation map — CD08 (out of date) Ballotpedia: California's 8th congressional district