JoinCalifornia - Uncontested Candidates

UNCONTESTED CANDIDATES

Historic Uncontested Candidates (1946-2026)
In the last seventy-two years, there have been 517 unopposed candidates. With cross-filing at its peak (allowing candidates to win multiple primaries and exclude other candidates from the general election ballot), 1950 and 1952 elections saw the most uncontested candidates (more than 150 in those two years alone). Democrats have had more unchallenged candidates. A large majority of the races were for Assembly seats (346 races), while 103 were State Senate races, 52 were members of Congress, and 12 members of the Board of Equalization.

Frequently Unopposed Candidates
Several candidates have run unopposed on multiple occasions. Lloyd W. Lowrey holds the record, having run unopposed ten times. Because term limits limits candidates to a maximum of six elections, this record is unlikely to be broken. Ralph M. Brown and Gus Hawkins were elected unopposed seven times. Donald L. Grunsky and William Byron Rumford were elected unopposed six times. George A. Clarke, Glenn E. Coolidge, John F. Shelley, Richard McCollister, and Randolph Collier were elected unopposed five times. Ten candidates were elected unopposed four times: Carley V. Porter, Clair Engle, Francis C. Lindsay, Francis Dunn Jr., George R. Reilly, Hugh M. Burns, Hugh P. Donnelly, Marvin Sherwin, Vincent Thomas, and Laughlin E. Waters.

Recent Candidates Elected Unopposed:
In 2026, no Congressional or State Senate candidates are running unopposed. Several other candidates didn't have any candidates file against them but later saw challenges who would qualify for the General Election ballot as write-in candidates in the Primary.

2020s
Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry (2026) - Assembly
David Tangipa (2026) - Assembly
Juan Alanis (2026) - Assembly
David Couch (2026) - Assembly *Not an incumbent legislator. Did not face Primary or write-in challengers.

Chris Ward (2024) - Assembly

Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer (2022) - Assembly - Most recent candidate to run unopposed multiple times.
Vince Fong (2022) - Assembly - Most Recent Republican to run unopposed.

Lori D. Wilson (2022 Special) - Assembly *Not an incumbent legislator. A write-in candidate received 1975 votes.

Jim Patterson (2020) - Assembly - Most recent Republican candidate to run unopposed multiple times.
Frank Bigelow (2020) - Assembly
Wendy Carrillo (2020) - Assembly

2010s
Holly J. Mitchell (2018) - Senate
Laura Friedman (2018) - Assembly
Eloise Reyes (2018) - Assembly
Richard Bloom (2018) - Assembly

Eduardo Garcia (2016) - Assembly
Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer (2016)

Sharon Runner (2015 Special) - Senate - *Six write-in candidates in this contest received a total of 1657 votes.

Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer (2014) - Assembly
Jim Patterson (2014) - Assembly
Lorena Gonzalez (2014) - Assembly
Cristina Garcia (2014) - Assembly

Susan Bonilla (2012) - Assembly
Isadore Hall (2012) - Assembly

Devin G. Nunes (2010) - Congress - Most recent Congressional candidate to run unopposed.
Kevin de Leon (2010) - Senate
Ed Hernandez (2010)- Senate
Jim Nielsen (2010) - Assembly
Kristin Olsen (2010) - Assembly *Not an incumbent legislator. Faced three challengers in the Republican primary.
John A. Perez (2010) - Assembly
Mike Davis (2010) - Assembly
Dennis A. Cardoza (2010) - Congress
Kevin McCarthy (2010) - Congress *A write-in candidate in this contest received 2173 votes.
Henry A. Waxman (2010) - Congress
Xavier Becerra (2010) - Congress
Hilda Solis (2010) - Congress *A write-in candidate in this contest received 8 votes.

2000s
Howard Berman (2008) - Congress *A write-in candidate in this contest received 150 votes.
George Radanovich (2008) - Congress *Two write-in candidates in this contest received a total of 2856 votes.
Ted Gaines (2008) - Assembly
Nancy Skinner (2008) - Assembly
Anna Caballero (2008) - Assembly
Hector De La Torre (2008) - Assembly
Wilmer Amina Carter (2008) - Assembly
Brian Nestande (2008) - Assembly
Jeff Miller (2008) - Assembly

Jim Costa (2006) - Congress
Diane Watson (2006) - Congress
Xavier Becerra (2006) - Congress
Gary G. Miller (2006) - Congress
Dean Florez (2006) - Senate
Gloria Negrete-McLeod (2006) - Senate
Noreen Evans (2006) - Assembly *A write-in candidate in this contest received 1464 votes.
Juan Arambula (2006) - Assembly
Richard Alarcon (2006 & 2002) - Senate & Assembly
Fabian Nunez (2006) - Assembly
Mervyn M. Dymally (2006 & 2004) - Assembly

Bill Thomas (2004) - Congress
Grace F. Napolitano (2004) - Congress
Tom Torlakson (2004) - State Senate

Chuck Poochigian (2002 & 1998) - State Senate * Both State Senate elections.
Roy Ashburn (2002) - State Senate * First Senate election.
Richard Alarcon (2002) - State Senate
Gil Cedillo (2002) - State Senate * First Senate election.
Kevin Murray (2002) - State Senate
Loni Hancock (2002) - State Assembly *Not an incumbent legislator. Faced two challengers in the Democratic primary.
Jerome E. Horton (2002) - State Assembly
Sarah Reyes (2002) - State Assembly
Rebecca Cohn (2002) - State Assembly
Jack O'Connell (2002) - Superintendent of Public Instruction - Most recent Statewide candidate to run unopposed. *A write-in candidate in this contest received 4392 votes.

Jackie Goldberg (2000) - Assembly *Not an incumbent legislator. Faced two challengers in the Democratic primary.
Gloria Romero (2000) - Assembly

1990s
Bob Filner (1998) - Congress
Tom McClintock (1998) - Assembly
Carl Washington (1998) - Assembly
Rod Pacheco (1998) - Assembly

Carole Migden (1996) - Assembly
Michael Sweeney (1996) - Assembly
Rod Wright (1996) - Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced six challengers in the Democratic primary.
Dick Ackerman (1996) - Assembly

Marguerite Archie-Hudson (1994) - Assembly

Bill Leonard (1992) - State Senate
Bob Campbell (1992) - Assembly
Bill Jones (1992) - Assembly
Bruce Bronzan (1992) - Assembly
Willard H. Murray Jr. (1992) - Assembly

Richard Lehman (1990) - Congress
Ken Maddy (1990) - State Senate
Bob Campbell (1990) - Assembly
John Burton (1990) - Assembly
Delaine Eastin (1990) - Assembly
Jackie Speier (1990) - Assembly
Bruce Bronzan (1990) - Assembly
Trice Harvey (1990) - Assembly
Teresa P. Hughes (1990) - Assembly
Lucille Roybal-Allard (1990) - Assembly

Earlier Nonincumbent Candidates Unopposed in the General Election (1946-1988)
Art Torres (1974) - Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced four challengers in the Democratic primary.
James E. Cunningham Sr. (1950) - State Senate * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced two challengers in the cross-filing primary.

Edwin J. Regan (1948) State Senate * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced one challengers in the cross-filing primary.
Nathan F. Coombs (1948) State Senate * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in the primary.
Arthur W. Way (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced two challengers in the cross-filing primary.
Francis C. Lindsay (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced six challengers in the cross-filing primary.
Verne W. Hoffman (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in Republican primary, but had one opponent in the Democratic Primary.
Arthur H. Connolly Jr. (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in Republican primary, but had one opponent in the Democratic Primary.
John D. Babbage (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced three challengers in the cross-filing primary.

Laughlin E. Waters (1946) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in the primary.
Harry J. Johnson (AD36) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in the primary.


Information Home Elected Offices Elections by Decade Longest Service Shortest Service Most & Fewest Votes Uncontested Races Write-In Candidates Closest Contests Redistricting Recalls Elections 2026 General 2026 CD-01 Special 2026 CD-14 Special 2024 General Prior 2020s Elections Elections by Decade Other Stuff Advanced Search CA Constitution CA in Congress Line of Succession Highest Ranking SCOTUS Cases	Search: [search tips] [advanced search] Searching tips Enter a candidate's name to find a candidate Enter the name of a political party to find the party and all candidates Enter a date to find an election Enter a year to find all elections within that year UNCONTESTED CANDIDATES Historic Uncontested Candidates (1946-2026) In the last seventy-two years, there have been 517 unopposed candidates. With cross-filing at its peak (allowing candidates to win multiple primaries and exclude other candidates from the general election ballot), 1950 and 1952 elections saw the most uncontested candidates (more than 150 in those two years alone). Democrats have had more unchallenged candidates. A large majority of the races were for Assembly seats (346 races), while 103 were State Senate races, 52 were members of Congress, and 12 members of the Board of Equalization. Frequently Unopposed Candidates Several candidates have run unopposed on multiple occasions. Lloyd W. Lowrey holds the record, having run unopposed ten times. Because term limits limits candidates to a maximum of six elections, this record is unlikely to be broken. Ralph M. Brown and Gus Hawkins were elected unopposed seven times. Donald L. Grunsky and William Byron Rumford were elected unopposed six times. George A. Clarke, Glenn E. Coolidge, John F. Shelley, Richard McCollister, and Randolph Collier were elected unopposed five times. Ten candidates were elected unopposed four times: Carley V. Porter, Clair Engle, Francis C. Lindsay, Francis Dunn Jr., George R. Reilly, Hugh M. Burns, Hugh P. Donnelly, Marvin Sherwin, Vincent Thomas, and Laughlin E. Waters. Recent Candidates Elected Unopposed: In 2026, no Congressional or State Senate candidates are running unopposed. Several other candidates didn't have any candidates file against them but later saw challenges who would qualify for the General Election ballot as write-in candidates in the Primary. 2020s Cecilia M. Aguiar-Curry (2026) - Assembly David Tangipa (2026) - Assembly Juan Alanis (2026) - Assembly David Couch (2026) - Assembly Not an incumbent legislator. Did not face Primary or write-in challengers. Chris Ward (2024) - Assembly Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer (2022) - Assembly - Most recent candidate to run unopposed multiple times. Vince Fong (2022) - Assembly - Most Recent Republican to run unopposed.* Lori D. Wilson (2022 Special) - Assembly Not an incumbent legislator. A write-in candidate received* 1975 votes. Jim Patterson (2020) - Assembly - Most recent Republican candidate to run unopposed multiple times. Frank Bigelow (2020) - Assembly Wendy Carrillo (2020) - Assembly 2010s Holly J. Mitchell (2018) - Senate Laura Friedman (2018) - Assembly Eloise Reyes (2018) - Assembly Richard Bloom (2018) - Assembly Eduardo Garcia (2016) - Assembly Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer (2016) Sharon Runner (2015 Special) - Senate - Six write-in candidates in this contest received a total of 1657 votes. Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer (2014) - Assembly Jim Patterson (2014) - Assembly Lorena Gonzalez (2014) - Assembly Cristina Garcia (2014) - Assembly Susan Bonilla (2012) - Assembly Isadore Hall (2012) - Assembly Devin G. Nunes (2010) - Congress - Most recent Congressional candidate to run unopposed.* Kevin de Leon (2010) - Senate Ed Hernandez (2010)- Senate Jim Nielsen (2010) - Assembly Kristin Olsen (2010) - Assembly Not an incumbent legislator. Faced three challengers in the Republican primary.* John A. Perez (2010) - Assembly Mike Davis (2010) - Assembly Dennis A. Cardoza (2010) - Congress Kevin McCarthy (2010) - Congress A write-in candidate in this contest received 2173 votes. Henry A. Waxman (2010) - Congress Xavier Becerra (2010) - Congress Hilda Solis (2010) - Congress A write-in candidate in this contest received 8 votes. 2000s Howard Berman (2008) - Congress A write-in candidate in this contest received 150 votes. George Radanovich (2008) - Congress Two write-in candidates in this contest received a total of 2856 votes. Ted Gaines (2008) - Assembly Nancy Skinner (2008) - Assembly Anna Caballero (2008) - Assembly Hector De La Torre (2008) - Assembly Wilmer Amina Carter (2008) - Assembly Brian Nestande (2008) - Assembly Jeff Miller (2008) - Assembly Jim Costa (2006) - Congress Diane Watson (2006) - Congress Xavier Becerra (2006) - Congress Gary G. Miller (2006) - Congress Dean Florez (2006) - Senate Gloria Negrete-McLeod (2006) - Senate Noreen Evans (2006) - Assembly A write-in candidate in this contest received 1464 votes. Juan Arambula (2006) - Assembly Richard Alarcon (2006 & 2002) - Senate & Assembly Fabian Nunez (2006) - Assembly Mervyn M. Dymally (2006 & 2004) - Assembly Bill Thomas (2004) - Congress Grace F. Napolitano (2004) - Congress Tom Torlakson (2004) - State Senate Chuck Poochigian (2002 & 1998) - State Senate Both State Senate elections. Roy Ashburn (2002) - State Senate * First Senate election. Richard Alarcon (2002) - State Senate Gil Cedillo (2002) - State Senate * First Senate election. Kevin Murray (2002) - State Senate Loni Hancock (2002) - State Assembly Not an incumbent legislator. Faced two challengers in the Democratic primary.* Jerome E. Horton (2002) - State Assembly Sarah Reyes (2002) - State Assembly Rebecca Cohn (2002) - State Assembly Jack O'Connell (2002) - Superintendent of Public Instruction - Most recent Statewide candidate to run unopposed. A write-in candidate in this contest received 4392 votes. Jackie Goldberg (2000) - Assembly Not an incumbent legislator. Faced two challengers in the Democratic primary. Gloria Romero (2000) - Assembly 1990s Bob Filner (1998) - Congress Tom McClintock (1998) - Assembly Carl Washington (1998) - Assembly Rod Pacheco (1998) - Assembly Carole Migden (1996) - Assembly Michael Sweeney (1996) - Assembly Rod Wright (1996) - Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced six challengers in the Democratic primary. Dick Ackerman (1996) - Assembly Marguerite Archie-Hudson (1994) - Assembly Bill Leonard (1992) - State Senate Bob Campbell (1992) - Assembly Bill Jones (1992) - Assembly Bruce Bronzan (1992) - Assembly Willard H. Murray Jr. (1992) - Assembly Richard Lehman (1990) - Congress Ken Maddy (1990) - State Senate Bob Campbell (1990) - Assembly John Burton (1990) - Assembly Delaine Eastin (1990) - Assembly Jackie Speier (1990) - Assembly Bruce Bronzan (1990) - Assembly Trice Harvey (1990) - Assembly Teresa P. Hughes (1990) - Assembly Lucille Roybal-Allard (1990) - Assembly Earlier Nonincumbent Candidates Unopposed in the General Election (1946-1988) Art Torres (1974) - Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced four challengers in the Democratic primary. James E. Cunningham Sr. (1950) - State Senate * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced two challengers in the cross-filing primary. Edwin J. Regan (1948) State Senate * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced one challengers in the cross-filing primary. Nathan F. Coombs (1948) State Senate * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in the primary. Arthur W. Way (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced two challengers in the cross-filing primary. Francis C. Lindsay (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced six challengers in the cross-filing primary. Verne W. Hoffman (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in Republican primary, but had one opponent in the Democratic Primary. Arthur H. Connolly Jr. (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in Republican primary, but had one opponent in the Democratic Primary. John D. Babbage (1948) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Faced three challengers in the cross-filing primary. Laughlin E. Waters (1946) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in the primary. Harry J. Johnson (AD36) Assembly * Not an incumbent legislator. Unopposed in the primary.
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