California Rep. Doris Matsui beats Mai Vang, heads back to Congress for another term

Mathew Miranda, The Sacramento Bee on Nov 10, 2026

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rep. Doris Matsui, a Sacramento Democrat, has defeated challenger Mai Vang and is headed back to Congress for another term.

The Associated Press called the race for Matsui on Tuesday afternoon with her leading Vang about 53.3% to 46.7%. About 88% of the estimated vote has been counted in California’s 7th Congressional District, which includes Sacramento's downtown core, Elk Grove, Lodi and parts of Placerville.

Matsui’s victory had been expected for days, but AP’s call officially concludes one of the most contentious and expensive races in Sacramento political history. Similar to other contests across the country, the race was a generational fight between two Democrats representing different factions of the party.

Matsui, who has served in Congress since 2005, was emblematic of the Democratic establishment. She won a tough battle for the state Democratic Party’s endorsement earlier this year and was backed by influential figures like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Matsui’s campaign messaging focused on her experience in Congress and ability to work across the aisle.

Vang, the most liberal member of the Sacramento City Council, built her campaign around the need for generational change and progressive policies to help working class families. A key message of Vang’s campaign was a commitment to not accept corporate donations, which she repeatedly used to contrast with Matsui’s history of donors.

Matsui, 82, had signaled she was concerned about Vang. She loaned her campaign nearly $7 million, a move she had never taken before in previous reelection campaigns. The money helped her flood the region’s airwaves and mailboxes with advertisements. Matsui, whose net worth is estimated to range around $72 million, is married to billionaire philanthropist Roger Sant.

Vang, 41, relied more on grassroots approach by hosting online and in-person events to target younger progressive Democrats. Hundreds of Vang’s supporters converged in March for a fundraising concert by the band Cake, which formed in Sacramento. About 100 people door knocked for Vang in a canvassing event last month that featured divisive political commentator Hasan Piker.

The 7th District consists of three counties: Sacramento, El Dorado and San Joaquin. Vang is leading by 1.6% in Democratic-leaning Sacramento County, which makes up the largest part of the district. Matsui has a commanding lead of roughly 25% in the other two counties, have nearly all their votes counted.

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