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U.S. House of Representatives, District 4

Why does this race matter?

This race is a test case for generational fights within the Democratic Party. Incumbent Mike Thompson, 75, has served in the House since 1999, and first-time candidate Eric Jones, 35, has considerable venture capital and tech backing. The race mirrors a pattern of younger Democrats challenging establishment incumbents.

What does a U.S. representative do? 

Representatives are your local community’s voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. Members of Congress write and vote on bills, including the federal budget. The winner of this race will serve a two-year term.

Candidates

Eric Jones
Eric JonesFormer venture capitalist and CEO, American Dream InstituteDemocrat
Mike Thompson
Mike ThompsonU.S. representativeDemocrat
 

Positions on Key Issues

Candidate summaries are based on interviews with the candidates, questionnaires, statements made at debates and public events, and past news coverage.

Wildfire risk is making it harder to insure and therefore buy or sell homes in parts of this district. How would you address the growing collision between climate risk and housing affordability?

Jones says insurance carriers are leaving the state and residents are overrelying on the FAIR Plan, California’s home insurer of last resort. He vows to hold PG&E accountable by pushing to break up the utility’s monopoly. “We need a way to hold our public utilities accountable for the fire risk they create. And today, PG&E cannot be held accountable because they’re a state-regulated monopoly and there is no competition.”
Thompson cosponsored legislation to provide federal grants of up to $10,000 for property owners in disaster-prone regions to harden their homes against wildfires or other disasters. The bill would provide a 30% tax credit for qualified disaster risk mitigation. “It requires the insurance companies to take into consideration this resiliency work,” he says. Thompson expects these steps will encourage insurance companies to return to California.

What is your approach to lowering healthcare costs and expanding access for your constituents? How would you do that, given recent federal budget cuts that include significant changes to Medicaid funding and the Affordable Care Act?

Jones says he supports Medicare for All. “I believe that healthcare is a human right and that everyone should have access to it.” He wants to expand Medicare to cover in-home nursing, dental, vision and hearing care. “If we invest in those categories starting at age 65 when someone first gets on to Medicare … we will actually save costs downstream.”
Thompson touts being a cosponsor of the Affordable Care Act and wrote California’s first telemedicine law. “I took that to Washington, and my first success was during COVID when we allowed telemedicine to be used for Medicare patients so they could get their healthcare remotely,” he says. Thompson cosponsors Medicare for All legislation and calls for reversing Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump’s HR 1, the so-called “one big, beautiful bill.”

Much of this district’s agriculture sector relies on international markets. What would you push for in Congress to reduce trade barriers and expand overseas trade?

Jones wants U.S. farm subsidies on par with what the EU spends on its farmers. Ahead of any major trade action, he’d require public assessments of how retaliatory tariffs could impact crops and regions. He would also expand export promotion for specialty crops, offer incentives for regenerative farming and fight to enforce existing foreign agreements that are not being honored.
Thompson says Congress needs to take back the power to impose tariffs from the president. He was a negotiator for the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and wants to increase funding for the Market Access Program, which helps build export markets for U.S. farm and food products. “We need to make sure that those trade partnerships are strong, that ag is protected and ag is not taken advantage of,” he says.

How would you respond to increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the region, and would you take any legislative action on it?

Jones wants all ICE officers to wear body cameras and be subject to the same training and legal standards as police officers. He would prohibit them from wearing masks. He would move ICE out of the Department of Homeland Security to eliminate funding the agency received last year. ICE’s goal “is to charge and bring justice to violent criminals and felons,” he says. “If that’s the case, it should be in the Justice Department.”
Thompson voted against the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2002. He says he participated in rallies calling for the impeachment of former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, held “Know Your Rights” seminars and voted against additional funding for DHS. “I will continue to hold ICE’s feet to the fire,” he says. “I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that they’re not a rogue agency.”

Key Supporters

This list represents notable organizations and individuals who have taken a position on the ballot measure or candidate, or who are funding campaigns in support or opposition. This list is not exhaustive, and may be updated.

For Jones

  • Saikat Chakrabarti, former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
  • Ray Riehle, business owner
  • Michael Vernal, venture capitalist
  • Luis von Ahn, CEO and co-founder, Duolingo
  • Our Revolution

For Thompson

  • Gavin Newsom, California governor
  • Alex Padilla, U.S. senator
  • Nancy Pelosi, U.S. representative
  • Adam Schiff, U.S. senator
  • California Democratic Party
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