Republican Kevin Lincoln to face Rep. Adam Gray after Prop. 50 redraw
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kevin Lincoln shifts his House bid to the redrawn 13th District, which includes Stockton.
- Prop. 50 redrew maps, shifted the 9th to likely Democratic and the 13th to leans Dem.
- Lincoln lost to Harder by four points in 2024 and will challenge Democrat Adam Gray.
Kevin Lincoln, the Republican former mayor of Stockton, is switching to run in a new Central Valley congressional district after California voters this week voted to redraw the state’s map.
Instead of again challenging Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, in the 9th District, Lincoln will run against Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, in the 13th District, which now includes an arm into Stockton.
Both districts got bluer after Proposition 50’s passage this week, but the 13th District is more competitive and now includes part of Lincoln’s home city.
Sabato’s Crystal Ball this week changed its rating for the 9th District from “leans Democratic” to “likely Democratic.” The 13th shifted from “tossup” to “leans Democratic.”
Lincoln, whose lone term as Stockton’s mayor ended earlier this year, ran against Harder in 2024 and lost by a four-point margin.
“While families across the Valley are working harder than ever to make ends meet, Washington politicians like Adam Gray have fallen in line with a failed liberal agenda that’s made life less affordable and less safe,” Lincoln said in a statement announcing the switch. A spokesperson for House Democrats’ campaign committee said, “Kevin Lincoln can run for Congress wherever he wants, but he can’t run from his record of skyrocketing housing and utility costs, rampant crime and taxpayer-funded perks for himself.“ “Adam Gray wins tough races because he knows every inch of the Valley, shows up and delivers,” DCCC spokesperson Anna Elsasser said.
Prop. 50’s passage has scrambled congressional races across California, particularly for the districts redrawn to edge out five GOP incumbents.
The Prop. 50 shuffle
Rep. Kevin Kiley, one of the Republican targets of the Gov. Gavin Newsom-backed gerrymander, is still deciding where he will run in next year’s midterm.
Rep. Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove, announced he will run in the 3rd District, currently represented by Kiley. Former state Sen. Richard Pan is switching to run in the 6th District after originally announcing for the 3rd.
In Southern California, longtime Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, announced a bid for the region’s only safe Republican seat, currently held by Rep. Young Kim, R-Anaheim, setting up an expensive primary between the two.
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 2:44 PM.