Meet the Republican Sacramento State student thrust into Vang-Matsui battle
For about 24 hours last month, political newcomer and Republican Zachariah Wooden appeared poised to make history.
Wooden, 25, briefly held the second place in the primary election for the Sacramento region’s 7th Congressional District — ahead of Sacramento Councilmember Mai Vang and trailing only Rep. Doris Matsui. The early returns were surprising for a candidate who had entered the race with little name recognition but, by Election Day, had become an unlikely figure in the increasingly bitter contest between the two Democrats.
A Sacramento State student and member of the Woodbridge Municipal Advisory Council, Wooden launched his campaign in March with little name recognition.
Two months later, however, Matsui’s campaign thrust him into the spotlight by featuring him on its website while arguing voters should reject “MAGA Republicans” like Wooden. Vang seized on the move, accusing Matsui of trying to elevate a Republican instead of taking on her Democratic challenger.
Now, reflecting on the campaign, Wooden said both candidates used him for “political effect.”
“That had more to do with Matsui and Vang’s inter-conflict than anything having to do with me,” Wooden told The Sacramento Bee.
Vang and Matsui ultimately advanced to the November election. Wooden finished third, with about 21.9% of the votes, though he believes the results showed there is a “strong demand for alternatives.”
Without that choice this year, Wooden said many Republicans, including himself, will not vote in the general election.
“I don’t have anybody that I’m planning on voting for,” he said.
‘Running as a Republican doesn’t have to be a negative’
Wooden grew up in a military family that frequently moved around the country before settling in Woodbridge, a small community northwest of Lodi, in 2020.
His passion for politics began at a young age and stemmed from his father who served in the Army and imparted values about duty and service. He recalled overhearing his father listen to conservative talk radio hosts like Glenn Back and Larry Elder.
Now a Sacramento State political science student, Wooden said he hopes to eventually work in housing policy.
Wooden decided to run for Congress after Proposition 50 redrew California’s congressional districts, moving Woodbridge and much of San Joaquin County from the 9th Congressional District into the 7th.
Under the new lines, the 7th district encompasses parts of El Dorado Hills and Placerville, Lodi, Galt, Elk Grove, south Sacramento and the city’s downtown core
“If you want to see the future be a better one, then you have to act in that respect, regardless of what stigma exists about being a certain age,” he said.
He said his campaign focused on issues he believes appeal across party lines, including streamlining housing and infrastructure projects, combating human trafficking and drug smuggling, and reducing government fraud.
“Running as a Republican doesn’t have to be a negative thing in California,” Wooden said.
‘For political effect’
Wooden said he first learned he had been featured on Matsui’s campaign website after seeing posts about it on X, formerly Twitter.
The page, which has since been removed, described Wooden as a Republican candidate with a “record of serving the community” who supported advancing President Donald Trump’s policies. It also highlighted his endorsements from local Republican groups and his support for partnerships between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Republican and Republican-leaning (no party preference) likely primary voters need to see, read and see on the go that Zachariah Wooden is the strongest Republican in the June 2 primary,” the website stated.
In response to questions from The Sacramento Bee at the time, a Matsui campaign spokesperson said the website information was to contrast Matsui with the “threat” posed by MAGA Republicans like Wooden.
Vang quickly criticized the move, accusing Matsui of “openly working to boost a MAGA Republican” instead of taking on her Democratic challenger. Weeks later, Vang also alleged Matsui had directed a super PAC to spend $119,000 on digital ads boosting Wooden.
The Matsui campaign fired back, pointing to out-of-state political action committee spending on Vang’s behalf. In a second statement last month, the campaign again associated Wooden with Trump.
“(Matsui) is focused on what matters: Winning back the House majority and holding Trump and his allies accountable,” said Matsui campaign strategist Roger Salazar.
Though he is a lifelong Republican and voted for Trump in 2024, Wooden said Matsui’s characterization was misleading, particularly that he was a “threat.” He also said he did not receive any direct campaign fundraising from Matsui or her allies.
The latest filings from the Federal Commission Website show Wooden reported raising no money this year. A progressive independent expenditure called The Rising Tide Collective spent $200,000 to fight Wooden’s congressional bid.
“I have yet to find someone who has come across me and immediately is like ‘yeah that’s a MAGA Republican’.... It was certainly exaggerated, obviously, for political effect,” Wooden said.
Marissa Forte, president of the Young Republicans of Greater Sacramento, in a statement on Tuesday thanked Matsui for what she called free “advertisements” for Wooden during the primary election campaign.
“Those ads will build on our further outreach to the Republicans in the district to get them to vote in later elections and turn the district red,” she said.
With no option for Republicans ‘people just don’t vote’
Wooden remained close to Vang in the results until the Friday of primary election week when she surged past him.
Her lead only grew in the following weeks, and she is now ahead of all the candidates with about 31.2% of the vote, as of the latest California Secretary of State numbers. Matsui has secured 29.1% of the votes.
Wooden, who remained uncommitted to running again in 2028, said neither candidate will get his vote in November. He predicts many Republican voters, who are dissatisfied with the two options, will do the same. More than 75,000 people voted for Wooden or other Republican candidate, Ralph Nwobi.
“The dynamic is going to be interesting,” Wooden said. “It’s possible that many people just don’t vote in this race.”
