On Saturday, Trump agents in Minneapolis murdered ICU nurse Alex Pretti. Only 15 days earlier, they murdered Renee Good. In 2025, at least 32 people died in ICE custody. Our country is in a downward spiral and we must fight on multiple fronts. One of CAPA21’s critical priorities is the 2026 midterm elections: We must win the House and build a firewall against the Trump regime.
We understand that many are feeling contribution fatigue, and the multiple ongoing crises are overwhelming, but the political landscape is shifting. Trump’s polling is spiraling, and even high-profile Republicans are beginning to distance themselves from the current administration. Data from the 2025 special elections shows that Democrats outperformed 2024 results in 50 out of 60 races, with an average swing of 13% toward our party.
CAPA21’s efforts to help win back the House will be commensurate with the funding provided by our donors. We are not making big promises. Our role will be defined by a tighter focus on key races and on supporting AAPI candidates who demonstrate their accountability to our communities.
We will do this in phases. We are first evaluating endorsements in the top competitive Congressional districts in California, such as CA-06 (Sacramento), CA-22 (Bakersfield/Hanford), and CA-40 (Orange County/Inland Empire). We’re also looking at the candidates running to succeed Nancy Pelosi in representing San Francisco in the House. Learn more at the end of this email.
We will provide direct support to candidates and also invest in key grassroots operations, independent expenditure committees, and efforts that utilize proven digital strategies to reach younger voters. If we exceed our initial fundraising goals, we will expand our support to critical races in other parts of the country.
Are you ready to help us build the firewall?
Donate Online: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/capa21fed
Donate by Check: Payable to “CAPA21 Federal” and mail to CAPA21, 5445 Madison Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95841
ACH/Bank Transfer: Email team@capa21.com for account details.
Thank you for your continued support!
Tamlyn Tomita, Chair
Dale Minami, Co-Founder
Sample of Districts in California We’re Looking At
CA-06 (Sacramento)
Status: Open Seat
The Play: Ami Bera has announced he will not seek re-election in the 6th District. Instead, he is running for California’s 3rd Congressional District. Because the seat is now open, a large number of candidates have already filed or expressed interest.
Key Candidates: A number of competitive candidates have entered the race, including former state Senator Dr. Richard Pan (D) and Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho (D).
CA-22 (Bakersfield/Hanford)
Status: Top-Tier Toss-up.
The Play: Longtime survivor Rep. David Valadao (R) faces his toughest map yet. The district is now even more Democratic, but Valadao’s moderate brand remains resilient.
Key Candidates: Dr. Jasmeet Bains (D), a physician and state assemblymember; and Randy Villegas (D), educator and activist.
CA-40 (Orange County/Inland Empire)
Status: Targeted Seat.
The Play: The district is currently represented by Young Kim (R). However, due to redistricting, long-time Rep. Ken Calvert (R) has also announced his candidacy for this seat.
Key Candidates: Esther Kim Varet (D) is among the challengers.
CA-11 (San Francisco)
While CA-11 is a safe Democratic district, we are also looking into this race to decide who succeeds former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Candidates include San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, Calif. state Senator Scott Wiener, and Saikat Chakrabarti. This district serving San Francisco has never been represented in Congress by an Asian American.
CAPA21 