Former Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln is running for Congress once again.
Lincoln launched his campaign for the 9th Congressional District on Tuesday, announcing his intention to rematch Rep. Josh Harder (D–Tracy).
Flashback: Harder defeated Lincoln by around 9,000 votes last November, securing a victory by 3.6 points.
- It was the closest margin of victory Harder has had in his time in Congress. He was first elected in 2018, beating former Rep. Jeff Denham by 4.6 points. Harder then won his next two reelection campaigns by around 10 points each before seeing his advantage shrink last year.
- Lincoln served as the Mayor of Stockton from 2021 to 2024, ousting Michael Tubbs to secure his first public office.
Zoom in: Congressional District 9 was one of only 13 House seats across the country to vote for President Donald Trump while electing a Democrat to Congress.
- Voters in the 9th district supported Trump by 1.78 points over former Vice President Kamala Harris, according to data provided by the California Target Book.
- Republicans have also been making gains in voter registration in the district over the past three years, whittling down the advantage Democrats hold from 15.08% in 2022 to 10.10%.
What they’re saying: “As a Marine, I learned the value of service and sacrifice. As a Mayor, I took on the status quo and fought to make our city safer, more affordable, and more prosperous,” Lincoln said. “Now, I’m stepping forward once again because our families deserve a strong voice in Washington, DC that understands their struggles and will deliver real results for the Valley.”
The other side: Representatives for Harder slammed Lincoln amid his announcement.
- “Kevin Lincoln is a failed mayor and serial candidate who allowed crime and homelessness to soar in Stockton all while spending millions on perks for himself and aligning with Washington extremists to rip health care away from Valley families,” said Harder campaign spokesman Kevin Winslow. “Handpicked by political elites, Lincoln would be a guaranteed vote for higher housing and grocery prices, hospital closures, and Social Security cuts all to serve billionaires like Elon Musk. Voters rejected him in 2024, and they’ll reject him again because our Valley families deserve better.”
