Who's In the Race

Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA) faces fellow Democrat Jamie Joyce in the Nov. 3 general election in California's 12th District. The district's boundaries changed for 2026 under the map authorized by Proposition 50, approved by California voters in 2025. ​

Simon has served in the U.S. House since 2025 and previously sat on the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board from 2016 to 2024, bringing more than three decades of organizing, advocacy, and philanthropy experience. She took about 84 percent of the vote in the June 2 top-two primary over Joyce, who drew about 16 percent.

Joyce is a nonprofit executive director whose campaign describes her as a multidisciplinary expert, executive, researcher, and activist.

What They Stand For

Simon has supported closing loopholes in federal gun laws, stopping illegal firearms from reaching communities, and funding community safety resources, according to her campaign website. She has also supported:

  • Affordable housing and addressing homelessness,
  • Healthcare for all,
  • Reproductive freedom and protecting women's ability to make reproductive decisions; and
  • Affordability and job creation.

Joyce has proposed a plan addressing artificial intelligence, surveillance, and immigration enforcement, according to her campaign website. Her campaign says the proposed measure, called the MAD Act, is not "anti-AI," "anti-security," or "anti-business."

The Money Behind the Race

Simon raised about $1.4 million through June 30, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, and had about $778,000 in the bank. Joyce raised about $31,000 through June 30 and had about $8,800 on hand, FEC filings show.

Outside groups spent about $112,000 in the race as of Oct. 13, all of it supporting Simon. The largest outside spender was Protect Progress, which put in about $112,000 in support of Simon; Sierra Club Independent Action added $10.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

The Cook Political Report rated the race Solid Democratic as of Oct. 9; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 2.

On Kalshi, traders gave Democrats a 99.7 percent chance of winning California's 12th District as of Sept. 5.

Democrats have dominated the district in recent cycles: Barbara Lee won it with about 90 percent of the vote in 2022, and Simon won with about 65 percent in 2024. Statewide, Democrats won 40 of California's 52 U.S. House seats in 2022 and 43 in 2024. In the 2024 presidential race, Kamala Harris carried California with about 58 percent of the vote.

Voters in the district can register to vote by Monday, Oct. 19, online or by mail; same-day and conditional registration is available through Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting runs Saturday, Oct. 24 through Monday, Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Alameda County's vote centers. Polls on Election Day are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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