Mai Vang closes gap on Rep. Doris Matsui in California's 7th District race

Mathew Miranda, The Sacramento Bee on Nov 6, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento County’s election update on Friday afternoon narrowed the gap between Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, and challenger Mai Vang, but the incumbent is still on track to retain the seat.

The latest results have Matsui leading Vang by about 55.6% to 44.4% for California’s 7th Congressional District. Roughly 66% of the estimated votes have been counted, according to The Associated Press.

Despite the closer margin, Matsui will likely remain in Congress. Nonpartisan political experts previously told The Sacramento Bee that Matsui’s lead from the first few days after the election would likely be too large to overcome.

A Vang victory is dependent on her winning the majority of voters in Sacramento County, which makes up the largest percentage of voters in the 7th District. Before Friday’s update, Vang was behind by 7%. She is now trailing by 3% in the county with about 61% of the votes accounted for.

Matsui is a lock to win the other two counties in the district — El Dorado and San Joaquin. She leads both by at least 27%, as of Friday afternoon. These two counties were expected to benefit Matsui, a longtime moderate Democrat, given the larger number of Republican voters.

The contest remains one of the few House races in the state not yet called. Sacramento County is expected to provide its next update on Tuesday.

A Matsui victory would be the culmination of one of the most bitter and expensive races in Sacramento political history. The contest featured constant campaign attacks by both sides and their allies. Matsui, who has represented the region in Congress since 2005, also spent nearly $7 million of her personal wealth on the campaign.

The 7th District stretches from Lodi in the south and Placerville in the north, while including Sacramento’s downtown core and Elk Grove.

_____