Gray, Lincoln Set for Rematch in District 13
Democrat Adam Gray and Republican Kevin Lincoln will face off in California's redrawn 13th Congressional District on November 3, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
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Democratic Rep. Adam Gray and Republican Kevin Lincoln advanced from a four-candidate June primary to contest California's 13th Congressional District in the November 3, 2026 general election. The race is held under boundaries redrawn by Proposition 50, which centers the district on Merced County.
Why it matters
The seat has changed hands narrowly in recent cycles, with Gray winning the 2024 race by 187 votes after Duarte's 2022 win by 564 votes. The redrawn boundaries reach north into Stockton and across several Central Valley counties, reshaping the electorate both candidates must win.
Gray took 42% and Lincoln 28% in the June primary, placing both ahead of the other two candidates. Prior head-to-head margins were 187 votes in 2024 and 564 votes in 2022, and how the redrawn district will vote remains untested.
The players
Adam Gray
Adam Gray is a Democratic U.S. representative and former state Assembly member who is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition of centrist House Democrats.
Kevin Lincoln
Kevin Lincoln is a Marine Corps veteran and former Stockton mayor who was endorsed by President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson in this race.
Proposition 50
Proposition 50 is the California measure that redrew the 13th Congressional District to center on Merced County.
The details
Gray, a Democrat who represented Merced and Stanislaus counties in the state Assembly from 2012 to 2022, is a member of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition. Lincoln, a Marine Corps veteran, was elected Stockton mayor in 2020 and lost a 2024 congressional bid in the 9th District to Rep. Josh Harder; he has been endorsed by President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Timeline
2012 to 2022: Gray represents Merced and Stanislaus counties in the state Assembly.
2020: Lincoln is elected Stockton mayor, defeating incumbent Michael Tubbs.
2022: Republican John Duarte defeats Gray by 564 votes in their rematch.
2024: Gray unseats Duarte by 187 votes; Lincoln loses the 9th District race to Harder.
November 3, 2026: Gray and Lincoln face off in the general election.
Political Context
The race is the first general election held under the district boundaries set by Proposition 50, which moved the 13th District's center to Merced County. Both candidates must now build support across a reshaped territory that reaches into Stockton and several Central Valley counties.
Voters in the redrawn 13th District, including those in Stockton and Merced County, will choose their representative on November 3, 2026, under new boundaries. Residents whose precinct moved into or out of the district should confirm their polling place before election day.
The takeaway
Redistricting can change a race's dynamics as much as the candidates themselves, and the 13th District's new lines make the November result a test of how the region votes under them. Voters should compare the boundaries against their own address before the election.
What happens next
Gray and Lincoln face off in the general election on November 3, 2026.
Further reading
For more on how district lines shape statewide contests, see California Elections.
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