Morning Digest: Ethics Committee investigation roils Democrat vs. Democrat general election
Rep. Jimmy Gomez faces a challenger from the left in Los Angeles
Leading Off
CA-34
The House Ethics Committee announced Monday that it was investigating “sexual misconduct” allegations against Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California, including allegations of “inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer.”
The panel’s statement comes as Gomez faces a challenge from Angela Gonzales-Torres, a community activist and fellow Democrat, in the general election for the safely blue 34th District, which encompasses Downtown Los Angeles and nearby neighborhoods.
CNN first broke the news about the Ethics Committee’s probe into Gomez on the day of California’s June 2 top-two primary, though the panel did not say anything publicly over the ensuing two-and-a-half months.
Until this spring, Gomez appeared to be on track for an easy reelection contest against Gonzales-Torres, a challenger backed by the Justice Democrats who still struggled to raise money.
But things began to change in April when the New York Post ran a piece alleging that the married congressman was seen kissing a staffer for another representative at a 2023 party hosted by then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, who would later end his campaign for governor and resign in disgrace. Gomez’s team told the tabloid the encounter “didn’t happen.”
That was the last word on the matter until early June, when CNN reported the Ethics Committee was looking into the New York Post story as well as unidentified “other allegations of sexual misconduct against Gomez.”
The congressman, in a seeming reversal from April, told the network, “Years ago, I made personal mistakes outside my marriage that have caused real pain to my wife and family.” He continued, “Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most.” (Gomez released a similar statement on Monday.)
CNN’s story broke too late to impact many votes in the top-two primary, and Gomez had no trouble securing a spot in the general election. The congressman, though, soon learned he’d face a fellow Democrat in the fall instead of a Republican who would have stood little chance of victory in the 34th District.
Gomez secured 46% of the vote in the six-person contest, while Gonzales-Torres outpaced Republican Calvin Lee 31-14 for the crucial second-place spot.
Gonzales-Torres celebrated her win by laying out her case against the incumbent.
“He has accepted millions from AIPAC,” she tweeted after learning she’d earned a spot in the general election. “He was Eric Swalwell’s campaign chair and is now under investigation too for sexual misconduct. We’re done.”
But Gonzales-Torres, a former leader of the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council, still had trouble bringing in money against the newly embattled incumbent. She finished June with just over $40,000 in the bank, while Gomez had roughly $780,000 to spend.
The allegations against Gomez largely disappeared from the news since the top-two primary. Monday’s confirmation that the Ethics Committee is investigating him, however, brought the return of the national spotlight.
Election Night
The final big primary night of 2026 is here, and The Downballot has a jam-packed preview of the races to watch in Alaska, Florida, and Wyoming, as well as key special elections in California and Pennsylvania.
But while Tuesday is by far the biggest election night from now until the Nov. 3 general election, it’s still not the end of the primary season.
Oklahoma hosts runoffs next week in primaries where no candidate won a majority of the vote on June 16. The main event is the Republican runoff for the state’s open governorship, where former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, Donald Trump’s pick, faces Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
South Carolina Republicans will return to the polls as well next Tuesday for their fourth and final primary night this year. Appointed Sen. Darline Graham, who also has Trump’s endorsement, is aiming to fend off Rep. Ralph Norman in the special primary runoff.
The same day there will be an all-Democratic special election in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District for the remaining months of the late Democratic Rep. David Scott’s term. Neither Activist Marcye Scott, the daughter of David Scott, nor former Gwinnett County Board of Education chair Everton Blair will be on the November ballot for a full term, but Democratic leaders will look forward to having this seat back in the closely divided House.
The action continues on Sept. 1 in Massachusetts, where the big draw is the Democratic primary for Senate between incumbent Ed Markey and Rep. Seth Moulton.
There’s also a busy Democratic nomination contest in Moulton’s open 6th District in the North Shore region north of Boston. Longtime Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch, meanwhile, is trying to fend off a challenge from the left from attorney Patrick Roath in the 8th District, which includes parts of Boston and its southern suburbs.
New Hampshire goes to the polls on Sept. 8, immediately after Labor Day, and the primaries for the open Senate and 1st Congressional District occupy center stage. This will also be the last time the Granite State holds primaries for state and congressional races in September thanks to a new law moving them to the second Tuesday in June starting in 2028.
Rhode Island, in order to avoid holding the election the day after Labor Day, will instead host its primary on Sept. 9 in a rare Wednesday election night in America. Democratic Gov. Dan McKee is the underdog in his rematch against Helena Foulkes, a former CVS executive who came close to beating him in 2022.
Delaware, finally, brings the 2026 primary season to a close on Sept. 15. Neither Sen. Chris Coons nor Rep. Sarah McBride face serious opposition in their respective Democratic primaries, though there’s more action in races further down the ballot.
House
CA-04
Democrat Eric Jones on Monday received an endorsement from Ray Riehle, a Republican who almost cost him a spot in the general election, for Jones’ general election challenge to longtime Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson.
Thompson, who is seeking a 15th term in California’s 4th District, took first place in the June top-two primary with 41%. Jones, a venture capitalist, narrowly edged out Riehle 22-21 for the second spot in the general election to represent part of the state’s wine country and other communities like the college town of Davis.
While Thompson would have had no trouble dispatching Riehle in the 4th District, which Kamala Harris would have carried 56-41, a fellow Democrat like Jones presents a far tougher obstacle.
Jones, who at 35 is four decades younger than the 75-year-old incumbent, has framed his campaign as a rejection of the status quo. Jones’ side has also made the congressman’s age a key part of its pitch: A pro-Jones group aired an ad just before the primary comparing Thompson to a molding and forgotten jar of mayo in the fridge that may have “seemed fresh in the 90s” but is now “past his expiration date.”
Riehle, for his part, is also urging his fellow Republicans to back Jones to send a message to Democratic leaders.
“Now we face a clear choice: sit out the race because both candidates are Democrats, or vote for the Democrat who most shares our values and will stand up to the corrupt Democratic establishment in Sacramento and Washington,” Riehle said in a statement distributed by Jones’ campaign. “I choose to support Eric Jones.”
Thompson, for his part, has portrayed his opponent as the one backed by insiders. A commercial from the primary blasted Jones as “a lapdog for big corporations.”
Poll Pile
AK-Sen: Data for Progress:
Mary Peltola (D): 47, Dan Sullivan (R-inc): 41, Dan J. Sullivan (R): 4, Gerald Heikes (R): 3.
After ranked-choice simulation: Peltola (D): 53, Sullivan (R-inc): 47.
MA-Sen (D): UMass Amherst/YouGov for WCVB-TV:
Ed Markey (inc): 60, Seth Moulton: 32.
Oct.: 51-28 Markey.
MA-Sen: UMass Amherst/YouGov:
Markey (D-inc): 51, John Deaton (R): 30.
Moulton (D): 49, Deaton (R): 25.
AZ-Gov: Stealth Analytics:
Katie Hobbs (D-inc): 43, Andy Biggs (R): 38.
AK-AL: Data for Progress:
Nick Begich (R-inc): 47, Bill Hill (I): 37.
OH-15: Hart Research Associates for Don Leonard:
Mike Carey (R-inc): 41, Leonard (D): 37, Brennan Barrington (L): 10.
AZ-AG: Stealth Analytics:
Kris Mayes (D-inc): 41, Warren Petersen (R): 38.
AZ-SoS: Stealth Analytics:
Adrian Fontes (D-inc): 39, Alex Kolodin (R): 38.
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