2016 United States Senate election in California

2016 United States Senate election in California
	Harris: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%; Sanchez: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100%
U.S. senator before election; Barbara Boxer; Democratic	Elected U.S. Senator ; Kamala Harris; Democratic

The 2016 United States Senate election in California was held on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of California, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Quick facts Candidate, Party ...

Under California's nonpartisan blanket primary law, all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. In the primary, voters may vote for any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation. In the California system, the top two finishers, regardless of party, advance to the general election in November, even if a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary election. Washington and Louisiana have similar "jungle primary" style processes for senators, though Louisiana will end its jungle system for specific offices including senator in 2026.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer decided to not run for reelection to a fifth term.^[1] This was the first open seat Senate election in California since 1992, when Boxer was first elected.^[2] In the primary on June 7, 2016, California Attorney General Kamala Harris and U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez, both Democrats, finished in first and second place, respectively, and contested the general election. For the first time since direct elections to the Senate were mandated after the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, no Republican appeared on the general election ballot for the U.S. Senate in California. The highest Republican finisher in the primary won only 7.8 percent of the vote, and the 10 Republicans only won 27.9 percent of the vote among them.^[3]

In the general election, Harris defeated Sanchez in a landslide, carrying 54 of the state's 58 counties, including Sanchez's home county of Orange, although Sanchez held Harris to a margin of less than 1% in the Central Valley counties of Kern and Merced.

Harris did not serve her full term in the Senate, as she resigned on January 18, 2021 after being elected Vice President of the United States in 2020. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Alex Padilla, the incumbent Secretary of State of California, to serve the rest of her term.

[1]

[2]

[3]

Candidate (party)	Receipts	Disbursements	Cash on hand	Debt
Kamala Harris (D)	$9,749,024	$4,759,048	$4,989,977	$78,900
Loretta Sánchez (D)	$3,251,186	$921,291	$2,329,895	$209,217
Tom Del Beccaro (R)	$316,560	$238,612	$77,946	$74,465
George 'Duf' Sundheim (R)	$532,638	$475,415	$57,222	$181,640
Phillip Wyman (R)	$48,900	$11,761	$30,737	$40,000
Clive Grey (NPP)	$38,916	$21,554	$17,361	$25,000
Greg Conlon (R)	$21,205	$13,396	$7,809	$9,575
Mike Beitiks (NPP)	$6,305	$4,860	$1,444	$0
Steve Stokes (D)	$4,864	$4,351	$762	$4,742
Emory Rodgers (D)	$7,246	$6,988	$290	$0
Tom Palzer (R)	$2,783	$2,442	$241	$0

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Tom Del Beccaro (R)	Kamala Harris (D)	Loretta Sánchez (D)	Duf Sundheim (R)	Ron Unz (R)	Other	Undecided
Marist College^[166]	May 29–31, 2016	2,485	± 2.3%	8%	37%	19%	5%	5%	3%	24%
The Field Poll^[167]	May 26–31, 2016	1,002	± 3.1%	4%	30%	14%	3%	3%	19%	27%
Public Policy Institute of California^[168]	May 13–22, 2016	996	± 4.3%	8%	27%	19%	3%	6%	—	22%
SurveyUSA^[169]	May 19–22, 2016	1,416	± 2.7%	9%	31%	22%	9%	7%	7%	15%
Public Policy Institute of California^[170]	May 13–22, 2016	996	± 4.3%	8%	27%	19%	3%	6%	6%	31%
Hoover Institution^[171]	May 4–16, 2016	1,196	–	6%	26%	13%	6%	6%	–	43%
SurveyUSA^[172]	April 27–30, 2016	2,400	± 2.6%	10%	29%	18%	7%	8%	6%	22%
SurveyUSA^[173]	March 30 – April 3, 2016	1,269	± 2.8%	8%	26%	22%	5%	–	7%	24%
The Field Poll^[174]	March 24 – April 4, 2016	1,400	± 3.2%	4%	27%	14%	2%	5%	–	48%
Los Angeles Times^[175]	March 16–23, 2016	691	–	10%	33%	15%	8%	–	–	34%
Public Policy Institute of California^[176]	March 6–15, 2016	1,710	± 3.6%	9%	26%	17%	6%	–	11%	31%
The Field Poll^[177]	December 15, 2015 – January 3, 2016	730	± 3.6%	3%	27%	15%	3%	–	1%	44%
The Field Poll^[178]	September 17 – October 4, 2015	694	± 4.3%	6%	30%	17%	3%	–	1%	34%
Los Angeles Times^[179]	August 29 – September 8, 2015	1,500	± 2.8%	10%	26%	17%	–	–	–	35%
The Field Poll^[180]	April 23 – May 16, 2015	801	± 3.5%	5%	19%	8%	1%	–	–	58%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Eric Garcetti (D)	Kamala Harris (D)	Neel Kashkari (R)	Tom McClintock (R)	Linda Sánchez (D)	Jackie Speier (D)	Tom Steyer (D)	Undecided
Public Policy Polling (D)^[193]^[194]	December 29–30, 2014	401	± ?	7%	27%	12%	28%	6%	—	6%	14%
Public Policy Polling (D)^[193]^[194]	December 29–30, 2014	468	± ?	—	22%	12%	29%	8%	8%	4%	17%

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Kamala Harris	3,000,689	37.9%
	Democratic	Loretta Sanchez	1,416,203	17.9%
	Republican	Duf Sundheim	584,251	7.8%
	Republican	Phil Wyman	352,821	4.7%
	Republican	Tom Del Beccaro	323,614	4.3%
	Republican	Greg Conlon	230,944	3.1%
	Democratic	Steve Stokes	168,805	2.2%
	Republican	George C. Yang	112,055	1.5%
	Republican	Karen Roseberry	110,557	1.5%
	Libertarian	Gail K. Lightfoot	99,761	1.3%
	Democratic	Massie Munroe	98,150	1.3%
	Green	Pamela Elizondo	95,677	1.3%
	Republican	Tom Palzer	93,263	1.2%
	Republican	Ron Unz	92,325	1.2%
	Republican	Don Krampe	69,635	0.9%
	No party preference	Eleanor García	65,084	0.9%
	Republican	Jarrell Williamson	64,120	0.9%
	Republican	Von Hougo	63,609	0.8%
	Democratic	President Cristina Grappo	63,330	0.8%
	Republican	Jerry J. Laws	53,023	0.7%
	Libertarian	Mark Matthew Herd	41,344	0.6%
	Peace and Freedom	John Thompson Parker	35,998	0.5%
	No party preference	Ling Ling Shi	35,196	0.5%
	Democratic	Herbert G. Peters	32,638	0.4%
	Democratic	Emory Peretz Rodgers	31,485	0.4%
	No party preference	Mike Beitiks	31,450	0.4%
	No party preference	Clive Grey	29,418	0.4%
	No party preference	Jason Hanania	27,715	0.4%
	No party preference	Paul Merritt	24,031	0.3%
	No party preference	Jason Kraus	19,318	0.3%
	No party preference	Don J. Grundmann	15,317	0.2%
	No party preference	Scott A. Vineberg	11,843	0.2%
	No party preference	Tim Gildersleeve	9,798	0.1%
	No party preference	Gar Myers	8,726	0.1%
	Republican	Billy Falling (write-in)	87	0.0%
	No party preference	Ric M. Llewellyn (write-in)	32	0.0%
	Republican	Alexis Stuart (write-in)	10	0.0%
Total votes			7,512,322	100.0%

Candidate (party)	Receipts	Disbursements	Cash on hand	Debt
Kamala Harris (D)	$9,749,024	$4,759,048	$4,989,977	$78,900
Loretta Sánchez (D)	$3,251,186	$921,291	$2,329,895	$209,217

2016 United States Senate election in California

Background

Candidates

Democratic Party

Advanced to general

Eliminated in primary

Withdrew

Declined

Endorsements

Republican Party

Eliminated in primary

Withdrew

Declined

Endorsements

Green Party

Declared

Libertarian Party

Declared

Peace and Freedom Party

Declared

Independent

Declared

Declined

Primary election

Fundraising

Polling

Results

General election

Fundraising

Debates

Predictions

Polling

Results

By congressional district

Analysis

See also

References

External links

Wikiwand - on

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report^[197]	Safe D (Harris)	September 9, 2016
Sabato's Crystal Ball^[198]	Safe D (Harris)	September 19, 2016
Rothenberg Political Report^[199]	Safe D (Harris)	September 2, 2016
Daily Kos^[200]	Safe D (Harris)	September 16, 2016
Real Clear Politics^[201]	Safe D (Harris)	September 15, 2016

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Kamala Harris (D)	Loretta Sánchez (D)	Would not vote	Undecided
SurveyMonkey^[202]	November 1–7, 2016	2,712	± 4.6%	52%	31%	—	17%
Insights West^[203]	November 4–6, 2016	401	± 4.9%	50%	28%	—	22%
SurveyMonkey^[204]	Oct 31 – Nov 6, 2016	2,655	± 4.6%	51%	32%	—	17%
SurveyMonkey^[205]	Oct 28 – Nov 3, 2016	2,528	± 4.6%	51%	31%	—	18%
SurveyMonkey^[206]	Oct 27 – Nov 2, 2016	2,316	± 4.6%	51%	31%	—	18%
SurveyMonkey^[207]	Oct 26 – Nov 1, 2016	2,284	± 4.6%	51%	30%	—	19%
SurveyUSA^[208]	October 28–31, 2016	747	± 3.7%	47%	27%	—	26%
SurveyMonkey^[209]	October 25–31, 2016	2,505	± 4.6%	50%	30%	—	20%
The Field Poll^[210]	October 25–31, 2016	1,498	± 3.2%	47%	23%	13%	17%
USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times^[211]	October 22–30, 2016	697	± 3.7%	48%	31%	9%	12%
PPIC Statewide Survey^[212]	October 14–23, 2016	1,024	± 4.3%	42%	20%	18%	20%
SurveyUSA^[213]	October 13–15, 2016	725	± 3.7%	45%	24%	—	31%
Hoover Institution – Golden State Poll^[214]	October 4–14, 2016	1,228	± 3.3%	41%	22%	—	37%
Sacramento State/CA Counts^[215]	October 7–13, 2016	622	± 7.0%	49%	24%	7%	20%
SurveyUSA^[216]	September 27–28, 2016	751	± 3.6%	40%	29%	—	31%
PPIC Statewide Survey^[217]	September 9–18, 2016	1,702	± 3.5%	32%	25%	24%	19%
Insights West^[218]	September 12–14, 2016	515	± 4.3%	42%	28%	3%	28%
The Field Poll^[219]	September 7–13, 2016	1,426	± 3.2%	42%	20%	12%	26%
SurveyUSA^[220]	September 8–11, 2016	712	± 3.7%	44%	27%	—	29%
SurveyMonkey USC/Los Angeles Times^[221]	September 1–8, 2016	4,212	± 2.0%	30%	16%	16%	38%
Sacramento State/CA Counts^[222]	August 15–24, 2016	915	± 4.0%	51%	19%	6%	25%
SmithJohnson Research^[223]	August 17–19, 2016	500	± 4.4%	41%	15%	8%	36%
PPIC Statewide Survey^[224]	July 10–19, 2016	1,056	± 3.5%	38%	20%	28%	14%
The Field Poll^[225]	June 8 – July 2, 2016	956	± 3.2%	39%	24%	15%	22%
SurveyMonkey USC/Los Angeles Times^[226]	June 9–10, 2016	1,553	± 3.5%	47%	22%	26%	5%
The Field Poll^[227]	May 26–31, 2016	1,002	± 3.1%	40%	26%	14%	20%
PPIC Statewide Survey^[228]	May 13–22, 2016	996	± 4.3%	34%	26%	24%	15%
Gravis Marketing^[229]	April 7–10, 2016	2,088	± 2.1%	29%	19%	—	52%

District	Harris	Sanchez	Representative
1st	60%	40%	Doug LaMalfa
2nd	74%	26%	Jared Huffman
3rd	62%	38%	John Garamendi
4th	63%	37%	Tom McClintock
5th	70%	30%	Mike Thompson
6th	67%	33%	Doris Matsui
7th	65%	35%	Ami Bera
8th	55%	45%	Paul Cook
9th	59%	41%	Jerry McNerney
10th	57%	43%	Jeff Denham
11th	71%	29%	Mark DeSaulnier
12th	79%	21%	Nancy Pelosi
13th	81%	19%	Barbara Lee
14th	71%	29%	Jackie Speier
15th	70%	30%	Eric Swalwell
16th	49%	51%	Jim Costa
17th	68%	32%	Mike Honda
17th	68%	32%	Ro Khanna
18th	74%	26%	Anna Eshoo
19th	59%	41%	Zoe Lofgren
20th	66%	34%	Sam Farr
20th	66%	34%	Jimmy Panetta
21st	43%	57%	David Valadao
22nd	53%	47%	Devin Nunes
23rd	54%	46%	Kevin McCarthy
24th	62%	38%	Lois Capps
24th	62%	38%	Salud Carbajal
25th	60%	40%	Steve Knight
26th	61%	39%	Julia Brownley
27th	62%	38%	Judy Chu
28th	66%	34%	Adam Schiff
29th	53%	47%	Tony Cárdenas
30th	66%	34%	Brad Sherman
31st	57%	43%	Pete Aguilar
32nd	51%	49%	Grace Napolitano
33rd	29%	71%	Ted Lieu
34th	55%	45%	Xavier Becerra
35th	50.2%	49.8%	Norma Torres
36th	56%	44%	Raul Ruiz
37th	74%	26%	Karen Bass