Jay Obernolte

Jay Obernolte

Republican Party

Candidate, U.S. House California District 23

U.S. House California District 23

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

1

Predecessor

Kevin McCarthy

Prior offices

California State Assembly District 33

Successor: Thurston Smith

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U.S. House California District 8

Successor: John Garamendi

Predecessor: Paul Cook

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Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Next election

March 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

California Institute of Technology, 1992

Graduate

University of California, Los Angeles, 1997

Other

California Baptist University, 2020

Personal

Birthplace

Chicago, Ill.

Profession

Business owner

Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Official YouTube

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Jay Obernolte (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California's 23rd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.

Obernolte (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California's 23rd Congressional District. He is on the ballot in the primary on March 5, 2024.

Biography

Jay Obernolte was born in Chicago, Illinois, and lives in Big Bear Lake, California. Obernolte graduated from Edison High School in 1988. He earned a bachelor's degree in engineering and applied science from the California Institute of Technology in 1992, a master's degree in artificial intelligence from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1997, and a doctorate in public administration from California Baptist University in 2020.

Obernolte's career experience includes owning a video game development studio and working as a video game developer. He served on the Big Bear, California, airport board of directors.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2023-2024

Obernolte was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
• Communications & Technology
• Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Minerals
• Health
• Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
• Investigations and Oversight, Chairman

2021-2022

Obernolte was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Natural Resources
• Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States
• National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands
• House Committee on Budget
• Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
• Investigations and Oversight, Ranking Member

2019-2020

Obernolte was assigned to the following committees:

• Legislative Budget Committee
• Business and Professions Committee
• Appropriations Committee
• Budget Committee, Vice Chair
• Communications and Conveyance Committee, Vice Chair
• Judiciary Committee
• Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Obernolte served on the following committees:

California committee assignments, 2015
• Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media, Vice chair
• Budget
• Utilities and Commerce

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023

The 117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and the U.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Nay	Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act   The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) was a federal infrastructure bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 15, 2021. Among other provisions, the bill provided funding for new infrastructure projects and reauthorizations, Amtrak maintenance and development, bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, clean drinking water, high-speed internet, and clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (228-206)
Nay	American Rescue Plan Act of 2021   The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key features of the bill included funding for a national vaccination program and response, funding to safely reopen schools, distribution of $1,400 per person in relief payments, and extended unemployment benefits. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Nay	Inflation Reduction Act of 2022   The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 16, 2022, to address climate change, healthcare costs, and tax enforcement. Key features of the bill included a $369 billion investment to address energy security and climate change, an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, a 15% corporate minimum tax, a 1% stock buyback fee, and enhanced Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement, and an estimated $300 billion deficit reduction from 2022-2031. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-207)
Nay	Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act   The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (H.R. 3617) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana, establish studies of legal marijuana sales, tax marijuana imports and production, and establish a process to expunge and review federal marijuana offenses. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (220-204)
Nay	For the People Act of 2021   The For the People Act of 2021 (H.R. 1) was a federal election law and government ethics bill approved by the House of Representatives. The Congressional Research Service said the bill would "expand voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It [would also limit] removing voters from voter rolls. ... Further, the bill [would address] campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices." The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Nay	Assault Weapons Ban of 2022   The Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that sought to criminalize the knowing import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCAFD). The bill made exemptions for grandfathered SAWs and LCAFDs. It required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (217-213)
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. 1605) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 27, 2021, authorizing Department of Defense acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (363-70)
Yea	James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023   The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2023. The bill required a 2/3 majority in the House to suspend rules and pass the bill as amended.	Passed (350-80)
Nay	American Dream and Promise Act of 2021   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6) was an immigration bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed a path to permanent residence status for unauthorized immigrants eligible for Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure, among other immigration-related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (228-197)
Yea	Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022   The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (S. 3373) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 10, 2022, that sought to address healthcare access, the presumption of service-connection, and research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (342-88)
Nay	Chips and Science Act   The Chips and Science Act (H.R. 4346) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 9, 2022, which sought to fund domestic production of semiconductors and authorized various federal science agency programs and activities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (243-187)
Nay	Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021   The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill proposed prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services and prohibiting governments from issuing some other abortion-related restrictions. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (218-211)
Yea	SAFE Banking Act of 2021   The SAFE Banking Act of 2021 (H.R. 1996) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting federal regulators from penalizing banks for providing services to legitimate cannabis-related businesses and defining proceeds from such transactions as not being proceeds from unlawful activity, among other related proposals. Since the House moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill in an expedited process, it required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (321-101)
Nay	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 15, 2022, providing for the funding of federal agencies for the remainder of 2022, providing funding for activities related to Ukraine, and modifying or establishing various programs. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (260-171)
Nay	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system, among other related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (224-206)
Yea	Respect for Marriage Act   The Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 13, 2022. The bill codified the recognition of marriages between individuals of the same sex and of different races, ethnicities, or national origins, and provided that the law would not impact religious liberty or conscience protections, or provide grounds to compel nonprofit religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (258-169)
Nay	Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023   The Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2022. It provided for some fiscal year 2023 appropriations, supplemental funds for Ukraine, and extended several other programs and authorities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (230-201)
Nay	Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act   The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act (H.R. 7688) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit individuals from selling consumer fuels at excessive prices during a proclaimed energy emergency. It would have also required the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether the price of gasoline was being manipulated. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (217-207)
Nay	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit the transfer of firearms between private parties unless a licensed firearm vendor conducted a background check on the recipient. The bill also provided for certain exceptions to this requirement. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (227-203)
Nay	Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act   The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act was a federal elections bill approved by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to, among other provisions, make Election Day a public holiday, allow for same-day voter registration, establish minimum early voting periods, and allow absentee voting for any reason, restrict the removal of local election administrators in federal elections, regulate congressional redistricting, expand campaign finance disclosure rules for some organizations, and amend the Voting Rights Act to require some states to obtain clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing new election laws. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-203)
Nay	Bipartisan Safer Communities Act   The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938) was a firearm regulation and mental health bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 25, 2022. Provisions of the bill included expanding background checks for individuals under the age of 21, providing funding for mental health services, preventing individuals who had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years, providing funding for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, and providing funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (234-193)
Nay	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth an article of impeachment saying that Donald Trump (R) incited an insurrection against the government of the United States on January 6, 2021. The House of Representatives approved the article of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of the charges. The article of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (232-197)
Nay	Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022   The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act was a bill passed by the 117th Congress in the form of an amendment to a year-end omnibus funding bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022. The bill changed the procedure for counting electoral votes outlined in the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Elements of the bill included specifying that the vice president's role at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes is ministerial, raising the objection threshold at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes to one-fifth of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying governors as the single official responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying that state’s electors, and providing for expedited judicial review of certain claims about states' certificates identifying their electors. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (225-201)

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2024

See also: California's 23rd Congressional District election, 2024

General election

The primary will occur on March 5, 2024. The general election will occur on November 5, 2024. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 23

Incumbent Jay Obernolte and Derek Marshall are running in the primary for U.S. House California District 23 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Jay Obernolte (R)
		Derek Marshall (D)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Matthew Favro (D)
• Miguel Arceo (D)

Endorsements

Obernolte received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

• Republican Party of California

2022

See also: California's 23rd Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 23

Incumbent Jay Obernolte defeated Derek Marshall in the general election for U.S. House California District 23 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jay Obernolte (R)	61.0	103,197
		Derek Marshall (D)	39.0	65,908

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 169,105
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 23

Incumbent Jay Obernolte and Derek Marshall defeated Blanca Azucena Gomez in the primary for U.S. House California District 23 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jay Obernolte (R)	60.9	57,988
✔		Derek Marshall (D)	21.8	20,776
		Blanca Azucena Gomez (D)	17.3	16,516

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 95,280
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Louis Gill (D)
• Bruno Amato (D)

2020

See also: California's 8th Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 8

Jay Obernolte defeated Chris Bubser in the general election for U.S. House California District 8 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jay Obernolte (R)	56.1	158,711
		Chris Bubser (D)	43.9	124,400

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 283,111
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 8

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 8 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jay Obernolte (R)	34.9	50,677
✔		Chris Bubser (D)	28.7	41,595
		Tim Donnelly (R)	20.7	30,079
		Bob Conaway (D)	6.2	9,053
		Jeff Esmus (Independent)	2.8	4,042
		James Ellars (D)	2.7	3,948
		Jeremy Staat (R)	1.6	2,288
		Jerry Laws (R)	1.4	2,010
		Justin David Whitehead (R)	0.9	1,305
		Jacquetta Green (Unaffiliated) (Write-in)	0.0	11

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 145,008
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Paul Cook (R)
• Peter Mathisen (Nonpartisan)
• Nathan Charette (R)
• Destiny Lovato (R)

2018

See also: California State Assembly elections, 2018

General election

General election for California State Assembly District 33

Incumbent Jay Obernolte defeated Socorro Cisneros in the general election for California State Assembly District 33 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jay Obernolte (R)	60.2	72,109
		Socorro Cisneros (D)	39.8	47,603

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 119,712
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 33

Incumbent Jay Obernolte and Socorro Cisneros defeated Scott Markovich in the primary for California State Assembly District 33 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jay Obernolte (R)	65.8	43,100
✔		Socorro Cisneros (D)	19.2	12,566
		Scott Markovich (D)	15.0	9,854

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 65,520
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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2016

See also: California State Assembly elections, 2016

Elections for the California State Assembly took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 25, 2016, for candidates filing with signatures. The deadline for candidates using a filing fee to qualify was March 11, 2016.

Incumbent Jay Obernolte defeated Scott Markovich in the California State Assembly District 33 general election.

California State Assembly, District 33 General Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Jay Obernolte Incumbent	59.96%	84,000
	Democratic	Scott Markovich	40.04%	56,086
Total Votes				140,086
Source: California Secretary of State

Scott Markovich and incumbent Jay Obernolte were unopposed in the California State Assembly District 33 Blanket primary.

California State Assembly, District 33 Blanket Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Democratic	Scott Markovich
	Republican	Jay Obernolte Incumbent

2014

See also: California State Assembly elections, 2014

Elections for the California State Assembly took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 7, 2014. John Coffey (D) and Jay Obernolte (R) defeated Michelle Ambrozic (R), Art Bishop (R), Robert J. "Bob" Buhrle (R), Robert Larivee (R), Jerry J. Laws (R), Scott Markovich (R), Rick Roelle (R) and Brett Savage (R) in the blanket primary. Obernolte defeated Coffey in the general election.

California State Assembly, District 33, General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Jay Obernolte	65.9%	46,144
	Democratic	John Coffey	34.1%	23,828
Total Votes				69,972

California State Assembly, District 33 Blanket Primary, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	John Coffey	23.1%	9,865
	Republican	Jay Obernolte	18.8%	8,028
	Republican	Michelle Ambrozic	17.7%	7,566
	Republican	Rick Roelle	15.4%	6,574
	Republican	Art Bishop	14%	5,956
	Republican	Brett Savage	4.2%	1,811
	Republican	Scott Markovich	2.3%	975
	Republican	Jerry J. Laws	1.9%	814
	Republican	Robert J. Buhrle	1.9%	802
	Republican	Robert Larivee	0.7%	299
Total Votes				42,690

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jay Obernolte has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Jay Obernolte asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Jay Obernolte, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's Ballotpedia profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for.  More than 15,000 candidates have taken Ballotpedia's candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.

You can ask Jay Obernolte to fill out this survey by using the button below or emailing Info@ElectJay.com.

2022

Jay Obernolte did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Jay Obernolte did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2014

Obernolte's website highlighted the following campaign themes:

Make Government Work

• Excerpt: "We need to stop funding programs that have outlived their usefulness and eliminate wasteful spending on projects that don't deliver a return on investment."

Bring Innovation To Government

• Excerpt: "I understand that there are functions only government can provide, but if we don't bring innovation to government, we risk losing our ability to provide those functions, along with extinguishing the strong economy we need to pay for them."

Return Local Control

• Excerpt: "I'm a strong believer in local control, and in Sacramento I'll fight to protect our local governments."

Overcome Economic Challenges

• Excerpt: "I understand that greater regulation fundamentally threatens economic growth, and that if government plays a role in our economy--which it clearly does--we must reform our regulatory process."

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage and endorsements scopes.

Notable endorsements by Jay Obernolte

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Scott Baugh  source  (R)	U.S. House California District 47 (2024)	Primary	–

Noteworthy events

Electoral vote certification on January 6-7, 2021

See also: Counting of electoral votes (January 6-7, 2021)

Congress convened a joint session on January 6-7, 2021, to count electoral votes by state and confirm the results of the 2020 presidential election. Obernolte voted against certifying the electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania. The House rejected both objections by a vote of 121-303 for Arizona and 138-282 for Pennsylvania.

Campaign donors

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Jay Obernolte campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions
2024	U.S. House California District 23	On the Ballot primary	$528,981
2022	U.S. House California District 23	Won general	$1,060,461
2020	U.S. House California District 8	Won general	$2,028,339
2016	California State Assembly, District 33	Won general	$409,539
2014	California State Assembly, District 33	Won general	$527,935
Grand total raised			$4,555,255
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission * This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

2020

U.S. House California District 8 2020 election - Campaign Contributions
Top individual contributors to Jay Obernolte's campaign in 2020
Self Funding	$1,288,000.00
Unitemized	$50,239.00
Majority Cmte PAC	$10,000.00
Eureka PAC	$10,000.00
CalPortland Co	$10,000.00
Eye of the Tiger PAC	$10,000.00
National Assn of Realtors	$10,000.00
Credit Union National Assn	$10,000.00
National Assn of Home Builders	$9,000.00
FRANK, SEAN	$8,400.00
Total Raised in 2020	$577,165.32
Total Spent	$1,958,786.11
Source: Follow the Money

2016

Obernolte won re-election to the California State Assembly in 2016. During that election cycle, Obernolte raised a total of $409,539.

California State Assembly 2016 election - campaign contributions
Top contributors to Jay Obernolte's campaign in 2016
At&t	$8,400
Chevron Corp	$8,400
Edison International	$8,400
Pacific Gas & Electric Co	$8,400
Philip Morris	$8,400
Total raised in 2016	$409,539
Source: Follow the Money

2014

Obernolte won election to the California State Assembly in 2014. During that election cycle, Obernolte raised a total of $527,935.

California State Assembly 2014 election - Campaign Contributions
Top contributors to Jay Obernolte's campaign in 2014
Obernolte, Jay P	$405,257
San Manuel Band Of Mission Indians	$8,200
Pechanga Band Of Luiseno Mission Indians	$8,200
California Association Of Realtors	$8,200
At&t	$4,100
Total Raised in 2014	$527,935
Source: Follow the Money

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in California

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of California scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

2020

In 2020, the California State Legislature was in session from January 6 to August 31.

• California Chamber of Commerce

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the chamber.

• California Teachers Association

Legislators are scored on their votes on the association's position legislation.

• California Environmental Justice Alliance

Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.

• California Labor Federation

Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor.

• California League of Conservation Voters

Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.

• Children's Advocacy Institute

Legislators are scored on their votes on issues pertaining to children.

• Equality California: State and Federal

Legislators are scored on their votes on LGBT issues.

• Health Access California

Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the interests of health care consumers.

• Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association

Legislators are scored on how they voted on taxpayer-related issues.

• National Federation of Independent Business

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

• Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California

Legislators are scored on issues related to sexual and reproductive health.

• Sierra Club California

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy.

• The American Conservative Union

Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

• The People's Report Card of California

Legislators are scored on their votes on the organization's priority legislation.

• United Domestic Workers of America (UDW) Home Care Providers Union

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the interests of home care providers.

2019

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show].

In 2019, the California State Legislature was in session from January 7 through September 13. California Chamber of Commerce Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the chamber. California Environmental Justice Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. California Food and Farming Network Legislators are scored on their votes on "policy that will support a healthy, just and resilient agriculture and food system." California Labor Federation Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor. California League of Conservation Voters Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the interests of consumers. Children's Advocacy Institute Legislators are scored on their votes on issues pertaining to children. Equality California: State and Federal Legislators are scored on their votes on LGBT issues. Health Access California Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the interests of health care consumers. Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Legislators are scored on how they voted on taxpayer-related issues. The People's Report Card of California Legislators are scored on their votes on the organization's priority legislation. Sierra Club California Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. United Domestic Workers of America (UDW) Home Care Providers Union Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the interests of home care providers.

2018

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show].

In 2018, the California State Legislature was in session from January 3, 2018 through August 31, 2018. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) California Legislators are scored on their votes on labor issues. California Chamber of Commerce Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the chamber. California Environmental Justice Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. California Food and Farming Network Legislators are scored on their votes on "policy that will support a healthy, just and resilient agriculture and food system." California Labor Federation Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor. California League of Conservation Voters: Senate and Assembly Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. California Manufacturers and Technology Association Legislators are scored on "how they voted in accord with CMTA." California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the interests of consumers. California Teachers Association Legislators are scored on their votes on the association's position legislation. Children's Advocacy Institute Legislators are scored on their votes on issues pertaining to children. Common Sense Kids Action Legislators are scored on their votes on issues pertaining to children. Congress of California Seniors Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the interests of seniors. County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California Legislators are scored on their votes on behavioral health issues. Equality California: State and Federal Legislators are scored on their votes on LGBT issues. Health Access California Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the interests of health care consumers. Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Legislators are scored on how they voted on taxpayer related issues. League of California Cities Legislators are scored on how they voted on bills related to the interests of California cities. The People's Report Card of California Legislators are scored on their votes on the organization's priority legislation. Sierra Club California Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. United Domestic Workers of America (UDW) Home Care Providers Union Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the interests of home care providers.

2017

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show].

In 2017, the California State Legislature was in session from December 5, 2016 through September 15, 2017. American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) California Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported by ACS CAN. American Council of Engineering Companies California Legislators are scored on their votes on "issues important to the engineering and land surveying industry." American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) California Legislators are scored on their votes on labor issues. California Chamber of Commerce Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the chamber. California Environmental Justice Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. California Labor Federation Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor. California League of Conservation Voters: Senate and Assembly Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. California Manufacturers and Technology Association Legislators are scored on "how they voted in accord with CMTA." California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the interests of consumers. California Republican Assembly Legislators are scored on their votes on Republican issues. Children's Advocacy Institute Legislators are scored on their votes on issues pertaining to children. Congress of California Seniors Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the interests of seniors. Consumer Federation of California Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the interests of consumers. Common Sense Kids Action Legislators are scored on their votes on issues pertaining to children. Equality California Legislators are scored on their votes on LGBT issues. Health Access California Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the interests of health care consumers. Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Legislators are scored on how they voted on taxpayer related issues. League of California Cities Legislators are scored on how they voted on bills related to the interests of California cities. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to reproductive health issues. Roots of Change Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to food and agriculture. Sierra Club California Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. United Domestic Workers of America (UDW) Home Care Providers Union Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the interests of home care providers.

2016

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show].

In 2016, the California State Legislature was in session from January 4 through August 31. The formal session ended on August 31, but constitutionally the session adjourned sine die on November 30. American Council of Engineering Companies California Legislators are scored by the American Council of Engineering Companies California on their votes on "issues important to the engineering and land surveying industry." California Chamber of Commerce Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the chamber. California Environmental Justice Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. California Labor Federation Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor. California League of Conservation Voters: Senate and Assembly Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. California Manufacturers and Technology Association Legislators are ranked on "how they voted in accord with CMTA." California Senior Congress Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the interests of seniors. California Taxpayers Association Legislators are scored on how they voted on tax and fiscal legislation. Drug Policy Forum of California Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to drug regulation policies. Equality California Legislators are scored on their votes on LGBT issues. Gun Owners of California Legislators and 2016 general election candidates are scored based on their responses to a questionnaire asking about "their opinions on the importance of the 2nd Amendment." Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Legislators are scored on how they voted on taxpayer related issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues. Secular Coalition for California Legislators are scored on their votes on bills that the coalition took a position on. Sierra Club California Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on issues "that determine a member’s adherence to conservative principles."

2015

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show].

In 2015, the California State Legislature was in session from December 1, 2014, through September 12, 2015. California Chamber of Commerce Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the chamber. California Civil Liberties Advocacy Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to civil liberties. California Environmental Justice Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. California Labor Federation Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor. Congress of California Seniors Legislators are scored on their votes on senior issues. California ProLife Council: Assembly - Senate Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by CPC. California League of Conservation Voters Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues. Consumer Federation of California Legislators are scored on their votes on consumer issues. Equality California Legislators are scored on their votes on LGBT issues. Health Access California Legislators are scored by Health Access California on how they voted in the session on "critical health policy legislation that impacts consumers, communities, patients and the public interest." Howard Jarvis Taxpayer's Association Legislators are scored on their votes on taxpayer-related issues. Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Legislators are scored on bills related to reproductive health issues. Sierra Club California Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. Secular Coalition for California Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

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Candidate

U.S. House California District 23

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U.S. House California District 23

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Kevin McCarthy (R)	U.S. House California District 23 2023-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by Paul Cook (R)	U.S. House California District 8 2021-2023	Succeeded by John Garamendi (D)
Preceded by -	California State Assembly District 33 2014-2020	Succeeded by Thurston Smith (R)

[show]

California's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Laphonza Butler (D)

Alex Padilla (D)

Representatives

District 1

Doug LaMalfa (R)

District 2

Jared Huffman (D)

District 3

Kevin Kiley (R)

District 4

Mike Thompson (D)

District 5

Tom McClintock (R)

District 6

Ami Bera (D)

District 7

Doris Matsui (D)

District 8

John Garamendi (D)

District 9

Josh Harder (D)

District 10

Mark DeSaulnier (D)

District 11

Nancy Pelosi (D)

District 12

Barbara Lee (D)

District 13

John Duarte (R)

District 14

Eric Swalwell (D)

District 15

Kevin Mullin (D)

District 16

Anna Eshoo (D)

District 17

Ro Khanna (D)

District 18

Zoe Lofgren (D)

District 19

Jimmy Panetta (D)

District 20

Vacant

District 21

Jim Costa (D)

District 22

David Valadao (R)

District 23

Jay Obernolte (R)

District 24

Salud Carbajal (D)

District 25

Raul Ruiz (D)

District 26

Julia Brownley (D)

District 27

Mike Garcia (R)

District 28

Judy Chu (D)

District 29

Tony Cárdenas (D)

District 30

Adam Schiff (D)

District 31

Grace Napolitano (D)

District 32

Brad Sherman (D)

District 33

Pete Aguilar (D)

District 34

Jimmy Gomez (D)

District 35

Norma Torres (D)

District 36

Ted Lieu (D)

District 37

Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D)

District 38

Linda Sánchez (D)

District 39

Mark Takano (D)

District 40

Young Kim (R)

District 41

Ken Calvert (R)

District 42

Robert Garcia (D)

District 43

Maxine Waters (D)

District 44

Nanette Barragán (D)

District 45

Michelle Steel (R)

District 46

Lou Correa (D)

District 47

Katie Porter (D)

District 48

Darrell Issa (R)

District 49

Mike Levin (D)

District 50

Scott Peters (D)

District 51

Sara Jacobs (D)

District 52

Juan Vargas (D)

Democratic Party (42)

Republican Party (11)

Vacancies (1)