California 52nd District
Juan Vargas (D) holds this seat and is running again. 2 candidates were on the ballot on November 3, 2026.
Who should win this race, and why?Say what you think. Other readers can answer you.Discuss
Juan Vargas
Democrat · holds this seat today
FLiberty Score FOn the liberty side in 45 of 126 votes and bills.
Raised $836,097 since January 2025: 68% from PACs and other committees, 31% from people. The filing at FEC.gov
Jeff Belle
Republican · business owner, former county school board trustee
ALiberty Score A100 out of 100 across 4 principles. Graded on what Belle has said and done, because I have no votes in Congress to count for Belle.
Raised $26,538 since January 2025: 74% from people, 26% transfers and other income. The filing at FEC.gov
Higher on Liberty Score: Jeff Belle. Jeff Belle: A, 100 out of 100 from words and actions, with no votes in Congress to count. Juan Vargas: F, 33 out of 100 from recorded votes.
Voting in California: how to register, vote early or vote by mail. Election Day was November 3.
Side by side
A solid letter is a grade from recorded votes on that principle. An outlined letter is on the same scale, for a candidate with no votes: it comes from what that candidate has said and done, and every source is listed below.
Jeff Belle, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Belle, so the grade above comes from this list: what Belle has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
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Asked whether the US relationship with Israel is important, he answered that Israel is the country's number one ally.
“Yes, our number one ally!”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Treating Israel as an ally is with liberty on free nations.
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He agreed that the Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber, intellectual property and economic threats to the United States.
“The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States. Agree”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
Naming China as a threat does not say whether he backs Taiwan, Ukraine or NATO, so it does not settle the measure.
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He strongly disagreed that people who can afford it should pay more taxes to relieve working families.
“People who can afford to pay more taxes should do so in order to provide relief for working families. Strongly Disagree”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Rejecting higher taxes on higher earners is with liberty on free markets.
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He strongly agreed that free enterprise and private property are essential to a productive economy.
“Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system. Strongly Agree”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Backing free enterprise and private property is with liberty on free markets.
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He strongly agreed that biological males should not take part in women's sports or use women's spaces such as locker rooms and prisons.
“Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison. Strongly Agree”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Keeping women's sport and women's spaces female is the with side of the anti woke measure.
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He strongly agreed that Islamic terrorism is a threat to US national security.
“Islamic terrorism is a threat to the United States' national security. Strongly Agree”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
The line concerns terrorism, not the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas supporters or religious rule in the West, so it does not settle the measure.
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Asked what separation of church and state means to him, he wrote that the government is prohibited from establishing a church or forcing prayer.
“The government is prohibited from establishing a church or force to pray”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
The answer describes a limit on government but does not say whether religious rules should or should not become law, so it does not settle the measure.
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He strongly disagreed with supporting sanctuary cities and wrote that there is no place for them in the USA.
“I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons. Strongly Disagree No place in the USA for Sanctuary Cities.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing sanctuary policies is with liberty on borders.
Who is on the ballot: the state election offices, as listed on Wikipedia on November 3, 2026, checked against the candidate file of the Federal Election Commission. See a name that is wrong or missing? Say so in the discussion.
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Discussion
California 52nd District
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