NAPA VALLEY, CA — In one of the biggest surprises for local constituents, Democratic incumbent Mike Thompson and challenger Eric Jones are running a razor-close race in a district whose boundaries were only recently redrawn.
Thompson and Jones are battling over California's 4th Congressional District, which Thompson held comfortably for more than a decade.
However, the district was recently redrawn. The new boundaries stretch from Napa Valley to the Sacramento suburbs and rural areas in the north.
Thompson's support in Napa, Sonoma, and Yolo counties hasn't kept Jones from pulling ahead—a surprise for local constituents that could cost the district a senior voice on tax policy.
Jones holds 51.6 percent against Thompson's 48 percent. That is likely to change as more ballots are counted. But as Jones told reporters on Tuesday,"It's gonna be a long night."
The results have left voters and observers puzzled. Jones, a Maine native, has no political experience and only recently moved to the district he wants to serve, whereas Thompson, born in St. Helena, has served long enough to become a senior member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee.
Yet, Jones' margins in six counties — Colusa, Lake, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, and Yuba — outweighed Thompson's leads in Napa, Sonoma, and Yolo.
The redrawn district brought in voters from areas represented by Republicans Doug LaMalfa and his successor, James Gallagher (after LaMalfa died, voters approved the new boundaries in November 2025).
While Thompson held Napa and other Democrat-voting strongholds, progressives and the new districts' more conservative areas became a source of support for Jones.
Jones campaigned heavily in the new eastern part of the district like Yuba and Sutter counties.
The redrawn district links Wine Country communities with Sacramento-area suburbs and agricultural towns. About half its residents are non-Hispanic white, nearly a third are Latino, and 9 percent are Asian, according to 2020 Census figures mapped to the new boundaries.
Key issues that shaped the campaign include housing costs, wildfire protection and insurance, farm support and water, tariffs, health care access, and immigration enforcement. There were also constituents angry at having their counties redistricted.
They may have taken out their frustration at the ballot box.
Thompson ran the most expensive re-election of his 14-term career to keep pace.
Jones' campaign reported raising $18 million and spending $16.5 million as of Oct. 14.
Thompson spent most of the $5.5 million he raised, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Jones pledged not to accept any corporate PAC money, presenting himself as a candidate not beholden to special interests, according to KQED.
Jones supplied most of that money from his own pocket and less from fundraising, helping him outspend Thompson by more than three to one.
As the top democrat on the Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee and a senior Health Subcommittee member, Thompson helps shape proposals affecting household tax bills, businesses, and medical expenses.
His Ways and Means assignments give him a role in shaping legislation that affects family tax bills, businesses, Medicare, and medical costs.
Thompson helped pass bipartisan disaster tax relief signed into law in September 2026. His office reported recovering $115 million owed to constituents since 2016.
He also secured $1.38 million for fuel reduction and infrastructure protection in Napa County and supported Sonoma County's effort to recover $2.6 million in emergency costs from the 2019 Kincade Fire. He also helped pass bipartisan legislation shielding qualified wildfire settlement payments from federal income taxes.
A defeat would end his influence. Jones would need to secure committee assignments and build influence of his own.
Thompson often painted Jones as an outsider trying to buy the seat — something the challenger embraced.
Jones tried to distinguish himself during his campaign as an outsider who wanted to change a system that Thompson was part of.
Jones told Patch that he never held public office, but that he was "not looking to be a career politician."
"The system is broken, and we don't need more of them perpetuating the corruption that got us here," he said
"I bring different experience: I grew up in poverty, lived the American Dream, and built companies that created jobs and solved real problems here."
Jones said he was running to represent District 4 constituents, not special interests. He pledged to serve no more than three terms in the seat if elected. "I've pledged to 12 years: go to Washington, get it done, come home."
Thompson's campaign did not respond to a Patch questionnaire and did not return requests for comment for this report.
Jones has the lead. The remaining ballots will decide whether he takes Thompson's seat.
Thompsons' campaign thanked supporters. That includes more than 250 local elected officials, community leaders, and volunteers who put up signs, collected petition signatures, made phone calls, knocked on doors, and talked to their neighbors, according to a statement today. "Our campaign was a true grassroots effort and we will not rest until every single vote is counted," Thompson's campaign manager Thomas Dowling told Patch. "We look forward to the final results coming in."
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