California's 8th congressional district

Before the 2011 redistricting, the 8th district was a Democratic stronghold. It gave John Kerry his best performance in California in 2004, backing the Democrat with 84.2% of the vote. Barack Obama continued on this trend in 2008 when he received 85.22% of the vote in the district while John McCain received 12.38%.

The 8th district from 2013-2023 was located in a politically conservative region of the state with a "Strongly Republican" Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+10. The Cook Political Report ranked it the 87th most Republican-leaning congressional district in the United States.^[3]

In the 2012 election, the first after the state's adoption of top-two primaries, the 8th district was one of only two in California where two Republicans faced each other in a runoff election.^[4] In 2018, it was the only such California district.^[5] In 2022, the district was moved to the northern San Francisco Bay Area and became solidly Democratic.

Under the 2020 redistricting, California's 8th district is located in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area counties of Contra Costa and Solano. The area in Contra Costa County includes the north side of the cities of Antioch and Martinez; the cities of Pittsburg, Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Pinole, and Hercules; and the census-designated places Kensington, East Richmond Heights, North Richmond, Rollingwood, El Sobrante, Montalvin Manor, Tara Hills, Bayview, Rodeo, Crockett, Port Costa, and Bay Point. The area in Solano County includes part of the city of Vacaville; the entirety of the cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, Suisun City, and Benicia; and the census-designated places Green Valley and Elmira.

Contra Costa County is split between this district and the 10th district. They are partitioned by Grizzly Peak Blvd, Seaview Trail, Camino Pablo, Bear Creek Rd, San Pablo Creek, Bear Creek, Brianes Reservoir, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Highway 4, Alhambra Ave, Pacheco Blvd, Grandview Ave, Central Ave, Imhoff Dr, Bares Ave, Mount Diablo Creek, Union Pacific, Contra Costa Canal, 4WD Rd, Bailey Rd, James Donlon Blvd, Cambridge Dr, Reseda Way, S Royal links Cir, Carpinteria Dr, Barmouth Dr, Hillcrest Ave, Highway 4, and Highway 160.

Solano County is split between this district and the 4th district. They are partitioned by Soda Springs Rd, Union Pacific, Alamo Dr, Leisure Town Rd, Hawkins Rd, Bay Area Exxextric, Shilo Rd, Collinsville Rd, and Montezuma Slough.

• List of United States congressional districts
• California's congressional districts