West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero is no longer just thinking about potholes and riverfront planning. On Thursday, she officially announced she is running for Congress, trading in the City Hall dais for a bid at a Washington seat and pitching her campaign as a way to bring West Sacramento priorities to the national stage.
According to ABC10, Guerrero said she will run as a Democrat and intends to represent the Sacramento area in Congress. The outlet framed her move as one of the first clear signals that the 2026 election cycle is already starting to heat up locally.
Local record and résumé
Guerrero has been a familiar presence in West Sacramento politics for years. She has served as the city’s mayor since winning the 2020 mayoral race and secured re-election in 2024, according to the City of West Sacramento. Her official biography notes earlier work on the planning commission and leadership roles with regional bodies including Reclamation District 900 and the River City Regional Stadium Financing Authority.
Which district would she contest
West Sacramento sits inside California’s Seventh Congressional District, a Sacramento-centered seat that includes West Sacramento and surrounding suburbs and is currently represented by Doris Matsui. Guerrero’s entrance into the race puts West Sacramento squarely in the middle of the 2026 maneuvering for the region’s U.S. House representation.
Timeline and next steps
The 2026 political calendar is already mapped out. California’s June primary is set for June 2, 2026, and the window to officially jump into the race is relatively tight, as the California Secretary of State notes. The state lists the filing period for voter-nominated offices as February 9 through March 6, 2026, so any campaign that wants a spot on that June ballot will have to hit those dates.
What to watch
Guerrero’s move instantly adds a prominent West Sacramento figure to the 2026 field and is likely to grab the attention of local officials, labor groups and community organizers who keep close tabs on the region’s federal clout. Over the coming months, expect a steady drip of candidate filings, endorsements and fundraising numbers that will show just how fierce the Sacramento-area contest for that House seat is shaping up to be.
