Marni von Wilpert is a whisker away from locking down the California Democratic Party’s backing to take on Rep. Darrell Issa, after grabbing roughly 68.8% of the local pre-endorsement vote Monday. That haul put her just shy of the 70% threshold needed for an automatic statewide nod, which means the race for the 48th District now heads to an endorsing caucus at the party’s February convention.
CADEM's official tally and the narrow miss
According to the California Democratic Party, von Wilpert received 53 votes, or 68.83%, out of 77 cast. Ammar Campa-Najjar took 11 votes (14.29%), Brandon Riker 8 (10.39%) and Abel Chavez 1 (1.30%), while four delegates chose no endorsement. Party rules require a 70% share to land on the consent calendar, and they underline that “no endorsement or position is final until the State Endorsing Convention on Feb. 20–22, 2026 in San Francisco.” The contest in the 48th was officially logged as “Endorsing Caucus to be held at Convention.”
How redistricting turned CA‑48 into a target
This fight became one of the most closely watched House pickup opportunities in the country after voters approved Proposition 50, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting measure. The new map shifted the 48th District into more Democratic-friendly territory and quickly attracted a crowded field of challengers. That reshuffle made the party endorsement a key signal for donors, Democratic clubs and local delegates trying to decide whom to rally behind. As the Los Angeles Times has outlined, those new lines are what vaulted the 48th into the national spotlight and drew multiple Democratic hopefuls into the race.
How the campaigns are spinning the vote
Ammar Campa-Najjar has brushed off the local pre-endorsement tally, saying he expects delegates at the convention to “let the voters decide” and that he will keep working to earn party support. Von Wilpert, for her part, has framed the result as a clear sign of momentum and unity behind her bid, arguing that Democrats are signaling they want a steady, values-driven candidate who can defeat Issa. Both reactions were reported by the Times of San Diego, which also noted that the endorsement will not be locked in until delegates vote at the state convention.
Campa‑Najjar's long campaign trail
Campa-Najjar is no stranger to San Diego–area ballots. He narrowly lost to Duncan D. Hunter in 2018, was defeated by Darrell Issa in 2020, and later fell short in the 2022 Chula Vista mayoral race, according to public election records summarized on resources such as Ballotpedia. With the CA‑48 endorsement now headed to the Feb. 20–22 state convention, both his campaign and von Wilpert’s are working to line up Democratic club delegates and local endorsements. The California Democratic Party’s pre-endorsing guidance explains how those delegates will settle the contest at the convention, according to the party’s official rules.
Bottom line
Von Wilpert’s commanding early lead gives her real momentum going into the state convention, but the party’s 70% rule means nothing is guaranteed yet. The endorsement in the 48th will come down to how delegates organize and align in San Francisco. For Democrats eyeing a flip of Issa’s seat, the next few weeks will be a stress test of organizing muscle, endorsements, and fundraising ahead of the June primary.
