Hilda Solis is making a move back to Washington.
The Los Angeles County supervisor and former Obama administration labor secretary announced on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, that she is running for the newly drawn 38th Congressional District. The decision sets up what is likely to be a hard-fought Democratic primary stretching across the San Gabriel Valley and southeast Los Angeles County.
In her campaign rollout, Solis said she is running "to ensure government works for the people, not the powerful," framing the contest as a fight to deliver results for families in the district, as reported by NBC Los Angeles.
New Map Scrambles The Playing Field
The seat Solis is targeting exists because of a mid‑decade redraw that voters approved last November under Proposition 50. The change shuffled district lines across Los Angeles and Orange counties and reshaped the political math for 2026. That overhaul, along with the prospect of an open or significantly reconfigured seat, was a key factor in Solis’ decision to jump in, according to reporting and election analysis by the Los Angeles press.
Who Else Is In The Hunt
Solis is not walking into a free pass. She faces a field of local Democrats, with challengers reportedly including Dr. Monica Sánchez and Pico Rivera Councilmember Erik Lutz, NBC Los Angeles reports.
Dr. Sánchez’s campaign website outlines her bid for CA‑38 and the communities she says it will serve, while the City of Pico Rivera lists Erik Lutz as an elected councilmember, a local profile that could factor into the race (Dr. Monica Sánchez; City of Pico Rivera).
Solis’ Resume And What Is At Stake
Solis has served on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors since 2014 and currently chairs the board, a perch that gives her a high‑profile platform on county policy and services (Los Angeles County). Before returning to local government, she represented parts of the region in Congress and later served as U.S. Secretary of Labor in the Obama administration, an experience she argues will help her push for jobs, health, and housing priorities in the new district (U.S. House History).
Primary Date And Paperwork Trail
The first big checkpoint for Solis and her rivals will be California’s Primary Election on June 2, 2026. The statewide calendar and filing deadlines are posted by the California Secretary of State.
On the money and compliance side, Solis’ campaign committee is registered with the Federal Election Commission under the name "HILDA SOLIS FOR CONGRESS," which lists official filings and early fundraising activity for the race (Federal Election Commission).
