Rep. Kevin Mullin is heading into the June 2 primary with a full bench of challengers. Four candidates, including two fellow Democrats, an independent and a Republican, are all trying to unseat him in California’s 15th Congressional District. The race is shaping up as a Peninsula-level referendum on corporate influence, health care and energy policy, with Mullin leaning on his record and his opponents arguing it is time for a course correction.
Who is in the field
The certified candidate list shows Kevin Mullin (D) on the ballot with Democrats Mantosh Kumar and Anthony Dang, No Party Preference Jim Garrity and Republican Charles Houlter, according to the California Secretary of State. The San Francisco Chronicle Bay Area voter guide also lists the same five candidates and notes that the June 2 primary will function as a top two contest. State filings describe Kumar as a strategic business advisor, Dang as a policy analyst, Garrity as a retired police inspector and Houlter as a retired training supervisor.
Where they stand
On policy, Mullin’s challengers are trying to draw sharp contrasts. Anthony Dang, who told the Daily Journal that “we're seeing problems around the whole nation,” has pledged to break ties with Israel, push to stop the war in Iran, fund Medicare for All and work to overturn Citizens United. Mantosh Kumar’s 11 point platform focuses on cost of living relief, including a property tax “circuit breaker” that would credit back taxes that exceed a household’s income. Jim Garrity is emphasizing protection of Medicare and Social Security along with what he calls “common sense” immigration enforcement. Republican Charles Houlter is running on lowering gas and electric prices and backing a slate of social policy positions that he presents as broadly in line with former President Trump’s agenda.
Mullin’s pitch and record
Mullin, seeking a third term, is leaning heavily on his record and his committee assignments. Democrats’ committee rosters list him on the House Energy & Commerce Committee and on several subcommittees that focus on energy and oversight. He told the Daily Journal that he “brought home $27 million” in federal funding for infrastructure and local improvements and that he has pushed a “pro clean energy, pro climate resilience and pro consumer agenda.” He also said that “when we take the majority, we will work to reverse those Medicaid cuts and restore the Affordable Care Act tax credits.” A committee Democrats press release similarly places him on multiple subcommittee rosters.
What is next
The June 2 top two primary will decide which two contenders move on to the November ballot, with endorsements and fundraising expected to draw more attention as Election Day approaches, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Mullin starts from a position of strength, with the state's official Statement of Vote showing he captured 73.1% of the district’s vote in 2024. His challengers are betting that focused neighborhood level organizing and pockets of high turnout can tighten that margin. County election pages and the Secretary of State candidate filings remain the go to sources to confirm ballots and polling place information in the weeks leading up to the primary.
