California's 3rd congressional district


California's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California.
John Garamendi, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Currently, the 3rd district encompasses most of the Sacramento Valley north and west of Sacramento. It consists of Colusa, Sutter, and Yuba counties plus most of Glenn, Lake, Solano, and Yolo counties and a portion of Sacramento County.
Prior to redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission of 2011, the 3rd district consisted of Alpine, Amador, and Calaveras counties plus portions of Sacramento and Solano counties.

Recent history

Recent election results from statewide races

Prior to 2012

The 3rd district once extended up the Sacramento Valley from Sacramento to take in rural territory up to Tehama County.
Once a Democratic bastion, the district became more conservative over the years and finally elected a Republican in 1998. The 2001 reapportionment made the district more compact and Republican than previously, though it was far less Republican than the neighboring 4th District. Although there was some movement in registration in favor of the Democrats, it still had a strong GOP flavor as most of Sacramento's Democratic voters lived in the neighboring 5th District.
While George W. Bush carried the district in 2004 with 58.2% of the vote, the district swung rapidly in the Democratic column in 2008 with Barack Obama narrowly winning a plurality with 49.28% of the vote over John McCain's 48.81%. However, despite Obama's win, in the congressional election held on the same day the Republicans retained the seat.
After redistricting, this district essentially became the 7th District, while a new 3rd was created with lines similar to what the old 3rd had in the 1990s. This version of the 3rd was considered a swing district, though the bulk of its population lives in Democratic-leaning areas in the outer Bay Area and in the closer-in suburbs of Sacramento.

Election results from statewide races before 2012

List of representatives

Election results

1864

1866

1868

1870

1872

1874

1876

1878

1880

1882

1884

1886

1888

1890

1892 (Special)

1894

1896

1898

1900

1902

1904 (Special)

1906

1908

1910

1912

1914

1916

1918

1920

1922

1924

1926

1928

1930

1932

1934

1936

1938

1940

1942

1944

1946

1948

1950

1952

1954

1956

1958

1960

1962

1964

1966

1968

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

Historical district boundaries