Melissa Toomim
CA-36 primary: first place
$1.0K
JUN 6, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleInvestigative journalist
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
GenderFemale
LocationCalifornia
Show moreShow less
BackgroundInvestigative journalist
EducationMiddlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey — M.A. (2017)
Notable personal detailsLeah Melissa Toomim is a Republican candidate for the U.S. House in California’s 36th Congressional District. She has run for Congress in prior cycles and has described her work background as investigative journalism. She earned an M.A. from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports lowering burdens on businesses through tax incentives and regulatory reforms to encourage reshoring and job growth, and favors auditing spending programs before allocating additional funds. Emphasizes reducing what she calls onerous taxation and streamlining regulations to attract industry back to Los Angeles.
Healthcare
Melissa Toomim supports maintaining Medicare and Medicaid for vulnerable populations while favoring marketplace competition to lower costs and increase access; she views expanded government involvement skeptically and emphasizes market-based solutions. She has expressed opposition to broad taxpayer‑funded expansions beyond existing programs and supports targeted programs for the vulnerable.
Show moreShow less
Immigration & Border
Supports securing the southern border and stronger controls while also backing managed immigration and a pathway to citizenship for long-time residents; emphasizes legal support, services, and opposition to politically motivated deportations and unconstitutional ICE activity.
Climate & Energy
Advocates an industry-friendly, deregulatory approach to energy and local control; emphasizes removing dry fuel from brushlands and increasing funding for regional fire departments to improve resilience. Opposes densification/upzoning mandates that she says overburden water, gas, electricity and drainage infrastructure and calls for streamlining regulations to attract industry and jobs.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262022
2024
2026
LatestCycle 2022
Cycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- News
- Polls
- Endorsements