Jay ObernolteIncumbent
Candidate for U.S. Representative, Congressional District 23
Jay Obernolte is a Republican in the U.S. House. He is the incumbent for California's 23rd Congressional District. He was first elected to the House in 2020. He first represented the former 8th District. Redistricting in 2023 made his seat number the 23rd. Before Congress, he served in the California State Assembly. He held its District 33 seat (2014-2020). Earlier, he served on the Big Bear Lake City Council. He also served as that city's mayor. He holds a bachelor's degree in engineering and applied science from Caltech. He earned a master's degree in Artificial Intelligence from UCLA. He also holds a doctorate in Public Administration (2020). It came from California Baptist University. Obernolte founded FarSight Studios while in college. The firm makes video games. He still runs it as a business owner alongside his political career. He is running for re-election. The general election is November 3, 2026. Home: Big Bear Lake, California. Occupation: U.S. Representative (incumbent). He owns FarSight Studios, a video game development company. Prior office: incumbent since 2020 (U.S. House, CA-8 2021-2023, CA-23 2023-present). He served before in the California State Assembly, District 33 (2014-2020). He was also on the Big Bear Lake City Council, including as mayor.
On the issues
- Economy & Jobs
Supports cutting business regulation and taxes to encourage job growth, rather than expanding labor regulation.
Source → - Taxes & Cost of Living
Supports lowering federal taxes, cutting government spending, and balancing the federal budget to address inflation and affordability.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Favors a patient-centered, market-based healthcare approach emphasizing telehealth and rural access rather than a uniform federal system; no specific position found on the ACA, Medicaid, or drug pricing.
Source → - Immigration & Border
Supports strong border enforcement, including finishing a border wall, while stating support for legal immigration; emphasizes enforcement over pathways to legal status.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Opposes defunding police and supports targeted police reforms (e.g., ending chokeholds, more training/transparency) while prioritizing law enforcement's ability to act; no specific statement on gun policy was found.
Source → - Criminal Justice & Courts
Supports stricter enforcement against fentanyl trafficking, having authored legislation to hold fentanyl dealers criminally accountable.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Favors a market-based, multimodal approach to domestic energy production (including oil and gas leasing/permitting), reducing reliance on China for critical minerals, and science-based wildfire/forest management; does not emphasize emissions reduction targets.
Source → - Veterans' Affairs
Supports full military funding and pay raises for troops, and has worked to expand veterans' benefits including toxic burn pit exposure coverage and VA community care/disability claims processing.
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
Voted against certifying Arizona's and Pennsylvania's 2020 presidential electoral votes following the January 6, 2021 Capitol events; no specific stated position on campaign finance reform was found.
Source → - Technology & Privacy
As a computer engineer by background, seeks to balance consumer data privacy protections with continued innovation, and has raised concerns about big-tech content moderation/censorship and cybersecurity.
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.