U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley announced Jan. 8 that she will not seek re-election to Congress in 2026.
The Westlake Village Democrat, currently serving her seventh term in Congress, did not cite a reason for her decision but expressed gratitude for Ventura County residents’ trust and support.
“Serving our community and our country has been the honor of my lifetime,” Brownley, 73, wrote in a news release. “Every step of this journey has been shaped by the people I represent, by their resilience, their determination, and their belief that government can and should work for the common good.”
In the news release, Brownley wrote that she was proud of her work to increase access to affordable healthcare, support veterans and working families and fight against the climate crisis.
She promised that in the remaining year of her term, she would continue to advance legislation that improves the lives of Americans. She said she will continue fighting for a better future even after she leaves Congress.
Tim Allison, an adjunct professor of political science at CSU Channel Islands, and Herb Gooch, a professor emeritus of political science at California Lutheran University, both described Brownley as an accomplished and responsive Congresswoman who has positively impacted Ventura County residents, especially veterans.
“She has solid, tangible results to show for her time in office at a time when it’s difficult for a member of Congress to show tangible results,” Allison said.
It is for that reason, Allison said, that he was not shocked by the news of her decision not to run for an eighth term.
“It’s nothing too surprising because in these times, being in Congress is a challenging job for someone who wants to get things done,” he said.Gooch, however, had a different reaction to the announcement. He said he found her decision not to seek re-election unexpected and noted the lack of explanation in the news release. “It’s kind of a mystery why she’s leaving,” Gooch said. “It’s not the case that she’s worried about re-election.”Brownley defeated Republican challenger Michael Koslow with 56% of the votes in the 2024 election.
The delayed nature of the announcement — the California Democratic Party’s filing deadline for races without incumbents is Jan. 14 — seemed strategic, Hooch said. He believes Brownley and the rest of the party leaders have likely already identified her successor. “It raises my sense of suspicion that someone’s already made quite a few deals and you’re just smoothing the way, not giving anyone else time to raise funds and get their name out,” he said. “It’s so quick and unexpected that it sounds like you’re cutting everybody else off.”
Both Gooch and Allison both pointed to Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, as someone who will likely consider running. Around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Irwin announced on social media platform X that she will be running for the 26th District seat.
“She would be powerful and difficult to beat,” Gooch said of Irwin, calling her “the obvious choice.”
The two educators also expect Ventura County Supervisor Jeff Gorell to consider running.
As of Thursday afternoon, four people — Koslow, Republican Jonathan Wagoner, Republican Samuel Gallucci and Republican William Scott — have already filed statements of candidacy in the 2026 election for the 26th District seat, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Brownley was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and represents California’s 26th District, which includes the cities of Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Calabasas and Agoura Hills.
Brownley, who previously worked in private-sector marketing, served on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education from 1994 to 2006 and the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from George Washington University and a master’s degree in business administration from American University.
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Fund to Support Local Journalism.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley announces she will not seek re-election
Reporting by Makena Huey, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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