Political ads · 2026 · CA

California House District 49 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Mike Levin won · 57.7% to 42.3%, with an estimated 70% of the vote counted · Called by AP on Nov 4

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Armen Kurdian (Republican) and Mike Levin (Democrat) are the nominees for California's 49th congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Mike Levin is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Armen Kurdian's campaign had raised $189,000 (through October 14, 2026) and Mike Levin's campaign $3.6 million (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $2,000 for Armen Kurdian and $0 against; $530 for Mike Levin and $5,000 against.

Armen Kurdian (REP), Mike Levin (DEM, incumbent). 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

Also on every California ballot: 14 statewide ballot measures → The ballot wording and the official arguments, read for rhetorical techniques.

How to vote in California

From California's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.

Registration	Register by Mon, Oct 19 (Conditional (same-day) registration Oct 20 - Nov 3). Same-day registration: Conditional registration, provisional ballot, Oct 20 - Nov 3 (passed)Source: sos.ca.gov ↗Source: sos.ca.gov ↗
Early voting in person	Mon, Oct 5 to (Varies by county; VCA vote centers open Oct 24)Source: sos.ca.gov ↗
By mail	Anyone can vote by mail; return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Postmarked by Nov 3 and received by Nov 10; drop-off by 8 p.m. Nov 3) (passed)Source: elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov ↗Source: sos.ca.gov ↗
Election Day	Tue, Nov 3. Polls: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. (passed)Source: sos.ca.gov ↗
ID at the polls	Generally no ID required; some first-time voters who registered by mail/online without ID may be askedSource: elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov ↗

Check your registration and polling place ↗ California's official election site ↗

Checked October 8, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.

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Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

Armen Kurdian (REP)

Raised: $189K through 2026-10-14 individuals $171K · PACs $2,000 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $14K · cash on hand $30K
Outside spending: $2,500 supporting Kurdian · latest reported 2026-03-19
Largest outside spenders: REFORM LEADERS PAC — $2,500 supporting Kurdian

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

1 PAC gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

MAJORITY PAC $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Mike Levin (DEM, incumbent)

Raised: $3.6M through 2026-10-14 individuals $2.8M · PACs $496K · party $1,687 · from the candidate's other committees $222K · cash on hand $1.4M
Outside spending: $4,552 opposing Levin · $530 supporting Levin · latest reported 2026-01-09
Largest outside spenders: THE CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DBA AMERICANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY — $4,552 opposing Levin ACTIVATE AMERICA — $395 supporting Levin Largest donors: Bruce Alexander Gaguine $900K (54%), Retired GIVEGREEN UNITED ACTION — $86 supporting Levin Largest donors: LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS, INC. $946K (40%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); NRDC ACTION FUND INC. $922K (39%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); LCV VICTORY FUND $500K (21%) PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF ORANGE AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTIES' COMMUNITY ACTION FUND PAC — $29 supporting Levin PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACTION FUND OF THE PACIFIC SOUTHWEST PAC — $10 supporting Levin and 1 more

Bundled through PACs: $213K through 7 PACs · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01 AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE — $126K from 93 gifts Lobbyist/registrant PAC JSTREETPAC — $36K from 68 gifts Lobbyist/registrant PAC ZINC COLLECTIVE PAC — $34K from 10 gifts ADVANCING DEMOCRACY AND MOBILIZATION PAC — $14K from 4 gifts COUNCIL FOR A LIVABLE WORLD CANDIDATE FUND — $1,500 from 2 gifts Lobbyist/registrant PAC and 2 more

121 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION PAC $10K
ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS POLITICAL ACTION FUND $2,500
ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $7,500
AMALGAMATED SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMERICA'S CREDIT UNIONS PAC OF CREDIT UNION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, INC. $3,500
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AAJ PAC) $7,500
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSE ANESTHETISTS SEPARATE SEGREGATED FUND (CRNA-PAC) $1,000
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEONS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,500
AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION PAC (BANKPAC) $5,000
AMERICAN CLEAN POWER ASSOCIATION CLEANPOWER PAC $5,000
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
AMERICAN DEFENSE AND MILITARY PAC $1,000
AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVT. EMPL. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES P E O P L E $10K
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $5,000
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION PAC $2,000
AMERICAN HOTEL & LODGING ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ('HOTELPAC') $3,000
AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AMERICAN SENIORS HOUSING ASSOCIATION (SENIORS HOUSING PAC) $1,000
AMERICAN SPORTFISHING ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMERICAN SUGAR CANE LEAGUE OF USA, INC. PAC $3,000
AMERIPAC: THE FUND FOR A GREATER AMERICA $5,000
ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
BARNES & THORNBURG POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
BIPARTISAN CLIMATE FUND $1,000
BLUE MOMENTUM PAC $2,000
BLUEWAVEAMERICA $1,000
BRIDGE THE GAP PAC $5,000
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS & TRAINMEN PAC FUND $2,500
BUILD PAC OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS (BUILDPAC) $2,500
BUILDING OWNERS AND MANAGERS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL PAC $2,500
CALIFORNIANS FOR FREEDOM $3,000
CANYON DEMOCRATS $2,500
CAP-PAC SEPARATE SEGREGATED FUND OF THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY ACTION FOUNDATION INC. $5,000
CARPENTERS LEG. IMPROVEMENT CMTE. UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS & JOINERS $5,000
CE4A ACTION $1,000
CHC BOLD PAC $5,000
CLEAN ENERGY BUYERS ASSOCIATION PAC $3,000
COMMITTEE FOR A DEMOCRATIC FUTURE $1,000
CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS PAC $5,000
DEFEND THE VOTE $2,500
DEMOCRATIC CLUB OF CARLSBAD AND OCEANSIDE (DEMCCO) $2,000
DEMOCRATIC WOMEN OF THE SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY $5,000
DEMOCRATS OF ORANGE COUNTY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (DEMOC PAC) $5,000
DEMOCRATS WIN FUND $1,000
DEMOCRATS WIN SEATS (DWS PAC) $1,000
DENTONS US LLP PAC $1,000
DLA PIPER LLP (US) POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (DLA PIPER PAC) $5,000
DOING RIGHT - RESULTS ACTION UNITY LEADERSHIP PAC $8,500
ENCINITAS AND NORTH COAST DEMOCRATIC CLUB $1,000
END CITIZENS UNITED $5,000
ENGINEERS POLITICAL EDUCATION CMTE. (EPEC)/INT'L. UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS $5,000
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE ACTION FUND PAC (EDAF PAC) $2,000
FAIR SHOT PAC $7,000
FOLEY & LARDNER POLITICAL FUND, INC. $1,000
FUTURE FORUM PAC $1,000
GENERATION GO LEADERSHIP PAC $2,000
HOLLAND & KNIGHT COMMITTEE FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT $1,000
HOPE PAC $1,000
HUMANE WORLD ACTION FUND POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
INT'L ASSN. OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL & TRANSPORTATION WORKERS PAL $10K
INT'L. ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL & REINFORCING IRON WORKERS (IPAL) $2,500
INTERNATIONAL ASSN. OF FIREFIGHTERS INTERESTED IN REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION PAC $5,000
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL NO. 12 FEDERAL PAC $5,000
JANE FONDA CLIMATE PAC $5,000
JEFF CHEMERINSKY FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY 2024 $1,000
JEFFRIES FOR CONGRESS $4,000
JOBS, EDUCATION, & FAMILIES FIRST JEFF PAC $10K
JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS $2,500
JSTREETPAC $1,000
LA/OC BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL FEDERAL PAC (PAC) $5,000
LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA (LIUNA) PAC $5,000
LATINO VICTORY FUND $2,000
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ACTION FUND $4,500
MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE IAMAW $5,000
MICHIGAN SUGAR COMPANY GROWERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
MINN-DAK FARMERS COOPERATIVE (MDS PAC) $1,000
NANCY PELOSI FOR CONGRESS $2,000
NATIONAL ACTIVE AND RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSN. PAC (NARFE-PAC) $1,000
NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION PAC $6,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $4,500
NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE PAC $1,000
NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSN. AMERICA'S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES PAC $2,000
NATIONAL UNION OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS FEDERAL COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $1,000
NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION $5,000
NEW DEMOCRAT COALITION ACTION FUND $2,000
NRDC ACTION FUND INC. PAC $2,072
OUTDOOR AMUSEMENT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
PAC FOR GOOD $1,000
PAC OF THE INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES $2,500
PAC TO THE FUTURE $10K
PETE AGUILAR FOR CONGRESS $4,000
PROTECTING AMERICANS CHALLENGING OPPRESSION (PACO) PAC $2,000
REVIVING AMERICAN JOBS AGAIN PAC $1,001
ROBERT GARCIA FOR CONGRESS $1,000
SCHNEIDER FOR CONGRESS $2,000
SD PAC $5,000
SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPLOYEES INT'L. UNION CMTE. ON POLITICAL EDUCATION) $5,000
SHARICE FOR CONGRESS $1,000
SHORE PAC $1,000
SOCIAL COMPASSION IN LEGISLATION (AKA COMPASSION PAC) $500
SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION PAC (SOLARPAC) $5,500
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA BEET SUGAR COOPERATIVE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
SPIKE PAC $1,000
STEPTOE LLP POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
STOP GUN VIOLENCE PAC $2,500
SUGAR CANE GROWERS COOPERATIVE OF FLORIDA (PAC) $1,000
SUPPORTING HOUSE PROBLEM SOLVERS - SHP PAC $2,000
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COALITION PAC (SEEC PAC) $1,000
TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION OF AMERICA POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE $4,000
TRI-STATE MAXED-OUT WOMEN $1,000
UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION ACTIVE BALLOT CLUB $3,000
VARGAS FOR CONGRESS $2,000
VPP $1,025
WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (WQA-PAC) $500
WINE AND SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

What this page is

An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in CA; or it ran mostly in CA and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
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Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.