ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - As voters prepare to soon receive their ballots for the June state primary, the race for California’s 7th Congressional District is taking shape, with Democratic Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang launching a bid to represent the region at the federal level in her 2026 campaign.

Messenger Publishing Group spoke with Vang to provide readers a closer look at her political priorities and how her experience, rooted in grassroots community organizing and local government, guides her campaign.

Among her key priorities are healthcare reform, economic affordability, increased funding for education and youth services, and strengthening climate resilience across the region.

Vang currently serves on the Sacramento City Council representing District 8, which includes neighborhoods such as Meadowview, Parkway, Delta Shores and Vineyard. Since taking office in 2020, she said the issues central to her congressional campaign have remained consistent throughout her work in local government. 

Prior to joining the council, she also served on the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education from 2016 to 2020.

The District 7 seat is currently held by longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, who has represented the district since 2005 in Washington, D.C. The district was reshaped following the passage of Proposition 50 last year, expanding its boundaries to include a broader mix of urban, suburban and rural communities. It now spans parts of Sacramento County, sections of San Joaquin County (including Lodi) and portions of El Dorado County (such as Placerville).

Vang said her campaign is shaped by both her experience in public office and her personal ties to the area. She emphasized her upbringing in South Sacramento County, within the district she is seeking to represent, as a key influence on her policy priorities.

As the daughter of Hmong refugees and the eldest of 16 siblings, Vang said her background, along with her recent marriage to the son of Mexican immigrants, shapes her understanding of working families navigating economic and social challenges. 

“I’m running for Congress because a big part of this has to do with not having the luxury of waiting on the sidelines because so many of our working families are struggling to get by,” Vang said.

Although born and raised in Sacramento, Vang pointed to her roots within the District 7 boundaries, noting she has siblings who live in Elk Grove and teach in its school district. 

She also shared that her grandparents rented land in Elk Grove to grow crops that they sold at a local farmers market to support their family (her father, uncles and aunts), who had arrived in California to build a life after fleeing war in Laos.

She added that this connection deepened her understanding of agriculture’s importance to the state’s economy, as well as the challenges farmers face due to water shortages, extreme heat and wildfires that can affect rural communities across the district, such as Galt, Herald and Wilton.

“I share this only because agriculture is a significant sector in California’s economy, and I also know that for so many of our farmers, it’s getting harder with water constraints, heat events and wildfires,” she said.

Addressing the district’s diversity, Vang noted that although she currently lives in Sacramento’s urban core, she remains focused on affordability challenges affecting not only similar communities but also residents across the district who are facing broader economic uncertainty.

She also referenced her own experience as someone with college debt, saying that as a millennial, she believes leaders across the political spectrum have contributed to the conditions constituents are now navigating.

“That’s another reason I’m running, because I think it’s important that whoever is in the halls of Congress understands the day-to-day struggles of our working families,” Vang said. “We have to send bold and courageous fighters for Congress.”

On housing and economic affordability, Vang helped to secure city funding for the $12 million purchase of a 102-acre property at 3100 Meadowview Road in South Sacramento in 2022. The site is slated for future civic amenities, affordable housing and recreational space. As of March 2025, the project remains in the planning and community engagement phase. 

“I have over two decades of community organizing, policy and governing experience,” she added. “And I have a track record of fighting and delivering for our families.”

Vang also highlighted her role in passing three citywide ballot measures, including Measure L, which funds the Sacramento Children’s Fund to support youth impacted by poverty, violence and trauma, and Measure N, which relates to the use of hotel tax revenue for local economic development. She said these efforts have helped to secure funding for public libraries and investments in underserved communities.

On healthcare, Vang drew from her experience leading the Sacramento Alliance for Vaccine Equity, where she said she helped run one of the region’s most linguistically diverse vaccination clinics during the pandemic era to reach underserved populations. 

She added that healthcare reform remains a central focus of her campaign.

“That is incredibly important because right now corporations, health insurance companies, are making a profit off of the pain and suffering of our families,” she said. “I will champion Medicare for all, prioritizing patient care over profits.”

Vang also emphasized that she does not accept contributions from corporate political action committees, a stance she said distinguishes her campaign.

As elections approach, Vang pointed to her decision to decline a pay raise during a May 2025 Sacramento City Council meeting as an example of her commitment to prioritizing residents during challenging economic times. Positioning herself as a progressive who can work across the aisle, she said she aims to bring that approach to Congress.

Reflecting on her upbringing, including having relied on programs such as food stamps and Medicaid and attending local public schools, Vang said her lived experience will guide her decisions if elected.

“I think that I’ve shown during my time on the school board and on the city council that I will make myself accessible, that I will show up to town halls and answer hard questions,” Vang said.

“I’m running to represent the people of this region because I know that their voices are so important in this moment.”