Chu wins Pasadena-area CA-28 seat over Verlato

Rep. Judy Chu, a Democrat, won reelection to California's 28th Congressional District with 121,906 votes, or 68.4%, to Republican April A. Verlato's 56,394 votes, or 31.6%, according to unofficial results from California Secretary of State. The results, last updated at 3:17 a.m. Nov. 4, reflect 178,300 votes counted with all 391 reporting units having reported. The Associated Press called the race in Chu's favor shortly before 9 p.m. Nov. 3, the Daily News reported.

The 28th District covers Pasadena and the west San Gabriel Valley. Chu has held the seat since 2009.

What was at stake

The seat carries a vote on the House Ways and Means Committee, where Chu serves, and the House Budget Committee. Both panels shape federal tax, spending and safety-net policy.

The key issues:

• Chu voted against H.R. 5334 in September 2026, saying the bill would hand expanded tariff authority to the president without congressional oversight. In a statement on her House website, she said California families would be hit especially hard by new tariffs.
• Verlato, an Arcadia attorney and council member, campaigned on border security, tax policy and veterans' services, according to her campaign website.
• Chu has led congressional efforts to secure federal disaster assistance and tax relief for Eaton Fire survivors. In an Aug. 4 statement, she called on the Senate to pass the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act so survivors are not taxed on settlements from Southern California Edison.

The winner will represent Pasadena residents in decisions on federal wildfire recovery funding and tax policy.

A little history

Chu, born in Los Angeles, first won election to Congress in 2009. She was the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress, according to her biography. Before serving in the House, she was a Monterey Park council member and mayor, a California Assembly member and a member of the State Board of Equalization.

Verlato was born and raised in Arcadia, according to her campaign biography. She has served on the Arcadia City Council since 2016 and as mayor since 2019, according to election data compiled by BallotReady. She took over her father's law practice in 2000. The California GOP and the California Republican Assembly endorsed her candidacy.

What's next

The results remain unofficial. Vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 will be counted if they arrive within seven days, according to Pasadena Now. The registrar will continue processing vote-by-mail, provisional and conditional voter registration ballots before the canvass is complete.

Election results: U.S. House of Representatives - California 28th Congressional District (California General Election, 2026-11-03)

Source: California Secretary of State. Results current as of Nov. 4, 2026, 3:17 a.m. PST. Reporting: 391 of 391. Unofficial results; every reporting unit has reported.