Ro Khanna and Ritesh Tandon will meet in California’s 17th Congressional District on Nov. 3, giving voters a rematch after the state’s top-two primary advanced both candidates.
California Secretary of State certified results show Khanna received 83,051 votes, or 62.3%, in the June 2 primary. Tandon finished second with 19,793 votes, or 14.8%.
California’s voter-nominated system places candidates with different party preferences on the same primary ballot. The two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election, even if neither wins a majority or both share a party preference. The Secretary of State says party labels shown on the ballot inform voters but do not represent official party nominations or endorsements. The June result set the November matchup; the general election will decide who holds the seat.
Federal Election Commission records identify Khanna as the Democratic incumbent and Tandon as a Republican candidate. The election repeats their 2022 general-election contest, when Khanna won 127,853 votes, or 70.9%, to Tandon’s 52,400 votes, or 29.1%, according to state results.
The San Francisco Chronicle’s 2026 voter guide describes the district as covering parts of Alameda and Santa Clara counties. Biographies from Khanna and Tandon describe both as Indian American.
Candidate statements filed in Alameda County show different policy priorities. Khanna puts Medicare for All alongside support for semiconductor manufacturing and apprenticeship opportunities for veterans. He described his broader goal as “an economy that works for all Americans.” Tandon links housing supply to living costs, saying he wants to “lower the cost of living by boosting housing supply.” His statement also discusses simpler taxes for small businesses and AI and computer-science education, including instruction in K-12 schools and community colleges.
The statewide general election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3.
