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Updated Oct 16, 2026, 2:28 PM ET
Democratic · 3 November 2026
Jimmy Panetta
U.S. Representative for California's 19th congressional district (since 2023)
Jimmy Panetta, a Democrat and former Navy intelligence officer who has served in the U.S. House since 2017, faces Republican financial planner Peter Coe Verbica in California's 19th congressional district in 2026.
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Data Center Community Meeting is Tonight at San Jose City Hall
In other data center news today, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and Greg Steube (FL-17) wrote a bipartisan letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing concerns about reports that Meta is seeking to use the federal…
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- Born
- October 1, 1969
- Birthplace
- Washington, D.C.
- Education
- Carmel High School
Monterey Peninsula College
University of California, Davis (bachelor's degree in international relations)
Santa Clara University School of Law (JD)
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Jimmy Panetta was born James Varni Panetta on October 1, 1969, the son of former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.
He graduated from Carmel High School in Carmel, California, and attended Monterey Peninsula College before earning a bachelor's degree in international relations from the University of California, Davis.
After interning at the United States Department of State, he received his J.D. degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law.
Panetta joined the United States Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer and in 2007 completed a tour of duty in the War in Afghanistan with Joint Special Operations Command, for which he received the Bronze Star.
Career
Panetta worked in the Alameda County prosecutor's office and as a deputy district attorney in Monterey County.
After U.S. Representative Sam Farr announced in November 2015 that he would leave the seat, Panetta ran to succeed him in 2016 in the district his father had represented from 1977 to 1993, and he defeated Republican Casey Lucius in the general election.
He was sworn in on January 3, 2017, and House Democrats chose him as a regional whip for Northern California, the Central Coast, Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Islands.
Panetta was re-elected in 2018 with 81.4% of the vote and in 2020 with 76.8% against Republican Jeff Gorman. After redistricting he won the newly drawn 19th district in 2022, defeating Gorman again by 67.3% to 23.3%. In the 119th Congress he sits on the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Ways and Means, and he is founder and former co-chair of the For Country Caucus.
2026 race
Jimmy Panetta is seeking reelection in California's 19th congressional district, where he was re-elected in 2024 with 69.3% of the vote. In the top-two primary he finished first with 58.43%, and Republican Peter Coe Verbica, a financial planner, placed second with 20.47%.
Democratic software engineer Sean Dougherty, Republican businessman Tuka Gafari, Libertarian Lars Mapstead and two candidates with no party preference were eliminated. Panetta faces Verbica in the general election on November 3, 2026.