Community News

Matt Gunderson Shifts Focus from Congress to Fight for Voter ID in California

 

by: Blake DelCarmen
Published: March 19, 2025

 

ORANGE COUNTY...Republican nominee Matt Gunderson (CA-49) has announced he will not run for Congress in 2026, choosing instead to channel his energy into a critical need in California: passing voter ID laws to rebuild trust in a faltering election system.

"Republicans swept the nation this cycle, proving common-sense policies still win hearts and minds—but in California, that red wave slammed into a wall of dysfunction," Gunderson said. "As the GOP nominee for CA-49, I out-performed President Trump in almost every targeted competitive GOP congressional race in America—except one incumbent in Nebraska.  Yet we saw victory slip away amid jaw-dropping margins for Harris topping 35% in key cities. These results defy logic, the district’s independent spirit, and the national trend. Something’s rotten here, and it’s not just bad luck."

Gunderson, a businessman and political outsider, isn’t retreating—he’s redirecting his fight. "I’m not running in 2026.  I haven't given up.  I see the real problem up close. California’s election system is broken.  Good candidates can't fix bad election practices.  We must fix that first.  Voter ID isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s the bedrock of fair elections. I’m doubling down to make it happen, because trust is non-negotiable."

The need for reform is glaring. Thirty-six states—already require voter ID, with polls showing over 80% of Americans, across party lines, support it as a simple, effective safeguard. Yet California, with its razor-thin margins and persistent questions about election integrity, lags behind. In 2024 alone, reports of irregularities and voter skepticism spiked again, eroding confidence in a state that desperately needs clarity, not chaos.

"California isn’t just behind the curve—it’s off the map," Gunderson added. "If we want elections that reflect the will of the people, not the flaws of the system, voter ID is the first step. The stats don’t lie; states with voter ID have cleaner processes and higher trust. California needs this law now more than ever - to level the playing field and restore faith in democracy itself. I’m in this fight for the long haul, and I won’t stop until voter ID is a reality in California."