1980Final results
1980 election for California's 31st District
U.S. House · California
Mervyn Dymally (D) won with 64.4% of the vote, defeating Don Grimshaw (R) by 28.8 points.
Mervyn DymallyDemocrat · winner
64.4%69,146
Don GrimshawRepublican
35.6%38,203
107,349 votes
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
The seat over time
D − R margin in this seat's races around 1980
Races before and after
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
Money in this race
Each line compares the two campaigns on one scale.
Mervyn DymallyDon Grimshaw
$479.6K
Raised by the campaign
$3.6K
$475.1K
Spent by the campaign
$3.8K
$0
Cash on hand
$0
Campaign money: FEC, through Dec 31, 1980.
Source: FEC campaign filingsUpdated Dec 31, 1980