1998Flipped from RepublicanFinal results
1998 election for California's 1st District
U.S. House · California
Mike Thompson (D) won with 61.8% of the vote, defeating Mark C. Luce (R) by 29.0 points, a seat Republicans won last time.
Mike ThompsonDemocrat · winner
61.8%121,713
Mark C. LuceRepublican
32.9%64,692
Emil P. RossiLibertarian
2.7%5,404
Ernest K. Jones Jr.Peace and Freedom
2.5%4,996
196,805 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 1998
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.
Mike ThompsonMark C. Luce
$1.2M
Raised by the campaign
$123.9K
$941.8K
Spent by the campaign
$123.1K
$227.5K
Cash on hand
$862
Campaign money: FEC, through Dec 31, 1998.
Source: FEC campaign filingsUpdated Dec 31, 1998
The candidates
Mike Thompson (D)Mark C. Luce (R)
Also on the ballot: Emil P. Rossi (Libertarian), 2.7%; Ernest K. Jones Jr. (Peace and Freedom), 2.5%