View source for Barbara Lee

{{Short description|American politician (born 1946)}}
{{other people}}
{{pp-pc}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Barbara Lee
| image               = Mayor Barbara Lee.jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2025
| office              = 52nd [[Mayor of Oakland]]
| term_start          = May 20, 2025
| term_end            = 
| predecessor         = [[Kevin Jenkins (politician)|Kevin Jenkins]] (acting)
| successor           = 
| state1              = [[California]]
| term_start1         = April 21, 1998
| term_end1           = January 3, 2025
| predecessor1        = [[Ron Dellums]]
| successor1          = [[Lateefah Simon]]
| constituency1       = {{ushr|CA|9|C}} (1998–2013)<br>{{ushr|CA|13|C}} (2013–2023)<br>{{ushr|CA|12|C}} (2023–2025)
{{collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |House positions
| titlestyle          = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office2             = Chair of the [[Congressional Black Caucus]]
| term_start2         = January 3, 2009
| term_end2           = January 3, 2011
| predecessor2        = [[Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick]]
| successor2          = [[Emanuel Cleaver]]
| office3             = Chair of the [[Congressional Progressive Caucus]]
| alongside3          = [[Lynn Woolsey]]
| term_start3         = January 3, 2005
| term_end3           = January 3, 2009
| predecessor3        = [[Peter DeFazio]]
| successor3          = [[Raúl Grijalva]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
| state_senate4       = California State
| district4           = [[California's 9th senatorial district|9th]]
| term_start4         = December 2, 1996
| term_end4           = April 17, 1998
| predecessor4        = [[Nicholas C. Petris|Nicholas Petris]]
| successor4          = [[Don Perata]]
| office5             = Member of the [[California State Assembly]]
| term_start5         = December 3, 1990
| term_end5           = November 30, 1996
| predecessor5        = [[Elihu Harris]]
| successor5          = [[Don Perata]]
| constituency5       = [[California's 13th State Assembly district|13th district]] (1990–1992)<br>[[California's 16th State Assembly district|16th district]] (1992–1996)
| birth_name          = Barbara Jean Tutt
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1946|7|16}}
| birth_place         = [[El Paso, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| spouse              = {{ubl |{{marriage|Carl Lee|1964|1966|end=div}} |{{marriage|Clyde Oden|2019}}}}
| children            = 2
| education           = [[Mills College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[University of California, Berkeley]] ([[Master of Social Work|MSW]])
| website             = {{URL|barbaralee4oakland.com|Campaign website}}
|module      = {{Listen
|pos         = center
|embed       = yes
|filename    = Barbara Lee gives speech in opposition to Military Force against Afghanistan.ogg
|title       = Lee's voice
|type        = speech
|description = Lee opposing [[Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001|military force against Afghanistan]].<br>Recorded September 14, 2001}}
}}
'''Barbara Jean Lee''' ({{née|'''Tutt'''}}; born July 16, 1946) is an American politician who has served as the 52nd [[mayor of Oakland]] since 2025. A member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], Lee previously served as a [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]] from [[California]] from 1998 to 2025, representing {{ushr|CA|12}} (numbered as the [[California's 9th congressional district|9th district]] from 1998 to 2013 and as the [[California's 13th congressional district|13th district]] from 2013 to 2023). She also served in both houses of the [[California State Legislature]] from 1990 to 1998.

Born and raised in [[Texas]], Lee was educated at [[Mills College at Northeastern University|Mills College]] and the [[University of California, Berkeley]]. She started her career by working on the presidential campaign of [[Shirley Chisholm]] and was later involved with the [[Black Panther Party]]. After working as chief of staff for U.S. Representative [[Ron Dellums]], Lee served in the [[California State Assembly]] from 1990 to 1996 and in the [[California State Senate]] from 1996 to 1998.

Lee was elected to the [[U.S House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] in a [[1998–99 California special elections|1998 special election]] to succeed Dellums. Her district was based in [[Oakland, California|Oakland]] and covered most of the northern part of [[Alameda County, California|Alameda County]]; with a [[Cook Partisan Voting Index]] rating of D+40, it was one of the most Democratic districts in the country.<ref name="2022 Report">{{cite web |last1=Wasserman |first1=David |date=July 13, 2022 |title=Introducing the 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI) |url=https://www.cookpolitical.com/cook-pvi/2022-partisan-voting-index/introducing-2022-cook-partisan-voting-index |access-date=July 13, 2022 |website=The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter}}</ref> A noted [[Progressivism in the United States|progressive]], she chaired the [[Congressional Progressive Caucus]] from 2005 to 2009 and the [[Congressional Black Caucus]] from 2009 to 2011.<ref name="Committees & Caucuses">{{Cite web |title=Committees & Caucuses {{!}} Barbara Lee – Congresswoman for the 13th District of California |url=https://lee.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses |access-date=2018-04-04 |website=lee.house.gov |language=en |archive-date=April 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404201443/https://lee.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was also founding member of the [[Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus]] and co-chaired the [[Steering and Policy Committees of the United States House of Representatives|House Democratic Steering Committee]] and the [[Congressional Cannabis Caucus]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-12-01|title=Pelosi Announces Co-Chairs of Steering and Policy Committee|url=https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/113018-8|access-date=2021-07-02|website=Speaker Nancy Pelosi|language=en|archive-date=August 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831204119/https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/113018-8|url-status=dead}}</ref> She is known for playing a major role in the [[Peace movement|antiwar movement]] throughout her time in Congress—most notably in her vocal criticism of the [[Iraq War]] and for being the only member of Congress to vote against the [[Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001|authorization of use of force]] following the [[September 11 attacks]]—and for her work with President [[George W. Bush]] to curb the spread of [[HIV/AIDS]] through the creation of the [[President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief]].<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2001/roll342.xml Final Vote Results for Roll Call 342], ''U.S. House of Representatives''. Accessed April 7, 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=Conyers Denounces Death Threats Against Rep. Barbara Lee |publisher=Office of Representative John Conyers, Jr., United States House of Representatives |date=September 19, 2001 |url=http://www.house.gov/conyers/pr092001.htm |access-date=March 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302082718/http://www.house.gov/conyers/pr092001.htm |archive-date=March 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=PEPFAR's Success Requires Continued Support from Both Parties |url=https://www.bushcenter.org/catalyst/whats-next-in-health-care/pepfars-success-requires-continued-support-from-both-parties |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=George W. Bush Presidential Center |language=en}}</ref>

In 2024, Lee chose not to pursue re-election in the House and instead [[2024 United States Senate election in California|ran for Senate]] to succeed [[Dianne Feinstein]].<ref name="senatelaunch" /> Lee lost in the [[Nonpartisan primary|jungle primary]] to Republican [[Steve Garvey]] and fellow Democratic Rep. [[Adam Schiff]], who won the seat in the general election. After leaving Congress, Lee announced her campaign for [[2025 Oakland mayoral special election|mayor of Oakland]] in the [[2025 Oakland mayoral special election|2025 special election]] triggered by the [[2024 Oakland mayoral recall election|recall of Sheng Thao]] and defeated former city councilmember [[Loren Taylor]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravani |first=Sarah |date=April 18, 2025 |title=Barbara Lee wins Oakland mayoral race |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/barbara-lee-wins-oakland-mayoral-race-20281838.php |access-date=April 19, 2025 |website=San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref> She was sworn in on May 20, 2025, becoming the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Oakland.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2025-05-20 |title=Barbara Lee, sworn in as Oakland's mayor, promises a 'government you can trust' |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/05/20/oakland-mayor-barbara-lee-swearing-in-charlene-wang/ |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Lee was born Barbara Jean Tutt on July 16, 1946, in [[El Paso, Texas]]. She is the oldest of three daughters of Mildred Adaire (née Parish; 1924–2015) and Garvin Alexander Tutt (1924–2007), a lieutenant colonel in the [[United States Army]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Barbara Lee|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/leebarbara.htm|website=Ancestry|access-date=October 1, 2014}}</ref> When she was born in a [[Racial segregation in the United States|segregated]] hospital, her mother was left in the hallway, as the hospital refused to assist her.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aliano |first=Kelly |title=Life Story: Barbara Lee |url=https://wams.nyhistory.org/end-of-the-twentieth-century/the-information-age/barbara-lee/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=Women & the American Story |language=en-US}}</ref> Lee is [[African Americans|African American]]; according to a [[Genetic testing|DNA analysis]], she descends primarily from the people of [[Guinea-Bissau]] and [[Sierra Leone]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1673564.htm|title=Growing Interest in DNA-Based Genetic Testing Among African American with Historic Election of President Elect Barack Obama|date=November 27, 2008|publisher=PRWeb|access-date=December 11, 2014|archive-date=August 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801011403/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1673564.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|8SSC1rS6B8E|Congresswoman Barbara Lee Ancestry Reveal}}</ref> She was raised [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] and attended Catholic schools, where she was taught by the [[Sisters of Loretto]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Congresswoman Lee Statement in Support of Women's Access to Contraception {{!}} Barbara Lee – Congresswoman for the 13th District of California|url=https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-lee-statement-in-support-of-womens-access-to-contraception|access-date=2021-09-30|website=lee.house.gov|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Inventory of the Barbara Lee Papers |url=https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8sx6kkw/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=oac.cdlib.org}}</ref> She was the only African-American [[Girl Scouts of the USA|Girl Scout]] in El Paso, and she recalls having faced [[racial discrimination]] throughout her childhood.<ref>{{Cite web |title='I Hope I'm Making a Contribution': Rep. Barbara Lee on Her Life in Congress |url=https://www.kqed.org/news/11889414/i-hope-im-making-a-contribution-rep-barbara-lee-on-her-life-in-congress |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=KQED |date=September 28, 2021 |language=en-us}}</ref>

Lee's parents divorced in 1955.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TSHA {{!}} Massey, Mildred Adene Parish |url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/massey-mildred-adene-parish |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=www.tshaonline.org}}</ref> Five years later, she moved to [[California]] with her mother and two sisters. She attended [[San Fernando High School]] in the [[Pacoima, Los Angeles|Pacoima]] neighborhood of [[Los Angeles]], where she worked with the [[NAACP]] to become the school's first African-American cheerleader, and she graduated in 1964.<ref name="tavis_smiley_20081113">{{Cite web | last=Interview Transcript |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/archive/200811/20081113_lee.html | title=Rep. Barbara Lee | website=[[The Tavis Smiley Show]] | date=November 13, 2008 | access-date=February 28, 2011}}{{dead link|date=June 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='I Was the First African-American Cheerleader at San Fernando High,' Says Rep. Barbara Lee |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/rep-barbara-lee-i-was-the-first-african-american-cheerleader-at-san-fernando-high/17563/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=NBC Bay Area |language=en-US}}</ref> When she was 15, Lee had a [[Unsafe abortion|back-alley abortion]] in [[Ciudad Juárez]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch: Rep. Barbara Lee Talks About Her Experiences With Abortions |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/watch-rep-barbara-lee-talks-about-her-experiences-with-abortions/2882649/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=NBC Bay Area |language=en-US}}</ref> She married Carl Lee, a member of the [[United States Air Force]], and moved with him to [[England]] after high school; they had two children, and then divorced when Lee was 20.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2013 |title=Video Oral History with The Honorable Barbara Lee |url=https://www.thehistorymakers.org/sites/default/files/A2013_249_EAD.pdf |access-date=March 2, 2023 |website=The HistoryMakers}}</ref><ref name="Wright">{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Austin |title=How Barbara Lee Became An Army of One |url=https://politi.co/2qUmkj1 |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=POLITICO Magazine |date=July 30, 2017 |language=en}}</ref> After the birth of her first child in 1966, Lee returned to California's San Fernando Valley.<ref name=":0" /> Lee describes the marriage as abusive, and she became homeless following the divorce.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berkowitz |first=Michael |date=2020-07-13 |title=New documentary film on Congresswoman Barbara Lee: She speaks for me! |url=https://peoplesworld.org/article/new-documentary-film-on-congresswoman-barbara-lee-she-speaks-for-me/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=People's World |language=en-US}}</ref>

She later moved to the [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] and attended [[Mills College]], where she served as president of the college's Black Student Union, and she graduated in 1973 with a [[Bachelor of Arts|bachelor of arts]] in [[psychology]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mills Establishes Barbara Lee Chair in Women's Leadership |url=https://www.newswise.com/articles/mills-establishes-barbara-lee-chair-in-womens-leadership |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=www.newswise.com |language=en}}</ref> She later attended the [[University of California, Berkeley]], from where she graduated in 1975 with a [[Master of Social Work|master of social work]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/PROFILE-Barbara-Lee-Rep-Lee-committed-to-2875315.php|title=PROFILE / Barbara Lee / Rep. Lee, committed to ideals, takes heat for vote against Bush|publisher=SFGate|access-date=2018-04-04}}</ref> Throughout college, Lee was a single mother of two on public assistance and food stamps, and she often took her children to class because she was unable to afford child care.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Friedersdorf |first=Conor |date=2014-09-14 |title=Angry Letters to the One Member of Congress Who Voted Against the War on Terror |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/09/the-vindication-of-barbara-lee/380084/ |access-date=2020-10-28 |website=The Atlantic |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Early political career==
Lee worked for the [[Glendale, California|Glendale]] Welfare Council and later as a statistical clerk for the California Department of Labor Statistics.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Honorable Barbara Lee's Biography |url=https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/honorable-barbara-lee |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=The HistoryMakers |language=en}}</ref> As president of the Mills College Black Student Union, Lee invited Representative [[Shirley Chisholm]] to speak on campus. She was inspired to register to vote by Chisholm's visit, and she went on to work on Chisholm's 1972 presidential campaign, serving as one of her delegates at the [[1972 Democratic National Convention]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Biography: Early Years|url=https://lee.house.gov/about/biography|access-date=January 11, 2017}}</ref> Lee later said Chisholm was a mentor who inspired her to run for office.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Congresswoman Barbara Lee Commemorates 50th Anniversary of Shirley Chisholm's Presidential Campaign {{!}} Barbara Lee – Congresswoman for the 12th District of California |url=https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-commemorates-50th-anniversary-of-shirley-chisholms-presidential-campaign |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=lee.house.gov |language=en}}</ref> Also while a student, Lee volunteered at the [[Oakland, California|Oakland]] chapter of the [[Black Panther Party]]'s Community Learning Center and worked on Black Panther co-founder [[Bobby Seale]]'s 1973 campaign for [[List of mayors of Oakland, California|mayor of Oakland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2006/Black-Panthers-Led8oct06.htm|title=A Legacy of Activism: Behind Fury, Black Panthers Laid Course for Social Programs WILLIAM BRAND & CECILY BURT / Oakland Tribune 8oct2006|publisher=Mindfully.org|access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref> Lee was surveilled by the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] due to her involvement with the Black Panthers.<ref name="Wright"/>

As a graduate student, Lee founded the Community Health Alliance for Neighborhood Growth and Education (CHANGE), a community-based mental health clinic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Marianne |title=Congresswoman Barbara Lee |url=https://sistergiant.com/barbara-lee/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=sistergiant.com |archive-date=April 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401193447/https://sistergiant.com/barbara-lee/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was later offered an internship in the office of Representative [[Ron Dellums]], who represented an Oakland-based district. Following the internship, she took a full-time job in Dellums's office and eventually became his chief of staff.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-02 |title=Right Up Until His Death, He Told Barbara Lee to 'Keep Breaking Through' |url=https://www.rollcall.com/2018/11/02/right-up-until-his-death-he-told-barbara-lee-to-keep-breaking-through/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=Roll Call |language=en}}</ref> Lee was one of the only African Americans and women to hold a senior staff position on [[Capitol Hill]].<ref name="lee.house.gov">{{Cite web |title=About Barbara {{!}} Barbara Lee – Congresswoman for the 12th District of California |url=https://lee.house.gov/about/biography |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=lee.house.gov |language=en}}</ref> After leaving Dellums's office in 1987, she returned to the Bay Area and founded a facilities-management company.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Artists |url=https://www.bringyourownchair.org/artists/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=A Seat at the Table |language=en-US}}</ref>

== California State Legislature ==
Lee was elected to the [[California State Assembly]] in 1990 to succeed [[Elihu Harris]], who retired to successfully run for [[List of mayors of Oakland, California|mayor of Oakland]]. She served three terms in the Assembly, and she was elected to the [[California State Senate]] in 1996. She resigned her seat in the State Senate after winning a [[1998–99 California special elections|special election]] to the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] in 1998.

Lee was the first African-American woman to represent [[Northern California]] in the [[California State Legislature]].<ref name="lee.house.gov"/> During her time in the Legislature, she authored 67 bills that were signed into law by then-Governor [[Pete Wilson]], a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]; among those bills were the California Schools Hate Crimes Prevention Act and the California Violence Against Women Act.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1998-04-04 |title=Barbara Lee for Congress |url=https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/barbara-lee-for-congress-3009824.php |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=SFGATE |language=en-US}}</ref> Lee also worked to defeat California's [[three-strikes law]] and was an early champion of [[LGBT rights in the United States|LGBTQ+ rights]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inventory of the Barbara Lee Papers |url=https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8sx6kkw/entire_text/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=oac.cdlib.org}}</ref>

Lee was a member of the California Commission on the Status of Women and founded the California Commission on the Status of African American Males.<ref name="lee.house.gov"/>

== U.S. House of Representatives ==

=== Elections ===
[[File:Barbara Lee during debate on impeaching Bill Clinton (December 19, 1998) 02.png|thumb|Lee speaking on the House floor on the December 19, 1998 debate that preceded [[Impeachment of Bill Clinton|the vote on impeaching President Bill Clinton]]]]

After Dellums resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998, Lee successfully ran in the special election to succeed him, winning 66% of the vote. She was elected to a full term [[1998 United States House of Representatives elections in California|later that year]], winning 83% of the vote. She was re-elected to the House of Representatives 12 more times.

In lieu of running for a 14th term, Lee campaigned to succeed [[Dianne Feinstein]] in the [[United States Senate]] in [[2024 United States Senate election in California|2024]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Ulloa |first1=Jazmine |last2=Epstein |first2=Reid J. |date=2023-02-21 |title=Barbara Lee, a Longtime Congresswoman, Is Running for Senate in California |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/us/politics/barbara-lee-senate-california.html |access-date=2023-03-03 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

=== Tenure ===
Lee originally represented [[California's 9th congressional district]], from which she served until 2013. She later represented the [[California's 13th congressional district|13th district]] from 2013 to 2023, and she represented the [[California's 12th congressional district|12th district]] from 2023 until 2025. Her district was located in [[Alameda County, California|Alameda County]] and includes the cities of [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]], [[Emeryville, California|Emeryville]], [[Alameda, California|Alameda]], [[Albany, California|Albany]], [[Piedmont, California|Piedmont]], [[San Leandro, California|San Leandro]], and most of [[San Lorenzo, California|San Lorenzo]]. The [[Cook Partisan Voting Index]] gives her district a rating of D+40, making it one of the most [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] districts in the nation.<ref name="2022 Report" />

Lee's voting record as a member of Congress was ranked by the ''[[National Journal]]'' in 2007, based on roll-call votes on economic, social and foreign policy issues in 2006. Lee scored an overall 84.3%, meaning that she voted with a more [[Modern liberalism in the United States|liberal]] stance than 84.3% of the House. ''National Journal'' scored Lee as voting 82% liberal on economic issues, 92% liberal on social issues, and 65% liberal on foreign policy. The 92% rating on social issues came from Lee being grouped with 35 other House legislators who all tied for the highest, most liberal ranking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/house/lib.htm?o1=lib_composite&o2=desc#vr|title=National Journal's 2007 Vote Rankings – House Liberal Scores|website=National Journal|location=Washington D.C.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925100319/http://www.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/house/lib.htm?o1=lib_social&o2=desc#vr|archive-date=September 25, 2008|access-date=March 16, 2014}}</ref> Lee received a 97% [[Progressivism in the United States|progressive]] rating from "The Progressive Punch"<ref name="lib">{{cite web|url=http://www.progressivepunch.org|title=Leading with the Left|publisher=Progressive Punch|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015014847/http://www.progressivepunch.org/|archive-date=October 15, 2007|url-status=live|access-date=October 19, 2007}}</ref> and a 4% [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] rating from the [[American Conservative Union]].<ref name="con">{{cite web|url=http://www.acuratings.org/2006all.htm#CA|title=ACU Ratings of Congress, 2006|year=2006|publisher=American Conservative Union|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018031137/http://www.acuratings.org/2006all.htm#CA <!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date=October 18, 2007|access-date=October 19, 2007}}</ref> In 2016, [[GovTrack|GovTrack's]] 2015 Report Card on members in Congress ranked Lee the 3rd most progressive member of the House.<ref name="ReportCard">{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/barbara_lee/400237/report-card/2015|title=Barbara Lee Report Card 2015|date=2016|publisher=Civic Impulse, LLC|access-date=April 25, 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Death and state funeral of John Lewis - Joyce Beatty 02.jpg|thumb|Lee at [[John Lewis]]'s funeral in Atlanta on July 30, 2020]]
Lee endorsed [[Barack Obama]] in the [[2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries|2008 Democratic presidential primaries]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-barbara-lee/today-i-endorsed-barack-o_b_76177.html|title=Today I Endorsed Barack Obama|date=March 28, 2008|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref> In February 2019, she endorsed [[Kamala Harris]] in the [[2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries|2020 Democratic presidential primaries]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Burke |first1=Michael |title=Barbara Lee endorses Kamala Harris's 2020 bid |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/430072-barbara-lee-endorses-kamala-harris |access-date=February 19, 2021 |work=The Hill |date=February 14, 2019}}</ref>

By January 3, 2023, Lee had voted in line with President [[Joe Biden]]'s stated position 99.1% of the time.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bycoffe |first1=Anna Wiederkehr and Aaron |title=Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden? |url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/barbara-lee/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508155956/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/barbara-lee/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 8, 2021|access-date=25 January 2024 |language=en |date=2023-01-03}}</ref>

====AUMF opposition====
{{See also|Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001}}

Lee gained national attention in 2001 as the only member of Congress to vote against the [[Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists]] (AUMF), stating that she voted no not because she opposed military action but because she believed the AUMF, as written, granted the president overly broad powers to wage war at a time when the facts regarding the situation were not yet clear. She "warned her colleagues to be 'careful not to embark on an open-ended war with neither an exit strategy nor a focused target{{' "}}.<ref>{{cite web|last=Polner|first=Murray|date=March 1, 2010|title=Left Behind|magazine=[[The American Conservative]]|url=http://www.amconmag.com/article/2010/mar/01/00032/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217063009/http://www.amconmag.com/article/2010/mar/01/00032/|archive-date=December 17, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Lee has said:<blockquote>It was a blank check to the president to attack anyone involved in the [[September 11 attacks|September 11 events]]—anywhere, in any country, without regard to our nation's long-term foreign policy, economic and national security interests, and without time limit. In granting these overly broad powers, the Congress failed its responsibility to understand the dimensions of its declaration. I could not support such a grant of war-making authority to the president; I believe it would put more innocent lives at risk. The president has the constitutional authority to protect the nation from further attack, and he has mobilized the armed forces to do just that. The Congress should have waited for the facts to be presented and then acted with fuller knowledge of the consequences of our action.<ref name="Why I opposed AUMF">{{Cite news |author=Barbara Lee |date=September 23, 2001 |url=https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/Why-I-opposed-the-resolution-to-authorize-force-2876893.php <!--possibly behind paywall: https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/Why-I-opposed-the-resolution-to-authorize-force-2876893.php --> |title=Why I opposed the resolution to authorize force |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2018-04-04}}</ref></blockquote>Her vote made national news and a large and extremely polarized response, with the volume of calls gridlocking the switchboard of her Capitol Hill office. Although it appears to have reflected the beliefs of the majority of her constituents, the majority of responses from elsewhere in the nation were angry and hostile, some calling her "communist" and a "traitor". Many of the responses included death threats against her or her family to the point that the [[United States Capitol Police|Capitol Police]] provided round-the-clock plainclothes bodyguards.<ref name="Why I opposed AUMF" /> Lee was also criticized by politicians and in editorial pages of conservative-leaning newspapers, such as [[John Fund]]'s column in ''[[The Wall Street Journal]].''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=95001156|title=John Fund on the Trail: Who Is Barbara Lee?|website=Opinionjournal.com|publisher=The Wall Street Journal|date=September 17, 2001|access-date=December 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413184026/http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=95001156|archive-date=April 13, 2009|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In 2002, she received the Seán MacBride Peace Prize from the [[International Peace Bureau]] for her vote.

In her speech, she quoted [[Nathan D. Baxter]], dean of the [[Washington National Cathedral]]: "As we act, let us not become the evil that we deplore."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.democracynow.org/2009/9/16/let_us_not_become_the_evil_we_deplore|title="Let Us Not Become the Evil We Deplore" By Amy Goodman|website=Democracy Now!|access-date=August 28, 2016}}</ref>

On June 29, 2017, the House Appropriations Committee approved Lee's amendment to repeal the 2001 AUMF that was the foundation of the United States' post-September 11 military actions. The amendment, if passed, would have required that the AUMF be scrapped within 240 days.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/house-committee-approves-repeal-of-2001-military-authorization|title=House Committee Approves Repeal of 2001 Military Authorization|first=Andrew|last=Desiderio|newspaper=The Daily Beast|date=June 29, 2017|via=www.thedailybeast.com}}</ref> In June 2021, Lee sponsored a bipartisan bill in the House to repeal the AUMF, which passed 268–161.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/06/17/1007363054/congress-is-poised-to-take-back-some-of-its-war-powers-from-the-president|title=In Historic, Bipartisan Move, House Votes To Repeal 2002 Iraq War Powers Resolution|author=Claudia Grisales|date=17 June 2021|accessdate=17 June 2021|publisher=NPR}}</ref> The bill was never put to a vote in the Senate.

====Foreign policy====
Considered a [[Factions in the Democratic Party (United States)#Modern Progressive|progressive Democrat]], Lee has occasionally split with members of her party throughout her career, especially on foreign policy.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} Prior to voting against the Authorization for Use of Military Force in 2001, she joined four other representatives in voting against the resolution to authorize [[Operation Desert Fox]] in [[Iraq]] in 1998, and later voted against US participation in the [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]] in 1999.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shenon|first=Philip|title=After the Attacks: The Lone Voice; In One Vote, A Call for Restraint|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/16/us/after-the-attacks-the-lone-voice-in-one-vote-a-call-for-restraint.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 16, 2001|access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Cunningham-Cook|first=Matthew|title=Barbara Lee's War on War|url=https://inthesetimes.com/article/barbara-lee-congress-911-anti-war-black-panther-violence-against-women-act|publisher=[[In These Times (publication)|In These Times]]|date=November 20, 2017|access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

In an August 2017 interview, Lee said of President [[Donald Trump]]'s comments on [[North Korea]], "His saber-rattling is putting the world at risk. The United States should be the grown-up in the room", and that his rhetoric reminded her of news about the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]] during her mid-teens, adding, "the words of war weren't as profound and dangerous and scary [then] as they are now."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/10/bay-area-members-of-congress-denounce-trumps-north-korea-threats/|title=Bay Area members of Congress denounce Trump's North Korea threats|date=August 10, 2017|publisher=The Mercury News}}</ref>

In September 2018, Lee was one of 11 House Democrats to sign a statement announcing their intent "to introduce a new, privileged resolution in September invoking the War Powers Resolution of 1973 to withdraw U.S. Armed Forces from engaging in the [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen|Saudi-led coalition's conflict]] with the Houthis should additional escalations continue and progress fail to be made towards a peace agreement."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/405340-dems-plan-resolution-to-withdraw-us-forces-from-yemen-civil-war|title=Dems plan resolution to withdraw US forces from Yemen civil war|date=September 6, 2018|work=The Hill}}</ref>

In April 2019, after the House passed the resolution withdrawing American support for the [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen|Saudi-led coalition]] in [[Yemen]], Lee was one of nine lawmakers to sign a letter to Trump requesting a meeting with him and urging him to sign "Senate Joint Resolution 7, which invokes the [[War Powers Act of 1973]] to end unauthorized US military participation in the Saudi-led coalition's armed conflict against Yemen's [[Houthi movement|Houthi]] forces, initiated in 2015 by the [[Presidency of Barack Obama|Obama administration]]." They asserted the "Saudi-led coalition's imposition of an air-land-and-sea blockade as part of its war against Yemen's Houthis has continued to prevent the unimpeded distribution of these vital commodities, contributing to the suffering and death of vast numbers of civilians throughout the country" and that Trump's approval of the resolution would send a "powerful signal to the Saudi-led coalition to bring the four-year-old war to a close".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Bernie-Sanders-Rand-Paul-Ro-Khanna-and-a-13746342.php|title=Bernie Sanders, Rand Paul, Ro Khanna, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to Trump imploring him to end US support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen|first=John|last=Haitiwanger|date=April 5, 2019|publisher=sfgate.com|access-date=April 6, 2019|archive-date=April 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406051042/https://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Bernie-Sanders-Rand-Paul-Ro-Khanna-and-a-13746342.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In October 2020, Lee co-signed a letter to Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]] condemning [[Azerbaijan]]'s [[2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war|offensive operations]] against the [[Armenians|Armenian]]-populated enclave of [[Nagorno-Karabakh]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Senate and House Leaders to Secretary of State Pompeo: Cut Military Aid to Azerbaijan; Sanction Turkey for Ongoing Attacks Against Armenia and Artsakh |url=https://armenianweekly.com/2020/10/02/senate-and-house-leaders-to-secretary-of-state-pompeo-cut-military-aid-to-azerbaijan-sanction-turkey-for-ongoing-attacks-against-armenia-and-artsakh/ |work=[[Armenian Weekly]] |date=October 2, 2020}}</ref>

In April 2021, Lee supported President [[Joe Biden]]'s plan to [[Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan (2020–2021)|withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan]]. In response to the news of the withdrawal, she stated "[w]e are finally doing the right thing, and we’re now on the cusp of ending the longest war in American history for good".<ref>{{cite news |title=Biden sparks bipartisan backlash on Afghanistan withdrawal |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/548007-biden-sparks-bipartisan-backlash-on-afghanistan-withdrawal |work=The Hill |date=April 13, 2021}}</ref>

Lee has supported US aid to Ukraine during [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|its invasion by Russia]] and has voted in favor of all bills for aid to Ukraine, with a rationale to "preserve democracy" and "make sure that the United States is on the right side of history and provides the resources, the economic resources, the humanitarian resources, so that Ukrainian people can live in peace and in security."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Garofoli |first1=Joe |title=Barbara Lee is famously anti-war. But not when it comes to supporting Ukraine |date=February 23, 2023 |url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/barbara-lee-war-ukraine-17799396.php}}</ref> On July 6, 2023, President [[Joe Biden]] authorized the provision of [[cluster munition]]s to [[Ukraine]] in support of a [[2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive|Ukrainian counter-offensive]] against Russian forces in Russian-[[Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts|occupied]] southeastern Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |title=Controversy surrounds US decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine |url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4085887-ukraine-russia-us-cluster-munitions-controversy/ |work=The Hill |date=7 July 2023}}</ref> Lee opposed the Biden administration's decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nichols |first1=John |title=Cluster Bombs Are "War-Crime" Weapons |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/cluster-bombs-ukraine-biden-congress/ |work=The Nation |date=10 July 2023}}</ref>

====Gun control====
Lee is a strong advocate for legislation restricting the availability of guns. She participated in the [[2016 United States House of Representatives sit-in|2016 sit-in]] against gun violence in the House of Representatives.<ref name="sit in">{{cite news |last1=Lochhead |first1=Carolyn |title=Sit-in by Democrats over gun violence forces House to close |url=https://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Sit-in-by-Democrats-over-gun-violence-forces-8319663.php |access-date=January 3, 2021 |work=SFGATE |date=June 22, 2016}}</ref> Democratic members of Congress adopted the slogan "No Bill, No Break" in an attempt to push the introduction of [[Gun politics in the United States|legislation increasing restrictions on guns]].<ref name="sit in" /> In a statement on the sit-in, Lee said:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-lee-joins-house-sit-in-on-gun-violence|title=Congresswoman Lee Joins House Sit-In on Gun Violence {{!}} Barbara Lee – Congresswoman for the 13th District of California|website=lee.house.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-04-04}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|Time and again, House Republicans have blocked our ability to keep Americans safe by preventing us from passing common sense gun reforms, including closing a glaring loophole that allows suspected terrorists to purchase weapons of war. These weapons of war, some of which can fire 900 rounds per minute, have no place on America's streets. We simply cannot allow this insanity. My constituents and people from all over the nation have been demanding action, but they are being ignored by the House's Republican leadership. Too many people have already been lost to senseless gun violence. Enough is enough; Congress must act to protect the lives of Americans.}}

[[File:STS-129 Crew Meets With Members of Congress.jpg|thumb|right|Lee meets with [[NASA]] Administrator [[Charles Bolden]] and the [[STS-129]] [[Space Shuttle]] crew in 2010]]

==== Environment ====
Lee introduced the Women and Climate Change Act in February 2018. The bill aims to create a Federal Interagency Working Group on Women and Climate Change.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4932|title=H.R.4932 – 115th Congress (2017–2018): Women and Climate Change Act of 2018|last=Barbara|first=Lee|date=2018-02-09|website=www.congress.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-04-04}}</ref> Lee said of the bill, "Climate change is already impacting communities around the world with a disproportionate effect on the world's poorest residents. Women make up the majority of the world's poor and are especially vulnerable to abrupt changes in the environment. As leaders in their families, women are called upon to find food and clean water, secure safe housing, and care for loved ones. As climate change worsens, provoking historic droughts, [[sea level rise|rising sea levels]] and violent storms, women and girls will bear the brunt of this global crisis".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-barbara-lee-announces-introduction-of-women-and-climate-change-act|title=Rep. Barbara Lee Announces Introduction of Women And Climate Change Act {{!}} Barbara Lee – Congresswoman for the 13th District of California|website=lee.house.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-04-04}}</ref>

====Education====
Lee is the author of the Shirley A. Chisholm United States−Caribbean Educational Exchange Act, which would enhance U.S. foreign relations with [[Caribbean Community|CARICOM]] nations. This act directs the [[United States Agency for International Development]] (USAID) to develop a comprehensive program that extends and expands existing primary and secondary school initiatives in the Caribbean to provide teacher training methods and increased community involvement in school activities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.176|title=Bill Text – 110th Congress (2007–2008) – THOMAS (Library of Congress)|date=April 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408122312/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.176|archive-date=April 8, 2016}}</ref> The bill is named for [[Shirley Chisholm]], who helped inspire Lee to become involved in politics when Chisholm ran for the [[1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries|Democratic nomination]] for president; Lee was the Chisholm campaign's Northern California chair.

==== Black Panthers ====
In 1968, Lee began volunteering at the [[Black Panther Party]]'s Community Learning Center in Oakland.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.blackpast.org/aaw/lee-barbara-j-1946|title=Lee, Barbara J. (1946 – ) {{!}} The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed|website=www.blackpast.org|date=March 16, 2008 |language=en|access-date=2018-04-04}}</ref> She also worked on [[Bobby Seale|Bobby Seale's]] 1973 campaign for [[List of mayors of Oakland, California|mayor of Oakland]].

Lee disagreed with the [[National Park Service]] removing funding for a Black Panther Legacy Project in 2017. She released a statement saying, "It is outrageous that the National Park Service has stripped resources from the Black Panther Party Research, Interpretation & Memory Project. The Black Panther Party was an integral part of the [[civil rights movement]] and the public has a right to know their history. I call upon the National Park Service and the [[United States Department of the Interior|Department of [the] Interior]] to provide a full explanation as to why these critical federal resources have been taken away".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-lee-responds-to-nps-funding-pulled-from-black-panther-party-legacy-project|title=Congresswoman Lee Responds to NPS Funding Pulled from Black Panther Party Legacy Project {{!}} Barbara Lee – Congresswoman for the 13th District of California|website=lee.house.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-04-04}}</ref>

==== Cannabis ====
Lee has supported a number of efforts to reform [[Cannabis (drug)|cannabis]] laws in Congress. In 2018, she introduced the [[Marijuana Justice Act]] to remove cannabis from the [[Controlled Substances Act]], penalize states that enforce [[Legality of cannabis by U.S. jurisdiction|cannabis laws]] disproportionately (regarding race or income status), and enact other social justice-related reforms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pasquariello |first1=Alex |title=Rep. Barbara Lee introduces companion House bill to Marijuana Justice Act |url=https://www.thecannabist.co/2018/01/17/marijuana-justice-act-booker-lee-khanna/96979/ |access-date=December 17, 2019 |work=The Cannabist |date=January 17, 2018}}</ref> Additional legislation Lee has introduced includes the States' Medical Marijuana Property Rights Protection Act,<ref>{{cite news |title=Medical Marijuana Property Rights Protection Act Introduced In Congress |url=https://norml.org/news/2012/08/09/medical-marijuana-property-rights-protection-act-introduced-in-congress |access-date=December 17, 2019 |work=NORML |date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> the Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Angell |first1=Tom |title=Lawmakers File Bills To Legalize Medical Marijuana For Military Veterans |url=https://www.marijuanamoment.net/lawmakers-file-bills-to-legalize-medical-marijuana-for-military-veterans/ |access-date=December 17, 2019 |work=Marijuana Moment |date=February 13, 2019}}</ref> the Restraining Excessive Federal Enforcement & Regulations of Cannabis (REFER) Act,<ref name="three">{{cite news |last1=Jaeger |first1=Kyle |title=Barbara Lee Files Three Pieces Of Social Justice Marijuana Legislation In One Day |url=https://www.marijuanamoment.net/barbara-lee-files-three-pieces-of-social-justice-marijuana-legislation-in-one-day/ |access-date=December 17, 2019 |work=Marijuana Moment |date=February 28, 2019}}</ref> and the Realizing Equitable & Sustainable Participation in Emerging Cannabis Trades (RESPECT) Resolution.<ref name="three" /> Lee was an original cosponsor of the [[Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act]] when it was first introduced in 2011.<ref>{{cite news |title=Members Of Congress Introduce First Federal Measure Since 1937 To Legalize The Adult Use Of Marijuana – Bipartisan Coalition Backs The 'Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011' |url=https://norml.org/news/2011/06/23/members-of-congress-introduce-first-federal-measure-since-1937-to-legalize-the-adult-use-of-marijuana-bipartisan-coalition-backs-the-ending-federal-marijuana-prohibition-act-of-2011 |access-date=December 30, 2019 |work=NORML |date=June 23, 2011}}</ref> In January 2019, she was named a co-chair of the [[Congressional Cannabis Caucus]].<ref>{{cite press release |date=January 9, 2019 |title=Congresswoman Barbara Lee Named Co-Chair of Bipartisan Cannabis Caucus |url=https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-named-co-chair-of-bipartisan-cannabis-caucus |publisher=house.gov}}</ref>

====Presidential election objections====
In 2001, Lee and other House members objected to counting [[Florida]]'s electoral votes in the [[2000 United States presidential election|2000 presidential election]] after a contentious [[2000 United States presidential election recount in Florida|recount]]. Because no senator joined their objection, it was dismissed by Vice President [[Al Gore]], who lost the election to [[George W. Bush]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?161423-1/electoral-college-ballot-count|title=Electoral College Ballot Count &#124; C-SPAN.org|website=www.c-span.org}}</ref>

After the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 presidential election]], Lee objected to [[2016 United States presidential election in Michigan|Michigan]]'s and [[2016 United States presidential election in West Virginia|West Virginia]]'s electoral votes. Because no senator joined her objections, they were dismissed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/06/politics/electoral-college-vote-count-objections/index.html|title=11 times VP Biden was interrupted during Trump's electoral vote certification &#124; CNN Politics|author=Brenna Williams|date=January 6, 2017|website=CNN}}</ref> [[Donald Trump]] won Michigan by slightly over 10,000 votes and West Virginia by over 300,000 votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/president|title=2016 Presidential Election Results – The New York Times|newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 9, 2017 |access-date=August 9, 2017}}</ref>

[[File:Obama signs Ryan White extension.jpg|thumb|Lee attends a bill signing ceremony in 2009]]

====Defense budget====
Lee called for a 10% cut to the [[military budget of the United States]].<ref>{{cite news |title=House and Senate Poised For Historic Votes On Reducing Pentagon Spending |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhartung/2020/07/21/house-and-senate-poised-for-historic-votes-on-reducing-pentagon-spending/ |work=Forbes |date=July 21, 2020}}</ref> She backed an amendment to reduce the size of the $740 billion [[National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021]], but a majority of Democrats and Republicans rejected it.<ref>{{cite news |title=We Can No Longer Afford the Military-Industrial Complex |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/house-senate-defense-spending/ |work=The Nation |date=July 22, 2020}}</ref>

====Housing====
Lee has made [[Affordable housing in Silicon Valley|affordable housing]] a top priority, particularly in the [[East Bay]]. She has supported and backed legislation meant to expand home ownership opportunities, improve public housing quality, and assist the homeless.<ref>{{cite web|title=Profiles of Social Workers Assisting Those in Need|url=http://socialworkdegree.case.edu/resources/infographic/10-profiles-of-social-workers/|website=Case Western Reserve University|access-date=September 30, 2014|archive-date=October 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006101900/http://socialworkdegree.case.edu/resources/infographic/10-profiles-of-social-workers/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Health care====
Lee was strongly critical of the [[Stupak–Pitts Amendment]], which places restrictions on [[Health insurance in the United States|health insurance]] plans providing coverage for [[Abortion in the United States|abortions]] in the context of the [[Affordable Health Care for America Act]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Carolyn Lochhead |date=November 10, 2009 
|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/11/10/MNQ81AHHRA.DTL <!-- possibly behind paywall: https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Health-care-bill-reignites-abortion-debate-3210336.php --> |title=Health care bill reignites abortion debate|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref> She supports [[Medicare for All]].<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1089966844784664577|user=BLeeForCongress|date=28 January 2019|title=I support Medicare for All because access to preventative or life-saving health care should never depend on how deep your pockets are}}</ref>

====Abortion====
Lee is [[Abortion-rights movements|pro-choice]]. During a September 30, 2021, hearing of the [[United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability|House Oversight Committee]], she recounted having to travel to [[Mexico]] for a back-alley abortion in the 1960s: "I'm sharing my story even though I truly believe it is personal and really nobody's business— and certainly not the business of politicians. But I'm compelled to speak out because of the real risks of the clock being turned back to those days before ''[[Roe v. Wade]]''."<ref>{{cite web |title="We Demand Better": Reps Cori Bush, Pramila Jayapal, and Barbara Lee Share their own Abortion Stories |url=https://www.democracynow.org/shows/2021/10/04 |website=Democracy Now |access-date=4 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-30|title=Congressional members share own abortion stories at hearing|url=https://apnews.com/article/abortion-religion-mexico-courts-missouri-419df71fd00c2e22c966c60a03d07828|access-date=2021-10-04|website=AP NEWS|language=en}}</ref> Lee opposed the 2022 [[Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization|overturning of ''Roe'']], which she called an "attack on reproductive freedom" and blamed on a "decades-long coordinated strategic assault on women's rights by right-wing extremists".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Barbara |title=My full statement on this Republican-appointed Court's decision to overturn Roe. |url=https://twitter.com/RepBarbaraLee/status/1540419960341659659/photo/1 |website=Twitter |access-date=27 June 2022 |language=en |date=24 June 2022}}</ref>

====Death penalty====
In 2002, Lee's opposition to the [[Capital punishment in the United States|death penalty]] was recognized by [[Death Penalty Focus]], which gave her the [[Mario Cuomo]] Act of Courage Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://0-www.gpo.gov.library.colby.edu/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2003-06-26/pdf/CREC-2003-06-26-pt1-PgE1360.pdf |title=Colby College |publisher=Colby College |access-date=December 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520065238/http://0-www.gpo.gov.library.colby.edu/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2003-06-26/pdf/CREC-2003-06-26-pt1-PgE1360.pdf |archive-date=May 20, 2012 }}</ref>

==== Louis Farrakhan ====
In March 2018, Lee said, "I unequivocally condemn Minister [[Louis Farrakhan|Farrakhan]]'s [[Antisemitism in the United States|anti-Semitic]] and hateful comments."<ref name="BierHouse">{{cite news |last1=Bier |first1=Jeryl |title=The Nation of Islam and the House |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-nation-of-islam-and-the-house-11546559607 |access-date=4 January 2019 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=3 January 2019}}</ref>

=== Committee assignments ===
For the [[118th United States Congress|118th Congress]]:<ref>{{cite web |title=Barbara Lee |url=https://clerk.house.gov/members/L000551 |publisher=Clerk of the United States House of Representatives |access-date=16 April 2023}}</ref>
* [[United States House Committee on Appropriations|Committee on Appropriations]]
** [[United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies]]
** [[United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies]]
** [[United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs|Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs]] (Ranking Member)
* [[United States House Committee on the Budget|Committee on the Budget]]

===Caucus memberships and leadership===
*[[Steering and Policy Committees of the United States House of Representatives|House Democratic Steering Committee]] (co-chair)
*[[Medicare for All Caucus]]
* Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity (chair)
* Congressional Caucus on HIV/AIDS (co-chair)
* Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus (co-chair)
* [[Congressional Progressive Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Caucus Members|url=https://cpc-grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=71&sectiontree=2,71|publisher=Congressional Progressive Caucus|access-date=30 January 2018}}</ref> (former co-chair and former whip)
* [[Congressional Black Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Membership|url=https://cbc.house.gov/membership/|publisher=Congressional Black Caucus|access-date=7 March 2018}}</ref> (former chair, 2008–2010)
* [[Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Members|url=https://capac-chu.house.gov/members|publisher=Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus|access-date=24 May 2018}}</ref>
* Health Care Task Force
* [[Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety]]
* [[United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Our Members|url=https://royce.house.gov/internationalconservation/members.html|publisher=U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801155201/https://royce.house.gov/internationalconservation/members.html|archive-date=August 1, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* [[Congressional Equality Caucus|Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus]] (vice chair and founding member)
* Congressional Social Work Caucus (chair)
* [[Congressional Arts Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Membership|url=https://artscaucus-slaughter.house.gov/membership|publisher=Congressional Arts Caucus|access-date=13 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140644/https://artscaucus-slaughter.house.gov/membership|archive-date=June 12, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus (co-founder and co-chair)
* Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus (co-chair)
* [[Afterschool Caucuses]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Members|url=http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/policyCongressionalCaucuses.cfm|publisher=Afterschool Alliance|access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref>
* [[Congressional Cannabis Caucus]]<ref>{{cite press release |date=January 11, 2019 |title=Congresswoman Barbara Lee Named Co-Chair of Bipartisan Cannabis Caucus |url=https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-barbara-lee-named-co-chair-of-bipartisan-cannabis-caucus |publisher=lee.house.gov |access-date=January 11, 2019}}</ref> (co-chair)
* [[Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Membership|author=|url=https://bush.house.gov/era/about/membership|format=|publisher=Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment|date=|accessdate=12 September 2024|archive-date=September 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918182046/https://bush.house.gov/era/about/membership|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Strengthening Conservation Advocacy: Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus Expansion & Reconstitution|author=|url=https://www.refugeassociation.org/news/2023/12/18/strengthening-conservation-advocacy-congressional-wildlife-refuge-caucus-expansion-amp-reconstitution |format=|publisher=National Wildlife Refuge Association|date=December 15, 2023|accessdate=3 February 2025}}</ref>

On March 15, 2013, Lee announced the official relaunch of the Congressional Social Work Caucus to the [[113th United States Congress|113th Congress]] as its new chair.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Congresswoman Barbara Announces the Re-launch of the Congressional Social Work Caucus|url=http://socialworkcaucus-lee.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-barbara-announces-re-launch-congressional-social-work-caucus|website = socialworkcaucus-lee.house.gov|access-date = May 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140919080925/http://socialworkcaucus-lee.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-barbara-announces-re-launch-congressional-social-work-caucus|archive-date=September 19, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Lee co-chaired the [[Congressional Progressive Caucus]] with [[Lynn Woolsey]] from 2005 to 2009. She also chaired the [[Congressional Black Caucus]] from 2009 to 2011.<ref name="Committees & Caucuses"/>

On November 28, 2018, Lee lost an attempt to become chair of the House Democratic Caucus to [[Hakeem Jeffries]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://politi.co/2KDRmUX|title=Hakeem Jeffries defeats Barbara Lee in battle for Dem Caucus chair|first1=Heather|last1=Caygle|first2=John|last2=Bresnahan|website=POLITICO|date=November 28, 2018 }}</ref>

On November 30, 2018, House Democratic leader [[Nancy Pelosi]] announced that she had recommended Lee to become one of three co-chairs of the [[Steering and Policy Committees of the United States House of Representatives|House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee]] alongside [[Rosa DeLauro]] and [[Eric Swalwell]].<ref name="demleaderannounce">{{cite web |title=Newsroom – The Office of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer |url=https://www.majorityleader.gov/newsroom/113018-8 |website=www.majorityleader.gov |access-date=January 7, 2019 |archive-date=September 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904145526/https://www.majorityleader.gov/newsroom/113018-8 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="leesurrender">{{cite web |last=Caygle |first=Heather |title=Pelosi creates leadership position for Barbara Lee |url=https://politi.co/2rdSzJy |website=POLITICO|date=November 30, 2018 }}</ref> The change was approved on December 11, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.majorityleader.gov/newsroom/121018-2|title=Newsroom – The Office of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer|website=www.majorityleader.gov|access-date=January 7, 2019|archive-date=September 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904145527/https://www.majorityleader.gov/newsroom/121018-2|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===United Nations assignments===
Lee was the United States representative to the [[Sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly|68th]], [[Seventieth session of the United Nations General Assembly|70th]], and [[Seventy-second session of the United Nations General Assembly|72nd]] sessions of the [[United Nations General Assembly]].<ref name="Committees & Caucuses" />

==2024 U.S. Senate campaign==
{{main|2024 United States Senate election in California}}
[[File:Barbara Lee Oakland Pride 2023.jpg|thumb|Congresswoman Barbara Lee at Oakland Pride in 2023 with Attorney General Rob Bonta]]
In January 2023, it was reported that Lee planned to run in the 2024 election for the United States Senate seat held by [[Dianne Feinstein]], after she revealed her intentions to members of the [[Congressional Black Caucus]].<ref name=run2024>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/11/barbara-lee-california-senate-00077482 |title=Barbara Lee tells lawmakers she's running for Senate |website=Politico |date=January 11, 2023 |access-date=January 11, 2023 |last=Wu |first=Nicholas}}</ref> The report came a day after Representative [[Katie Porter]] announced her own candidacy.<ref name=run2024/> A third Democrat, [[Adam Schiff]], had also announced his candidacy. Lee formally launched her Senate campaign in Oakland on February 21, 2023.<ref name=senatelaunch>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/us/politics/barbara-lee-senate-california.html |title=Barbara Lee, a Longtime Congresswoman, Is Running for Senate in California |website=The New York Times |access-date=January 21, 2023 |date=January 21, 2023 |last1=Ulloa |first1=Jazmine |last2=Epstein |first2=Reid J.}}</ref> On September 29, 2023, Feinstein died while serving in office. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed [[Laphonza Butler]] to serve out the remainder of the term.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cadelago |first1=Christopher |title=Newsom picks Laphonza Butler as Feinstein replacement |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/01/newsom-senate-pick-butler-00119360 |access-date=October 16, 2023 |work=Politico |date=October 1, 2023}}</ref> On March 5, 2024, Lee failed to advance to the November general election after finishing fourth in the [[jungle primary]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/rep-barbara-lee-not-moving-forward-to-general-election-for-california-senate-seat/|title=Rep. Barbara Lee not moving forward to General Election for California Senate seat|first=Da|last=Lin|publisher=CBS San Francisco|date=March 5, 2024|accessdate=March 26, 2024}}</ref><ref name=senateprimaryresults>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/election/2024/primaries-and-caucuses/results/california/open-primary/senate|title=Senate: California Results 2024|publisher=CNN|date=April 15, 2024|accessdate=May 25, 2024}}</ref><ref name=fourthplacesenate /> With at least 99% of votes counted, Lee trailed Schiff and Garvey by close to 1.6 million votes, and Porter by about 400,000 votes, with Lee failing to lead in any county.<ref>{{cite news |title=California Senate Special Primary |url=https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/california/?r=81993 |access-date=May 25, 2024 |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=May 9, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=California Senate Primary |url=https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/california/?r=8589 |access-date=May 25, 2024 |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=May 9, 2024}}</ref> As Lee did not seek re-election to her House of Representatives seat, the defeat also ensured the end of her career in Congress by January 2025.<ref name=fourthplacesenate>{{cite news|url=https://rollcall.com/2024/03/06/rep-barbara-lee-defeated-in-california-senate-primary/|title=Rep. Barbara Lee defeated in California Senate primary|first=Daniela|last=Altimari|publisher=Roll Call|date=March 6, 2024|accessdate=March 26, 2024}}</ref>

==Mayor of Oakland==
===Campaign===
{{main|2025 Oakland mayoral special election}}
Following the [[2024 Oakland mayoral recall election]], Lee announced that she would run for [[mayor of Oakland]] in the [[2025 Oakland mayoral special election]] on January 8, 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5074243-barbara-lee-running-mayor-oakland/|title=Lee announces candidacy for Oakland mayor|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=January 8, 2025}}</ref> The election was held on April 15, and Lee is one of 10 candidates appeared on the ballot in the mayoral race.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/oakland-mayor-district-2-measure-a/3844583/|title=Oakland special election to decide new mayor, District 2 seat and Measure A|website=NBC Bay Area|date=April 14, 2025|accessdate=April 14, 2025}}</ref> Initial results showed [[Loren Taylor]] earning over 51% percent of the vote in the second ballot. However, multiple media and news organizations called the race for Lee on April 18, three days after the election.

=== Tenure ===
Lee was sworn in during an Oakland City Council meeting on May 20, 2025. She is the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Oakland.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Corry |first=Melanie |date=2025-05-09 |title=Incoming Oakland mayor Barbara Lee names her chief of staff - CBS San Francisco |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/barbara-lee-oakland-chief-of-staff/ |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

As mayor, Lee publicly endorsed State Senator [[Scott Wiener]]'s [[Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act]], which would legalize multi-family housing near all transit stations statewide if passed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-26 |title=Oakland Mayor Backs Senate Bill 79 to Address Housing Crisis - Davis Vanguard |url=https://davisvanguard.org/2025/08/mayor-lee-backs-transit-housing/ |access-date=2025-08-31 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Rev. Dr. Clyde Oden Jr. and Barbara Lee.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Lee with Rev. Dr. Clyde Oden Jr. on their wedding day on December 31, 2019]]
Lee married Carl Lee after graduating high school in 1964. She described the marriage as abusive, and she divorced her husband when she was 20.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Garofoli |first=Joe |date=2021-08-15 |title=In a rare turn, Rep. Barbara Lee gives a glimpse of her personal life in new documentary |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/In-a-rare-turn-Rep-Barbara-Lee-talks-about-her-16386326.php |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-02 |title=Longtime Oakland Rep. Barbara Lee marries Southern California pastor |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/01/02/rep-barbara-lee-marries-southern-california-pastor |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}</ref> The marriage produced two children, Tony and Craig, whom she raised as a single mother.<ref>{{cite web |last=Klar |first=Rebecca |date=January 2, 2020 |title=Rep. Barbara Lee married in New Year's Eve ceremony |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/476541-rep-barbara-lee-married-in-new-years-eve-ceremony |work=The Hill}}</ref> Both of Lee's sons now work in the insurance industry: Tony Lee is the CEO of Dickerson Employee Benefits, an African-American owned insurance brokerage and consulting firm, and Craig Lee is a senior executive at [[State Farm]].<ref name="kaperville" />

Lee married Rev. Dr. Clyde Oden Jr., a retired pastor from [[Oxnard, California|Oxnard]], on [[New Year's Eve]] in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Klar |first=Rebecca |date=2020-01-02 |title=Rep. Barbara Lee married in New Year's Eve ceremony |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/476541-rep-barbara-lee-married-in-new-years-eve-ceremony/ |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref> They live together in Oakland.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Washington |first1=U. S. Capitol Room H154 |last2=p:225-7000 |first2=DC 20515-6601 |title=Barbara Lee (California (CA)), 118th Congress Profile |url=https://clerk.house.gov/members/L000551 |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |language=en}}</ref>

In 2002, the Peace Abbey in Boston gave Lee the Courage of Conscience Award for her vote against the call to war after the [[September 11 attacks]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.peaceabbey.org/2015/05/recipients-of-the-courage-of-conscience-award/|title=Recipients of the Courage of Conscience Award |website=peaceabbey.org|date=May 2, 2015 }}</ref> In her speech, she said, "let us not become the evil that we deplore."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/norman-solomon/endless-war-becoming-the-_b_2725531.html|title=Endless War: Becoming 'the Evil That We Deplore'|first=Norman|last=Solomon|website=[[HuffPost]]|date=February 20, 2013}}</ref>

In 2003, Lee was recognized as a Woman of Peace at the [[Global Exchange]] Human Rights Awards in [[San Francisco]] with [[Bianca Jagger]], [[Arundhati Roy]] and [[Kathy Kelly]].<ref name="kaperville">{{cite news|url=http://www.kaperville.com/meet-barbara-lee-standard-members-congress/|title=Meet Barbara Lee: The Standard for All Members of Congress|date=October 30, 2013|access-date=July 9, 2014|newspaper=Kaperville Daily News|archive-date=September 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904145527/http://www.kaperville.com/meet-barbara-lee-standard-members-congress/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2010, Lee took the [[food stamp challenge]] and also appeared in the documentary film ''[[Food Stamped]]''.<ref name="kaperville" />

In 2014, Lee, [[Hill Harper]], and [[Meagan Good]] contributed to [[Enitan Bereola II]]'s bestselling book ''Gentlewoman: Etiquette for a Lady, from a Gentleman.''<ref>{{Cite book|title=Gentlewoman : etiquette for a lady from a gentleman|last=O.|first=Bereola, Enitan|isbn=9780615927770|location=Mobile, AL|oclc=867789790|date=2013-12-17}}</ref>

In 2015, Lee won the 43rd [[Thomas Merton Award]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Congresswoman Lee Receives Thomas Merton Award for Her Work to Advance Peace and Social Justice {{!}} Barbara Lee – Congresswoman for the 12th District of California |url=https://lee.house.gov/news/press-releases/congresswoman-lee-receives-thomas-merton-award-for-her-work-to-advance-peace-and-social-justice |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=lee.house.gov |language=en}}</ref>

Lee is an honorary member of [[Sigma Gamma Rho]].<ref>[https://bossip.com/2143834/2022-sigma-gamma-rho-honorary-members/ EE-YIP! Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Inducts Nicci Gilbert, Marsha Ambrosius, Wendy Raquel Robinson And More Into Pack Of Honorary Pretty Poodles]</ref>

== Electoral history ==
=== California State Assembly ===
{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=1990 California's 13th State Assembly district election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/1990-primary/sov-complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - June 5, 1990|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/1990-general/sov-complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - General Election November 6, 1990|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee|votes=28,809|percentage=73.32}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Aleta Cannon|votes=7,698|percentage=19.59}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Aubrey LaBrie|votes=2,787|percentage=7.09}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=39,294|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee|votes=52,860|percentage=79.44}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara M. Thomas|votes=13,682|percentage=20.56}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=66,542|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=1992 California's 16th State Assembly district election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/1992-primary/sov-complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - Primary Election June 2, 1992|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/1992-general/sov-complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - General Election November 3, 1992|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=40,193|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=40,193|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=90,432|percentage=74.49}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=David Anderson|votes=24,324|percentage=20.04}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Peace and Freedom Party (United States)|candidate=Emma Wong Mar|votes=6,643|percentage=5.47}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=121,399|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box invalid no change|votes=13,790|percentage=}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=1994 California's 16th State Assembly district election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/1994-primary/sov-complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - June 7, 1994 Primary Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/1994-general/sov-complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - November 8, 1994 General Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|date=16 December 1994|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=32,784|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=32,784|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box invalid no change|votes=12,324|percentage=}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=68,197|percentage=81.03}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Andre-Tanatha Ham-Lamme|votes=15,966|percentage=18.97}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=84,163|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box invalid no change|votes=19,925|percentage=}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

=== California State Senate ===
{{Election box open primary begin no change
| title = 1996 [[California's 9th State Senate district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/1996-primary/sov-complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - March 26, 1996|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/1996-general/sov-complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - November 5, 1996|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/1996-primary/sov-complete.pdf|title=State Senator by District|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Barbara Lee
| votes = 65,481
| percentage = 60.06
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Bob Campbell
| votes = 43,542
| percentage = 39.94
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 109,023
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Barbara Lee
| votes = 196,430
| percentage = 78.23
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Thomas N. Hudson
| votes = 37,341
| percentage = 14.87
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Peace and Freedom Party
| candidate = Robert J. Evans
| votes = 8,870
| percentage = 3.53
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Natural Law Party (United States)
| candidate = Carol Flyer Prettie
| votes = 8,465
| percentage = 3.37
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 273,226
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box invalid no change
| votes = 22,120
| percentage = 
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = California Democratic Party
}}
{{Election box end}}

=== U.S. House of Representatives ===

==== California's 9th congressional district ====
{{Election box begin no change| title= 1998 [[California's 9th congressional district]] [[List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives in California|special]] election<ref name="primary 1998">{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov//sov/1998-primary/1998-sov-primary.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - Primary Election June 2, 1998|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025|archive-date=October 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017131929/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov//sov/1998-primary/1998-sov-primary.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = California Democratic Party
  |candidate  = Barbara Lee
  |votes      = 33,497
  |percentage = 66.81
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = California Democratic Party
  |candidate  = Greg Harper
  |votes      = 8,048
  |percentage = 16.05
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = California Republican Party
  |candidate  = Claiborne Sanders
  |votes      = 6,114
  |percentage = 12.19
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = California Democratic Party
  |candidate  = Randal Stewart
  |votes      = 2,481
  |percentage = 4.95
}}
{{Election box total no change|
  |votes      = 50,140
  |percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box invalid no change|
  |votes      = 2,037
  |percentage = 
}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing|
  |winner     = California Democratic Party
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=1998 [[California's 9th congressional district]] election<ref name="primary 1998" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov//sov/1998-general/sov1998-general.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - General Election November 3, 1998|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025|archive-date=January 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114180844/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov//sov/1998-general/sov1998-general.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=87,389|percentage=82.21}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Greg Harper|votes=13,103|percentage=12.33}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Randal Stewart|votes=5,812|percentage=5.47}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=106,304|percentage=100.0}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=140,722|percentage=82.83}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Claiborne "Clay" Sanders|votes=22,431|percentage=13.20}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Peace and Freedom Party (United States)|candidate=Gerald Sanders|votes=4,767|percentage=2.81}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Natural Law Party (United States)|candidate=Walter Ruehlig|votes=1,975|percentage=1.16}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=184,497|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box invalid no change||votes=14,602|percentage=}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing||winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2000 [[California's 9th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2000-primary/sov-complete.pdf|title=Primary Elections - Statement of Vote, March 7, 2000|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2000-general/sov-complete.pdf|title=General Election - Statement of Vote, November 7, 2000|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=117,173|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=117,173|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=182,352|percentage=84.95}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Arneze Washington|votes=21,033|percentage=9.80}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=[[Fred E. Foldvary]]|votes=7,051|percentage=3.28}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Natural Law Party (United States)|candidate=Ellen Jefferds|votes=4,214|percentage=1.96}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=229,917|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box invalid no change||votes=15,267|percentage=}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing||winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2002 [[California's 9th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2002-primary/sov-complete.pdf|title=Primary Election - Statement of Vote, March 5, 2002|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2002-general/sov-complete.pdf|title=General Election - Statement of Vote, November 5, 2002|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=68,550|percentage=84.90}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Kevin Greene|votes=12,257|percentage=15.10}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=80,807|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=135,893|percentage=81.41}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Jerald Udinsky|votes=25,333|percentage=15.18}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=James M. Eyer|votes=5,685|percentage=3.41}}
{{Election box candidate no party in partisan race no change||candidate=Hector Reyna ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=6|percentage=0.00}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=176,852|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box invalid no change||votes=9,935|percentage=}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing||winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2004 [[California's 9th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2004-primary/sov-complete.pdf|title=Presidential Primary Election - Statement of Vote, March 2, 2004|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2004-general/sov_2004_entire.pdf|title=Presidential General Election - Statement of Vote, November 2, 2004|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=105,211|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=105,211|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=215,630|percentage=84.55}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Claudia Bermudez|votes=31,278|percentage=12.26}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change||party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Jim Eyer|votes=8,131|percentage=3.19}}
{{Election box total no change||votes=255,039|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing||winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2006 [[California's 9th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2006-primary/2006_sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - Gubernatorial Primary Election June 6, 2006|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2006-general/complete_sov.pdf|title=General Election - Statement of Vote, November 7, 2006|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=97,874|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=97,874|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change||party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=167,245|percentage=86.35}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=John denDulk|votes=20,786|percentage=10.73}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=James Eyer|votes=5,655|percentage=2.92}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=193,686|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing||winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2008 [[California's 9th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2008-statewide-direct-primary/complete-sov.pdf|title=Statewide Direct Primary Election - Statement of Vote, June 3, 2008|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2008-general/sov_complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - November 4, 2008, General Electino|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=California Democratic Party|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=80,466|percentage=99.90}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=California Democratic Party|candidate=Brad Newsham ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=79|percentage=0.10}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=80,545|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=California Democratic Party|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=238,915|percentage=86.06}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=California Republican Party|candidate=Charles Hargrave|votes=26,917|percentage=9.70}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Libertarian Party of California|candidate=James Eyer|votes=11,704|percentage=4.22}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Green Party of California|candidate=David Heller ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=37|percentage=0.01}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=California Republican Party|candidate=Christopher Kula ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=27|percentage=0.01}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=277,600|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing|winner=California Democratic Party}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change| title=2010 [[California's 9th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2010-primary/pdf/2010-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2010-general/complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - November 2, 2010, General Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Barbara Lee (incumbent)
  |votes      = 82,951
  |percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box total no change|
  |votes      = 82,951
  |percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Barbara Lee (incumbent)
  |votes      = 180,400
  |percentage = 84.27
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Gerald Hashimito
  |votes      = 23,054
  |percentage = 10.77
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = Green Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Dave Heller
  |votes      = 4,848
  |percentage = 2.27
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (United States)
  |candidate  = James M. Eyer
  |votes      = 4,113
  |percentage = 1.92
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
  |party      = Peace and Freedom Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Larry Allen
  |votes      = 1,670
  |percentage = 0.78
}}
{{Election box total no change|
  |votes      = 214,085
  |percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing|
  |winner     = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

==== California's 13th congressional district ====
{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2012 [[California's 13th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2012-primary/pdf/2012-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - June 5, 2012, Presidential Primary Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2012-general/sov-complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - November 6, 2012, General Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=94,709|percentage=83.11}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Marilyn M. Singleton|votes=13,502|percentage=11.85}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Justin Jelincic|votes=5,741|percentage=5.04}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=113,952|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=250,436|percentage=86.78}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Marilyn M. Singleton|votes=38,146|percentage=13.22}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=288,582|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2014 [[California's 13th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2014-primary/pdf/2014-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - June 3, 2014, Statewide Direct Primary Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2014-general/pdf/2014-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - November 4, 2014, General Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=77,461|percentage=82.59}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Dakin Sundeen|votes=9,533|percentage=10.16}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Justin Jelincic|votes=4,602|percentage=4.91}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Peace and Freedom Party|candidate=Lawrence N. Allen|votes=2,190|percentage=2.34}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=93,786|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=168,491|percentage=88.48}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Dakin Sundeen|votes=21,940|percentage=11.52}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=190,431|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2016 [[California's 13th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2016-primary/2016-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - June 7, 2016 Presidential Primary Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2016-general/sov/2016-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - November 8. 2016 General ELection|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=192,227|percentage=91.95}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Sue Caro|votes=16,818|percentage=8.05}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=209,045|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=293,117|percentage=90.78}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Sue Caro|votes=29,754|percentage=9.22}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=322,871|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2018 [[California's 13th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2018-primary/sov/2018-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - June 5, 2018 Statewide Direct Primary ELection|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2018-general/sov/2018-complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - November 6, 2018 General Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=159,751|percentage=99.33}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Green Party of the United States|candidate=[[Laura Wells]] ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=832|percentage=0.52}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Jeanne Marie Solnordal ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=178|percentage=0.11}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=James M. Eyer ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=39|percentage=0.02}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Lanenna Joiner ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=26|percentage=0.02}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=American Independent Party|candidate=Vincent May ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=3|percentage=0.00}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=160,829|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=260,580|percentage=88.38}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Green Party of the United States|candidate=[[Laura Wells]]|votes=34,257|percentage=11.62}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=294,837|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2020 [[California's 13th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-primary/sov/complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - Presidential Primary Election - March 3, 2020|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-general/sov/complete-sov.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - General Election - November 3, 2020|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=230,482|percentage=92.55}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Nikka Piterman|votes=18,553|percentage=7.45}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=249,035|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=327,863|percentage=90.37}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Nikka Piterman|votes=34,955|percentage=9.63}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=362,818|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

==== California's 12th congressional district ====
{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2022 [[California's 12th congressional district]] election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-primary/sov/complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - June 7, 2022 Primary Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/complete.pdf|title=Statement of Vote - November 8, 2022 General Election|website=[[California Secretary of State]]|accessdate=30 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=135,892|percentage=87.69}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Stephen Slauson|votes=8,274|percentage=5.34}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Glenn Kaplan|votes=5,141|percentage=3.32}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Eric Wilson|votes=3,753|percentage=2.42}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Ned Nuerge|votes=1,902|percentage=1.23}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=154,962|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee (incumbent)|votes=217,110|percentage=90.47}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Stephen Slauson|votes=22,859|percentage=9.53}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=239,969|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Democratic Party (United States)}}
{{Election box end}}

=== U.S. Senate ===
{{Election box begin no change|title=[[2024 United States Senate election in California]] Regular blanket primary<ref name = "official results">{{cite web|title=STATEMENT OF VOTE MARCH 5, 2024, PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY RESULTS|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2024-primary/sov/complete-sov.pdf#page=11|website=California Secretary of State|date=April 12, 2024|accessdate=April 12, 2024|archive-date=April 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240413044714/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2024-primary/sov/complete-sov.pdf#page=11|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=[[Adam Schiff]]|votes=2,304,829|percentage=31.57}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=[[Steve Garvey]]|votes=2,301,351|percentage=31.52}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=[[Katie Porter]]|votes=1,118,429|percentage=15.32}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee|votes=717,129|percentage=9.82}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Eric Early|votes=242,055|percentage=3.32}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=James Bradley|votes=98,778|percentage=1.35}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Christina Pascucci|votes=61,998|percentage=0.85}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Sharleta Bassett|votes=54,884|percentage=0.75}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Sarah Sun Liew|votes=38,718|percentage=0.53}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=[[Laura Garza]]|votes=34,529|percentage=0.47}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Jonathan Reiss|votes=34,400|percentage=0.47}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Sepi Gilani|votes=34,316|percentage=0.47}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Gail Lightfoot|votes=33,295|percentage=0.46}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Denice Gary-Pandol|votes=25,649|percentage=0.35}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=James Macauley|votes=23,296|percentage=0.32}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Harmesh Kumar|votes=21,624|percentage=0.30}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=David Peterson|votes=21,170|percentage=0.29}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Douglas Pierce|votes=19,458|percentage=0.27}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Major Singh|votes=17,092|percentage=0.23}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=John Rose|votes=14,627|percentage=0.20}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Perry Pound|votes=14,195|percentage=0.19}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Raji Rab|votes=13,640|percentage=0.19}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Mark Ruzon|votes=13,488|percentage=0.18}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=American Independent Party|candidate=Forrest Jones|votes=13,140|percentage=0.18}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=[[Stefan Simchowitz]]|votes=12,773|percentage=0.17}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Martin Veprauskas|votes=9,795|percentage=0.13}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Don Grundmann|votes=6,641|percentage=0.09}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Michael Dilger ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=7|percentage=0.00}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Carlos Guillermo Tapia ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=5|percentage=0.00}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=John Dowell ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=3|percentage=0.00}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Danny Fabricant ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=3|percentage=0.00}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=7,301,317|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box end}}
[[File:2024 United States Senate special primary election in California results map by county.svg|thumb|300x300px|Results by county{{Collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#7996E2|Schiff}}|{{legend|#DFEEFF|20–30%}}|{{legend|#BDD3FF|30–40%}}|{{legend|#A5B0FF|40–50%}}
}}{{Collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#e27f7f|Garvey}}|{{legend|#FFC8CD|30–40%}}|{{legend|#FFB2B2|40–50%}}|{{legend|#E27F7F|50–60%}}|{{legend|#D75D5D|60–70%}}
}}]]
{{Election box begin no change|title=[[2024 United States Senate election in California]] Special blanket primary<ref name = "official results" />}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=[[Steve Garvey]]|votes=2,455,115|percentage=33.25}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=[[Adam Schiff]]|votes=2,160,171|percentage=29.25}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=[[Katie Porter]]|votes=1,272,684|percentage=17.24}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Barbara Lee|votes=866,551|percentage=11.74}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Eric Early|votes=451,274|percentage=6.11}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Christina Pascucci|votes=109,867|percentage=1.49}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Sepi Gilani|votes=68,497|percentage=0.93}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Michael Dilger ([[write-in candidate|write-in]])|votes=27|percentage=0.00}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=7,384,186|percentage=100.00}}
{{Election box end}}

=== Mayor of Oakland ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:85%;"
|+
! colspan="18" |[[2025 Oakland mayoral special election]], unofficial results<ref>{{cite web |title=Ranked Choice Voting Results: City of Oakland Special Municipal Election - April 15, 2025, Mayor, Short Term - Oakland (RCV) |url=https://alamedacountyca.gov/rovresults/rcv/257/rcvresults.htm?race=Oakland%2F001-Mayor |website=Official Election Site of Alameda County |access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2" |Candidate
! colspan="2" |Round 1
! colspan="2" |Round 2
! colspan="2" |Round 3
! colspan="2" |Round 4
! colspan="2" |Round 5
! colspan="2" |Round 6
! colspan="2" |Round 7
! colspan="2" |Round 8
! colspan="1" |Round 9
|-
!Votes<br>%
!Transfer
!Votes<br>%
!Transfer
!Votes<br>%
!Transfer
!Votes<br>%
!Transfer
!Votes<br>%
!Transfer
!Votes<br>%
!Transfer
!Votes<br>%
!Transfer
!Votes<br>%
!Transfer
!Votes<br>%
|- align=right
|align=left|'''Barbara Lee'''
|'''47,177<br>50.03%'''
| +17
|'''47,194<br>50.07%'''
| '''+66'''
|'''47,260<br>50.16%'''
| +59
|'''47,319<br>50.25%'''
| '''+245'''
|'''47,564<br>50.56%'''
| '''+276'''
|'''47,840<br>50.92%'''
| +83
|'''47,923<br>51.17%'''
| '''+424'''
|'''48,347<br>51.75%'''
| '''+588'''
|'''48,935<br>52.70%'''
|- align=right
|align=left|[[Loren Taylor]]
|42,393<br>44.95%
| '''+43'''
|42,436<br>45.02%
| +32
|42,468<br>45.07%
| '''+66'''
|42,534<br>45.17%
| +94
|42,628<br>45.32%
| +264
|42,892<br>45.65%
| '''+366'''
|43,258<br>46.19%
| +292
|43,550<br>46.61%
| +379
|43,929<br>47.30%
|- align=right
|align=left|Tyron Jordan ''(withdrawn)''
|1,001<br>1.06%
| +18
|1,019<br>1.08%
| +23
|1,042<br>1.11%
| +22
|1,064<br>1.13%
| +53
|1,117<br>1.19%
| +46
|1,163<br>1.24%
| +124
|1,287<br>1.37%
| +245
|1,532<br>1.64%
| -1,532
| colspan="1"  style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;" | ''Eliminated''
|- align=right
|align=left|Renia Webb
|796<br>0.84%
| +10
|806<br>0.86%
| +23
|829<br>0.88%
| +47
|876<br>0.93%
| +53
|929<br>0.99%
| +106
|1,035<br>1.10%
| +145
|1,180<br>1.26%
| -1,180
| colspan="3"  style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;" | ''Eliminated''
|- align=right
|align=left|Mindy Pechenuk
|834<br>0.88%
| +8
|842<br>0.89%
| +24
|866<br>0.92%
| +32
|898<br>0.95%
| +72
|970<br>1.03%
| +52
|1,022<br>1.09%
| -1,022
| colspan="5"  style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;" | ''Eliminated''
|- align=right
|align=left|Suz Robinson
|755<br>0.80%
| +14
|769<br>0.82%
| +15
|784<br>0.83%
| +35
|819<br>0.87%
| +39
|858<br>0.91%
| -858
| colspan="7"  style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;" | ''Eliminated''
|- align=right
|align=left|Eric Simpson
|588<br>0.62%
| +5
|593<br>0.63%
| +14
|607<br>0.64%
| +51
|658<br>0.70%
| -658
| colspan="9"  style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;" | ''Eliminated''
|- align=right
|align=left|[[Elizabeth Swaney]]
|324<br>0.34%
| +9
|333<br>0.35%
| +32
|365<br>0.39%
| -365
| colspan="11"  style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;" | ''Eliminated''
|- align=right
|align=left|Peter Liu
|253<br>0.27%
| +13
|266<br>0.28%
| -266
| colspan="13"  style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;" | ''Eliminated''
|- align=right
|align=left|Cristina Grappo
|184<br>0.20%
| -184
| colspan="15"  style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;" | ''Eliminated''
|- align=right
! scope="row" style="text-align:right;" | Total active ballots
! colspan=2 | 94,305
! colspan=2 | 94,258
! colspan=2 | 94,221
! colspan=2 | 94,168
! colspan=2 | 94,066
! colspan=2 | 93,952
! colspan=2 | 93,648
! colspan=2 | 93,429
! colspan=2 | 92,864
|- align=right
! colspan=2 scope="row" style="text-align:right;" | Exhausted ballots
| +45
! 45
| +33
! 78
| +48
! 126
| +99
! 225
| +110
! 335
| +299
! 634
| +214
! 848
| +530
! 1,378
|}

== Publications ==

=== Articles ===

* Why lack of diversity in our foreign policy workforce is a problem for diplomacy, ''[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]'', February 29, 2024<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Barbara |date=2024-02-29 |title=Why lack of diversity in our foreign policy workforce is a problem for diplomacy |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/4497707-why-lack-of-diversity-in-our-foreign-policy-workforce-is-a-problem-for-diplomacy/ |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Abby Ginzberg]], director and producer of the documentary ''Truth to Power: Barbara Lee Speaks for Me''
*[[Jeannette Rankin]], the only member of Congress to vote against American entry into World War II
*[[Shirley Chisholm]], the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress and run for the Democratic presidential nomination
* [[List of African-American United States representatives]]
* [[List of African-American United States Senate candidates]]
* [[Women in the United States House of Representatives]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2001/09/15/state1844EDT0072.DTL |title=Text of Barbara Lee's dissent against the war in Afghanistan on the House Floor |access-date=August 12, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050923070551/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=%2Fnews%2Farchive%2F2001%2F09%2F15%2Fstate1844EDT0072.DTL |archive-date=September 23, 2005 }} September 15, 2001
* [https://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2001/09/lee.html Alone on the Hill] ''Mother Jones'', September 20, 2001, interview with Barbara Lee
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060111102525/http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2323/ Permanent Occupation] Rep. Barbara Lee, ''In These Times'', September 29, 2005
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060209103101/http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2493/ A Progressive State of the Union] Barbara Lee and Lynn Woolsey, ''In These Times'', January 31, 2006
* [http://www.democracynow.org/2009/10/7/as_afghan_war_enters_9th_year Rep. Barbara Lee: Lone Lawmaker to Vote Against 2001 Authorization] – video report by ''[[Democracy Now!]]'', October 7, 2009

==External links==
{{sister project links|d=Q289317|s=Author:Barbara Lee|c=category:Barbara Lee|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|wikt=no|q=no|m=no|mw=no|species=no}}
*[https://www.oaklandca.gov/officials/office-of-the-mayor Oakland mayor's website]
* [https://lee.house.gov/ Congresswoman Barbara Lee] official U.S. House website
* [https://barbaralee4oakland.com/ Barbara Lee For Oakland], official post-Congress site.
* {{C-SPAN|54579}}
{{CongLinks | congbio=L000551 | votesmart=8315 | fec=H8CA09060 | congress=barbara-lee/L000551 }}
* [http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8sx6kkw/ Inventory of the Barbara Lee Papers], African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library.

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{{Mayors of the 50 largest U.S. cities}}
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{{United States representatives from California 1-10}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Barbara}}
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