[1]: viii–ix He ran for re-election in 2004 along with Cheryl Chase, but was defeated in the Democratic primary by Pete Rios.
[2] In 2008 he ran again for the House in District 23, and won the Democratic primary along with Barbara McGuire.
However, while McGuire won, Bustamante lost in the general election to Frank Pratt.
[3] He again ran in 2010, and won the Democratic primary, along with McGuire, but in the general election they both lost to Pratt and John Fillmore.
He and Emily Verdugo won the Democratic primary, but they both lost in the general election, to Pratt and T. J.