In 1972, Stark moved to Oakland to run in the Democratic primary against 14-term incumbent U.S. Representative George Paul Miller of Alameda in what was then the 8th district. In the 1972 general election, he defeated Republican Lew Warden with 53% of the vote. He was re-elected a total of 18 times until loosing in the 2012 primaries to Eric Swalwell.