Who's In the Race

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) faces Republican Houston Brignano in the November 3 general election in California's 36th District. California uses a top-two primary system, in which the two highest vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party. California Proposition 50 redrew the boundaries of the 36th District for the 2026 election. ​

Lieu is a lawyer who served in the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps and represents California's 36th Congressional District in the U.S. House, after earlier serving on the Torrance City Council and in the California state legislature. He won the June 2 top-two primary with about 61 percent of the vote.

Brignano is a South Bay native and Marine Corps veteran who says he served two tours in Iraq; he and his wife are raising three daughters in the area. He advanced to the general election with about 15 percent of the primary vote, edging fellow Republican Melissa Toomim by about 2.2 percentage points to claim the second slot.

What They Stand For

Lieu has proposed reversing Medicaid and Medicare cuts and rolling back what he calls "disastrous" tariffs to lower everyday costs, according to a Southern California News Group candidate questionnaire. He's also supported:

  • Building more housing and preventing homelessness through a proposed Housing Stabilization Fund covering short-term rent, utility, and legal costs,
  • Requiring warrants and limits on law-enforcement use of facial recognition, and similar safeguards for license-plate readers,
  • Comprehensive immigration reform combining border security with a citizenship pathway for Dreamers and long-term undocumented residents; and
  • Opposing new offshore oil drilling off California and requiring data centers to pay for their own energy and grid upgrades rather than passing those costs to households.

Brignano's campaign website says he proposes job training and reskilling to help young people "master AI" and protect jobs from automation. He's also supported:

  • Strong border security with thorough vetting and no "back door deals or secret amnesty,"
  • A healthcare system that gives individuals and families more choices and a greater role for local institutions; and
  • Reducing government waste and regulation while providing student-loan relief and tax breaks for home buyers and new businesses.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

Cook Political Report rated the race "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 9; Sabato's Crystal Ball gave it the same rating as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections also rated it "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 2. Kalshi traders gave Democrats, whose nominee is Lieu, a 98.43 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 15.

Those assessments align with the district's recent history: Lieu won the 2022 general election with about 70 percent of the vote and the 2024 general election with about 69 percent. In 2022, Democrats won 40 of California's 52 U.S. House seats, and a separate tally counts 43 Democratic winners against 9 Republican winners. In the 2024 presidential race, Democrat Kamala Harris carried California with about 58 percent of the vote.

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