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Federal · Statewide General Election

United States Representative, District 36

Draft candidate list — early preview until the state’s official list publishes on August 27, 2026.

This is one contest. Enter your address to see every race on your November ballot, and keep track of your picks.

On the ballot

This person holds your district's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives (2-year term).

Representative Ted W. Lieu took 60.9% of the June 2 vote and Republican Houston Brignano took 15.3% to claim the second slot. The district covers the Los Angeles Westside and South Bay.

The winner holds one of 435 seats in the U.S. House for a two-year term. A member introduces bills, sits on committees that shape federal legislation, votes on the federal budget and on war powers, and handles casework between constituents and federal agencies. Seniority governs committee standing, so a longer-serving member carries influence a newcomer cannot.

The incumbent has one of the highest bill counts in the delegation at 44 sponsored this Congress, with 2 career laws — a normal House ratio. His opponent raised about $5,000. The practical question is what this district gets from a safe seat.

Ted W. Lieu

Democrat, the sitting Representative for this district since 2015. He has sponsored 44 bills in the 119th Congress — among the highest counts in the delegation — and 2 of his career bills have become law. He raised $1,832,769, of which $963,244 came from individuals.

Strengths

A very high legislative workload, a decade of committee seniority, and a majority of funding from named individuals.

Trade-offs

A substantial share of his funding came from PACs and committees.

Keep in mind

A 61% primary is a fact about this district's registration as much as about his record.

Houston Brignano

Republican, who advanced with 15.3% of the June vote. He raised $5,139, all from individuals. He has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress.

Strengths

He gave this district a contested November ballot rather than an uncontested one.

Trade-offs

A campaign of about $5,000 and no record in office leaves very little for a voter to evaluate beyond party.

Keep in mind

Coverage surfaced little detail about his platform. That gap is what was available to us on 2026-08-10, not a comment on his candidacy.

Record in office

Ted W. Lieu (Democratic) has served in the U.S. House since 2015 and has sponsored 45 bills in the 119th Congress; 2 of their career bills have become law. Houston Brignano has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress; these records cover only those offices. Per Congress.gov and the public-domain congress-legislators roster, retrieved 2026-08-10.

Record details

Lieu — Committees: Foreign Affairs; Judiciary Lieu — HR 711 (2021): West Los Angeles VA Campus Improvement Act of 2021 Lieu — HR 3116 (2015): Quarterly Financial Report Reauthorization Act Committee assignments and the most recently signed-into-law bills each record-holder lead-authored, from the official legislative record.

Financial info

Ted W. Lieu

$1,832,769raised
  • Individuals$963,24463%
  • PACs & committees$570,47937%

Houston Brignano

$5,139raised
  • Individuals$5,139100%

Total raised is all receipts for the 2026 cycle; the breakdown lists direct contributions, so the pieces can sum below the total. Figures are FEC filings through June 30, 2026, per the FEC bulk campaign-finance summaries, retrieved 2026-08-22.

June 2 primary — how they advanced

Ted W. Lieu (Democratic)60.9% · 142,982 votes
Houston Brignano (Republican)15.3% · 35,851 votes
Melissa Toomim (Republican)13.1% · 30,653 votes
Marianne Shamma (Democratic)7.2% · 17,000 votes
Rustin Knudtson (Democratic)1.3% · 3,001 votes
Frederick Reardon (Democratic)1.1% · 2,688 votes
Claire Ragge Anderson (No Party Preference)1.1% · 2,470 votes
Source review: Very strong (95/100) · 5 cited sources

Official records anchor this contest, with multiple sources checked.

Last updated August 11, 2026.