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Federal · Statewide General Election

United States Representative, District 39

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 Mark Takano took 61.0% of the June 2 vote and Republican Steve Manos took 39.0%; they were the only two candidates on the primary ballot. The district covers Riverside and part of the Inland Empire.

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 6 career bills enacted, among the stronger counts in the delegation, on a comparatively modest budget. His opponent has reported no funding and still took 39% of the vote. Both facts are worth weighing.

Mark Takano

Democrat, the sitting Representative for this district since 2013. He has sponsored 26 bills in the 119th Congress, and 6 of his career bills have become law — among the stronger counts in the delegation. He raised $893,848, of which $477,990 came from individuals.

Strengths

Six career laws is a strong House record, achieved on a smaller budget than most members with comparable seniority.

Trade-offs

About half 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.

Steve Manos

Republican, and the only other candidate on this district's ballot, with 39.0% of the June vote. He has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress. Federal filings show no contributions reported for his committee.

Strengths

He took nearly four in ten votes with no reported campaign funding at all.

Trade-offs

No money and no record in office leaves very little for a voter to evaluate beyond party.

Keep in mind

Coverage surfaced almost no biographical or platform detail about him. That gap is what was available to us on 2026-08-10, not a comment on his candidacy.

Record in office

Mark Takano (Democratic) has served in the U.S. House since 2013 and has sponsored 26 bills in the 119th Congress; 6 of their career bills have become law. Steve Manos 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

Takano — Committees: Education and Workforce; Veterans' Affairs Takano — HR 366 (2023): Korean American VALOR Act Takano — HR 5983 (2021): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4150 Chicago Avenue in Riverside, California, as the "Woodie Rucker-Hughes Post Office Building". Takano — HR 8247 (2020): Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020 Committee assignments and the most recently signed-into-law bills each record-holder lead-authored, from the official legislative record.

Financial info

Mark Takano

$893,848raised
  • Individuals$477,99054%
  • PACs & committees$404,80046%

Steve Manos has no fundraising on file with the FEC.

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

Mark Takano (Democratic)61.0% · 75,467 votes
Steve Manos (Republican)39.0% · 48,177 votes
Source review: Very strong (95/100) · 5 cited sources

Official records anchor this contest, with multiple sources checked.

Last updated August 11, 2026.