Houston Brignano, a Republican, is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in California's 36th Congressional District. He faces Democrat Ted W. Lieu in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Brignano describes himself as a South Bay native. The seat carries a vote on federal spending, taxes, immigration and defense policy. Brignano said on his campaign website that he is running to "bring radical transparency to every dollar spent."
Candidate information
- Name: Houston Brignano
- Party: Republican
- Race: U.S. House, California 36th Congressional District
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Ballot status: Certified for the ballot
- Residence: South Bay, per his campaign website
- Family: Married with three daughters; the family homeschools their children
- Community involvement: Board member of a homeschool co-op in Redondo Beach and a church in Old Torrance, according to his campaign website
- Endorsements: California Republican Assembly, California GOP
Experience and public service
Brignano said he joined the Marine Corps after high school.
He is a Marine veteran. According to Ballotpedia, he served as a data network specialist in the Marines from 2003 to 2007.
After the military, Brignano said he built a career in technology and helped transform a dirt parking lot in downtown Los Angeles into what is now LA Live. Ballotpedia lists him as a manager and architect at AEG from 2008 to 2021. Brignano said he spent fifteen years working at venues and arenas across the country in sports, music and live entertainment.
He is listed as vice president and manager of infrastructure architecture at City National Bank from 2021 to the present, according to Ballotpedia.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Brignano's responses on his campaign website, Ballotpedia and BallotReady questionnaires. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Government transparency: Brignano said Washington spent $6.75 trillion last year while residents struggle to afford rent, with $882 billion going to interest payments alone. He said he would publish every meeting, every donor and every vote explanation online. He pledged to accept no corporate PAC money.
Housing and economic development: Brignano called the housing crisis "a political failure" rather than a market failure. He said he would create innovation zones for technology, manufacturing and energy to generate high-paying jobs locally. He also called for streamlining regulations he said have constrained opportunity in California and driven up costs.
Healthcare: Brignano said the current system is "designed by insurance companies and hospital monopolies to extract maximum profit." He proposed portable health savings accounts, cross-state competition among insurers and pricing transparency so patients know costs before receiving a bill.
Economy: Brignano said he wants to stop waste, fraud and abuse in government spending. He called for controlling executive regulatory overreach through the REINS Act and supporting young people through job training programs, fixing the student loan crisis, and tax breaks for homebuyers and new businesses.
Immigration: Brignano said he supports a legal immigration system that gives native-born citizens the first shot at jobs and opportunities. He called for strong borders, thorough vetting and removal of criminals, with no "back door deals or secret amnesty."
Candidate responses were collected through campaign websites, Ballotpedia and BallotReady questionnaires. South Bay Tide presents this profile to help voters understand the candidates in their local races.
