Rep. Ted W. Lieu, a Democrat who has represented California's 36th Congressional District since 2015, is running for reelection in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Lieu faces Republican Houston Brignano in the general election, according to BallotReady data. Lieu is certified for the ballot.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives, California 36th Congressional District
  • Born: 1969 in Taipei, Taiwan; immigrated to the United States at age three, settling in Cleveland, Ohio
  • Education: High school diploma, Saint Ignatius High School (1987); bachelor's degree in computer science, Stanford University (1991); juris doctor, Georgetown University (1994), magna cum laude. Lieu served as editor-in-chief of the law review and received four American Jurisprudence Awards, according to his congressional biography.

Experience and public service

Lieu's career spans military service, local government and state and federal office.

He served in the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps from 1995 to 1999. He later held the rank of colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve from 2000 to 2016, according to BallotReady profile data.

Lieu entered local politics as a Torrance city councilmember from 2002 to 2005. He also served as an environmental quality commissioner for the city of Torrance starting in 2002, according to his congressional biography. He clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

In Sacramento, Lieu represented Assembly District 53 from 2005 to 2010 and then State Senate District 28 from 2011 to 2014. He has served in the U.S. House since 2015. He was elected vice chair of the Democratic Caucus in 2023 and served as an impeachment manager in 2021, according to his congressional biography.

Endorsements

Lieu has received endorsements from several organizations, according to BallotReady data, which tracks endorsements claimed by the endorsing organizations. They include the California Democratic Party, the Los Angeles County Democrats, the AFL-CIO, the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, the League of Conservation Voters, VoteVets, the California Professional Firefighters, the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America and Reproductive Freedom For All.

On the issues

Health care and affordability: Lieu has opposed reductions in federal health coverage and food assistance. He voted against H.R. 1 in July 2025, citing its effects on Medicaid, Medicare and anti-hunger programs. He said protecting those programs is particularly important for children, seniors and veterans who depend on federal assistance.

Housing and local infrastructure: Lieu has used federal community-project funding to support housing, transportation and infrastructure in the district. In May 2026, his office announced $13.77 million for 14 projects, including $250,000 for Redondo Beach’s affordable housing acquisition program, $850,000 for Los Angeles’ Sepulveda Hotel to Homes project and $841,000 for Santa Monica’s emergency dispatch communications upgrade. These awards illustrate his approach of directing federal funding toward projects implemented by local agencies.

Climate and clean energy: Lieu supports reducing carbon pollution, investing in clean energy technology and establishing stronger renewable energy standards. His congressional issue page identifies those goals as central to his environmental work and points to the Climate Solutions Act, which he introduced in 2015, as an example of his legislative approach.

Artificial intelligence: Lieu supports federal safeguards for advanced artificial intelligence. In July 2026, he introduced the bipartisan AI Kill Switch Act with Republican Rep. Nathaniel Moran. The proposal would require developers of the most powerful AI systems to maintain the ability to slow, suspend or shut them down and would give federal officials authority to order intervention when a system could cause catastrophic harm. Those requirements would depend on the proposal becoming law.

This profile was prepared using publicly available candidate information, BallotReady election data and the candidate's official congressional biography. South Bay Tide did not interview the candidate for this article. Responses to a candidate questionnaire were not available at the time of publication.