Updated Oct 16, 2026, 2:28 PM ET
Steve Manos, a Republican city councilor in Lake Elsinore, faces Democratic incumbent Mark Takano in the 2026 election for California's 39th congressional district after a two-way top-two primary.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
Live TruthIndex™ and prediction market consensus for races contested by Steve Manos.
Biography & Campaign Analysis
2026 race
Steve Manos, a Lake Elsinore city councilor, is the Republican candidate in the 2026 election for California's 39th congressional district. The seat is held by Democrat Mark Takano, who was re-elected with 56.7% of the vote in 2024. The top-two primary was a two-way contest, in which Manos received 38.96% of the vote to Takano's 61.04%, and both candidates advanced to the general election. Manos faces Takano, the incumbent U.S. representative, on November 3, 2026.