
San Juan Capistrano Councilmember Sergio Farias is running for the 74th Assembly District seat in 2026.
Farias, a Democrat, said he was inspired to start his campaign after hearing people in the district, which spans Orange and San Diego counties, are struggling with rising costs and achieving the “California dream.”
“We pay a lot of taxes here, and they need to come back to our district,” Farias said. “That will be my biggest focus — getting those dollars back here and putting them to work for our biggest needs.”
Farias was first elected to the San Juan Capistrano City Council in 2016. During his time on the council, he served as mayor twice.
A big motivator for him, Sergio said, is his experience taking over his father’s landscaping business at 16 years old.
Farias’ father passed away while he was still in high school, forcing him to take charge of the business while attending school full-time and helping the family pay bills.
“There’s no excuses when you’re in a position like that,” Farias said. “I think that experience has guided me with not only a positive attitude toward adversity but helped me face it head-on.”
As a son of immigrant parents who has experience working with people of different backgrounds, Farias said he wants his campaign focusing on working people, supporting small businesses, bringing new infrastructure to the district and helping the community during times of high prices.
Throughout Farias’ time on the City Council, he was part of the city’s decision to purchase properties and bring new affordable housing to the city. In 2024, the City Council voted in favor of purchasing a vacant property off of Don Juan Avenue to turn it into affordable housing for senior citizens.
“I think that the best way to make decisions is at the local level, with people who understand the communities where these decisions are being made,” Farias said. “I think that we need to get back to listening to our constituents and knowing what their needs are, especially as we face so many new challenges.”
And the recent fires in Los Angeles County, Farias said, shows an important need for California cities to update infrastructure with more fire-resistant buildings.
The 74th Assembly District includes communities in southern Orange County, including Dana Point, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. It is represented by Assemblymember Laurie Davies, R-Laguna Niguel, who won her bid for re-election in 2024.
Living his whole life in San Juan Capistrano, Farias said he learned the needs of the community and learned not to represent himself but rather the community as a whole.
“I got to work with people, get to know people and work together with them to find solutions and compromise,” Farias said. “California is innovative, and we need to continue to be innovative.”