While the Santa Clarita City Council chose a familiar face as mayor for 2026, there will definitely be new leadership to light up Main Street by next Christmas.
After Mayor Laurene Weste accepted her eighth nod Tuesday, the council’s selection of mayor pro tem led to two more bits of news: Neither Councilman Bill Miranda nor Councilwoman Marsha McLean would be seeking re-election.
Councilwoman Patsy Ayala was named pro tem, a recommendation Miranda made, which he said was to encourage the continuity of leadership in the city.
The mayor pro tem traditionally has been the next in line for mayor. And if Miranda doesn’t want things to change in how the way things are run in Santa Clarita, November’s election could provide cause for concern.
It’s conceivable that Ayala could be the only familiar face on the dais in 2026.
Miranda said he’d be 83 years old at the start of another term, quipping last week that “I don’t want to do anything at 83.”
McLean said she lives in Ayala’s district, and she did not have any intent to move in order to run again in 2026, nor did she plan to wait until 2028 and run again.
Councilman Jason Gibbs, who represents District 3, has announced his intent to run for the 27th Congressional District seat held by Rep. George Whitesides, D-Agua Dulce, a bid that could take Gibbs from City Hall to Washington, D.C.
District 2
Denise Lite is the only candidate so far who has filed paperwork for District 2, which includes parts of Valencia, Newhall, Circle J Ranch and what’s now being called the Sunridge property in the center of the city.
Lite announced her campaign in an ad the day she was voted off the Planning Commission in July.
She contended that she was voted off for questioning moves made by Weste, who appointed her to the seat in September 2024, filling a vacancy created by Dennis Ostrom’s resignation in August. Weste denied Lite’s claims and said she wished her no ill will.
Rumors of a candidate who used to work on the third floor of City Hall persist but remain unconfirmed as of press time.
District 4
Weste said Thursday she was planning to seek re-election in the district-based race, but she has yet to file paperwork for District 4 — the only race she could enter, based on city records.
Weste has mentioned her Placerita Canyon roots in the past, but Ayala is set to represent that area until 2028. Weste has four properties in District 4, based on property records at City Hall.
All four addresses are in Saugus around Bouquet Canyon. All have rental income listed, except one: a townhome near Bouquet and Haskell canyon roads.
Weste did not respond to a request for comment Monday or Tuesday.
City records for 2024 indicate the home was vacant for remodeling as of last year.
Valerie Bradford, former president of the local chapter of the NAACP, filed paperwork to run in District 4, but has yet to make a formal announcement.
Joe Messina, president of the William S. Hart Union High School District governing board, filed a declaration to run for District 4 in January.
He said Thursday that instead, he was planning to seek re-election to the Hart district’s board based on some encouragement he’s received from teachers and others in the community.
District 5
The 5th District, which is largely Canyon Country from Sierra Highway to past Sand Canyon Road on the eastern edge of the city, does not have a declared candidate for the 2026 election yet, based on the filings currently available at votesantaclarita.com.
