5 Vietnamese American candidates compete for California’s 45th Congressional District seat
An almost entirely Vietnamese American field of candidates is competing for California’s 45th Congressional District seat, anchored by Orange County’s Little Saigon.
Democrat Derek Tran, 45, won the seat in 2024 by 653 votes over two-time incumbent Michelle Steel, becoming the first Vietnamese American to represent a district that includes the country’s largest Vietnamese community. The district covers parts of northern Orange County and Los Angeles County, including Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Lakewood, Norwalk and Westminster.
Democrats hold an eight-point registration edge, though roughly 25% of voters are registered with no party preference. Asian Americans account for about 40% of the district’s 750,000 voting-age residents.
The Vietnamese American Republican field includes Westminster Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen, Westminster Councilmember Amy Phan West, former Cerritos Mayor Chuong Vo and taekwondo studio owner Tom Vo. Operations analyst Mark Leonard, the only non-…