Democrat Derek Tran won a Southern California House seat on Wednesday, defeating Republican Rep. Michelle Steel. This district was created to give Asian Americans a stronger voice in Congress, and Tran’s victory is seen as a big step in that direction.
Steel, who won the seat in 2020, said she’s ready to move on to new things. She was part of a historic group of Korean-American women elected to Congress, alongside Rep. Marilyn Strickland of Washington and Rep. Young Kim of California. Tran, a lawyer and advocate for workers’ rights, is the son of Vietnamese refugees. He said his win represents the strength and resilience of the community, adding that he understands the sacrifices many families in the district made to build a better life.
This race was one of the last to be decided, with Republicans holding 220 seats in the House and Democrats holding 214. The winner of California’s 13th District is still up in the air, with Democrat Adam Gray currently leading Republican John Duarte by a small margin.
Steel had filed paperwork earlier this week to continue fundraising, but it’s unclear whether she plans to run again for Congress. During the campaign, Tran criticized Republican threats to abortion rights. Steel, who opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother, did not support a federal ban. Tran also warned that a return of Donald Trump to the White House would threaten democracy.
In Congress, Steel has been a strong voice against tax hikes and has consistently supported Israel in its conflict with Hamas. She’s also focused on issues like police funding, domestic violence, and sexual abuse.
The district, which includes a large part of Orange County and parts of Los Angeles County, has a big Asian American population, with the largest group being Vietnamese Americans. Democrats hold a slight registration advantage. Although Steel was ahead in Orange County, Tran’s win came from the Los Angeles County portion of the district, where Democrats outnumber Republicans.