Pivotal Orange County House race between Asian candidates heats up

The race between Republican Rep. Michelle Steel and Democratic challenger Derek Tran in California’s 45th Congressional District is tightening as the 2024 midterms approach, reflecting both candidates’ emphasis on Asian American identity. With Steel trailing Tran by 1.5 points in a recent poll by USC, Cal Poly Pomona and California State University, Long Beach, the race may be decided by their competing narratives of immigration and the political future of one of the nation’s few majority-minority districts.

State of play: The battle between Steel and Tran is one of the most competitive House contests this cycle. Despite a five-point Democratic registration advantage in the 45th District, Republicans previously turned out in large numbers to support Steel. The latest data, showing Steel trailing Tran within the margin of error, indicates that the Democratic wave may unseat the two-term congresswoman, though Steel’s deep ties to the Vietnamese American community and conservative values could bolster her performance. Steel also enjoys significant financial backing, with Elon Musk’s super PAC, America PAC, reportedly spending $221,875 in support of her campaign. Steel currently holds $3.7 million in cash on hand, compared to Tran’s $1.2 million. Both campaigns have leaned heavily into their candidates’ immigrant stories, with Tran focusing on his experience as the son of Vietnamese refugees and Steel promoting her identity as one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress.
What they say on key issues: While both candidates frame their campaigns around their immigrant backgrounds, they diverge sharply on policy. Steel, a GOP stalwart, supports lower taxes and conservative stances on social issues, including opposition to abortion except in cases of rape, incest or to save the mother’s life. Tran, a first-time candidate and workers’ rights advocate, backs codifying federal abortion protections and increasing healthcare access. “Every woman has the fundamental right to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions,” he said. Steel, on the other hand, highlights her work on transparency in healthcare pricing and her opposition to communism, a key issue in the district’s Vietnamese community. “I know what it means to live in a country under the constant threat of violence,” she said. Both candidates have also faced controversies: Steel has been accused of “abusing” the South Vietnamese flag, while Tran has been criticized for representing a client who hung a noose in his office.

Share this Article