Expensive House Race in Little Saigon

by on 11-13-2024 in News

The race for the GOP-held 45th Congressional district, centered in Little Saigon, has become the most expensive House race in the U.S. As of now, over $46 million has been spent on the campaign, with Republican Rep. Michelle Steel facing a tough challenge from Democrat Derek Tran, a lawyer and Army veteran¹. The district, home to the largest population of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam, has seen significant outside spending, with about $34 million coming from various groups¹.

The 45th seat is home to the largest population of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam, concentrated in the Little Saigon cities of Westminster, Fountain Valley, and Garden Grove. Located mostly in Orange County, the district also includes Buena Park, parts of Fullerton and Yorba Linda, and a wedge of L.A. County that contains Artesia and Cerritos¹. The vast majority of spending on the race has been by outside groups, with former President Donald Trump backing Steel and former President Bill Clinton stumping for Tran¹.

Tran, a trial attorney and veteran, argues it’s time for someone of Vietnamese background to represent Orange County’s Little Saigon area. He spent some of Monday knocking on doors¹. In an interview with Eyewitness News, he sought to tie Steel to a former colleague of hers, former Supervisor Andrew Do who resigned from office and agreed to plead guilty to corruption charges. “I’m not part of this corrupt institution of Michelle Steel and Andrew Do,” Tran said¹. “They sat on the supervisory board together. They were each other’s chair and vice chair, voted against transparency laws when it came to COVID funding.”1

Steel, on the other hand, has defended her record and emphasized her commitment to the district. She has been actively engaging with voters and volunteers, making calls from her headquarters in Buena Park and thanking volunteers for their support¹. “I just want to say thank you to all of my volunteers here. We have over 400 volunteers,” Steel said¹. “We hit over 215,000 houses.”1

The race has been marked by accusations and counter-accusations, with both candidates trading barbs about corruption and transparency. Steel’s camp has alleged in mailers that Tran harbors communist sympathies, a tactic Steel has used in previous elections to capitalize on the district’s strong anti-communist sentiment¹. In turn, Tran’s campaign accused her husband Shawn Steel of allegedly working with Chinese nationals to influence the Trump administration¹.

The 45th congressional district race is one of the most closely watched House races this cycle, with both parties recognizing its potential to impact the balance of power in the House of Representatives. The contest between Steel and Tran is not just a battle for a congressional seat but also a reflection of the broader political dynamics at play in Orange County and beyond¹.

¹www.msn.com