Derek Tran Triples Democratic Field In CA-45 With $300k Raised In Two Weeks

Oct

2023

PRESS RELEASE

Derek Tran Triples Democratic Field In CA-45 With $300k Raised In Two Weeks

Garden Grove, CA – Today, Derek Tran’s campaign for Congress in California’s 45th Congressional District, announced it had raised over $300,000 in just two weeks, more than tripling the combined total of the entire Democratic field’s 3rd quarter fundraising reports. The Army Veteran, consumer rights attorney, city commissioner, and small business owner, who launched his campaign on October 2nd, continues to build momentum in this Republican held district which President Biden won by +6% in 2020 and has a +6% Democratic registration advantage.

Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees and, despite other candidates being in the race for the better part of a year, he has quickly built the only credible campaign to compete with MAGA Republican incumbent Michelle Steel in this Southern California district which has the 2nd largest Asian and Pacific Islander population in the entire country, the majority of which is Vietnamese.

“This is a must win congressional district for Democrats to take back the house in 2024, and without a credible Democratic candidate, Derek once again answered the call to service and jumped into this race just two weeks ago. The response speaks for itself,” said former Democratic Party of Orange County Executive Director Ajay Mohan.

FEC filings posted today show Democratic candidate Kim Bernice Nguyen raising $55,604, Cheyenne Hunt $26,654, and Aditya Pai $7,178. Another Democratic Candidate Jimmy Pham has since withdrawn from the race.

Derek Tran’s life of service stand’s in stark contrast to MAGA Michelle Steel’s corruption, support for banning abortion even in cases of rape and incest, and votes against lowering the cost of prescription drugs, gun safety, and protecting California’s air quality, and coast from offshore drilling, have made her extremely vulnerable.

Tran is the son of refugees who fled the Communist regime in Vietnam, arriving in Southern California as members of the Vietnamese Boat People, named after the thousands of small watercraft, who sought freedom, opportunity, and safety in America after the Vietnam War. Through hard work and sacrifice, Derek’s parents opened a corner grocery where he worked every day after public school.

Enlisting in the Army at the age of 18, Derek wanted to give back to the country that had given his family so much, and went to law school to uphold the liberties, individual rights, and rule of law that his parents immigrated to America for. Turning down high paying jobs in corporate law, Derek chose to open up his small business in Orange County and fight for immigrants, workers, survivors of sexual harassment, and consumers.

Derek is married to his amazing wife Michelle, a pharmacist who grew up in Garden Grove. Together they run a brick and mortar pharmacy in Orange County. Derek and Michelle have 3 children who attend Orange County public schools. Derek sits on the board of Consumers of Attorneys of California and mentors at-risk youth at Sunburst Academy, which is located at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos where Derek served.

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California’s 45th is a Congressional District representing portions of Orange and Los Angeles Counties in Southern California. A majority-minority district, the District has the second largest AAPI population (36.97%) of any Congressional District, and the largest Vietnamese community in the country. President Biden won the current district lines by +6 points and it has a +6 point Democratic registration advantage. It includes all or part of the Cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, Cerritos, Buena Park, Placentia, Hawaiian Gardens, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Artesia, Los Alamitos, La Palma, Brea, Lakewood, and Fullerton, as well as the unincorporated community of Rossmoor. The DCCC has listed it as a “District In Play.”

Use of Derek Tran's military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Dept. of Defense or U.S. Army.