CA-45

Derek Tran made history in 2024 as the first Vietnamese American to represent Orange County in Congress, flipping a traditionally Republican district that includes a large Vietnamese American population. A military veteran who served as an Army intelligence officer, he built his campaign around kitchen table issues like healthcare costs and housing affordability. Tran's victory was seen as part of a broader demographic shift in Orange County, where he successfully appealed to both the area's growing Asian American community and suburban voters concerned about economic pressures.