Democrat Derek Tran wins California House seat held by Republican Michelle Steel, CBS News projects
Democrat Derek Tran has defeated Republican Rep. Michelle Steel in California's 45th Congressional District race, CBS News projects, wresting control of the Orange County House seat from the GOP in a contest that was among the most closely watched in the country.
Steel, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, was elected to Congress in 2020 after working for the Orange County Board of Education and serving on the Orange County Board of Supervisors. U.S. Army veteran and consumer rights attorney Tran narrowly edged out three other candidates in the March primary election to face off against Steel.
Steel released a statement on Wednesday afternoon conceding the race, noting that when she was elected, she "embarked on a mission to assist First Generation Americans, stand up to our adversaries, and defend human rights."
"The journey to work on behalf of legal immigrants and struggling families took me somewhere I never could have imagined – and for which I will always be grateful — the United States Congress," Steel said in a post on X. "Everything is God's will and, like all journeys, this one is ending for a new one to begin."
California's 45th Congressional District was one of just three House seats remaining undecided this week. It's a notable win for Democrats given the GOP swept the election, taking control of the House, Senate, and the White House with Trump's victory.
In a statement, Tran — who campaigned on a platform critical of Trump — said he would focus on meeting the specific needs of the Southern California district upon entering office.
"Throughout this campaign, I heard from voters who wanted representation that prioritizes our community's unique challenges," he said in the statement. "From the need for affordable healthcare and housing to the importance of an economy that includes everyone, people here are looking to the future with hope and determination."
He also reflected on his win as the son of Vietnamese refugees. "Only in America can you go from refugees fleeing with nothing but the clothes on your back to becoming a member of Congress in just one generation," Tran wrote in a post to X this week.
Steel, whose parents fled the Korean War in North Korea, has said her own journey as a U.S. immigrant inspired her political career, saying she joined the Board of Equalization after seeing her mother struggle to understand tax laws as a non-English speaker.
Initially elected to represent California's 48th Congressional District, she announced after redistricting that she would run in the 45th Congressional District in 2022. Spanning parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties, the district is home to a large Asian American and Pacific Islander population, who represent nearly 40% of all residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Data from the California Secretary of State show that of registered voters in the district, 37% are Democrats and 33% are Republicans. The race was called a toss-up by Cook's Political Report, which ranked the contest among the most competitive this election cycle.
Steel, one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress, said on her campaign website that she has "worked tirelessly to push back against reckless spending policies that are driving nationwide inflation from Washington and I have been committed to standing up to Communist China and standing with our democratic allies abroad."
Tran, who flipped the battleground district from red to blue, said on his campaign website that if elected, he would "put people ahead of politics, protect our democracy, and ensure everyone, no matter what neighborhood they come from has the opportunity to succeed without fear of their freedoms being taken away."
Among some of his major campaign promises were lowering the cost of prescription drugs, protecting the right to abortion, reducing U.S. economic reliance on Chinese supply chains, ensuring fair living wages, fighting political corruption and lobbying by special interests including the firearm industry in a stand against gun violence.
Tran declared victory Monday in a statement posted to his website, saying his win was "a testament to the spirit and resilience of our community."
"I look forward to representing that optimism and working tirelessly to ensure that our communities' voices are heard in Washington," he said.