Orange County Republican Rep. Michelle Steel faces Democrat Derek Tran in closely watched congressional race
Orange County Rep. Michelle Steel is facing off against Democratic challenger Derek Tran to keep her California's 45th Congressional District seat in one of a handful of competitive races in the state that could help shift the balance of power in Congress.
Steel, who was endorsed by former President Trump last month, has held the seat since she was elected in 2020, after working for the Orange County Board of Education and serving on the Orange County Board of Supervisors. She faces opposition from U.S. Army veteran and consumer rights attorney Tran, who narrowly edged out three other candidates in the March primary election.
Initially elected to represent California's 48th Congressional District, Steel announced after redistricting that she would run in the 45th Congressional District in 2022. The district spans parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties, and is home to a large Asian American/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 has been called a toss-up by Cook's Political Report, which has ranked the contest among the most competitive this election cycle.
Steel, who was one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress, says 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 hopes to flip the battleground district from red to blue, said on his campaign website that if elected, he will aim "to 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."
A small business owner and the son of Vietnamese refugees, Tran has focused his campaign on issues including lowering the cost of prescription drugs and the right to abortion .
Recent polling from Politico shows Tran holding a 3-percentage-point lead over Steel.
