May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and in celebration of this, three Chinese American congress members – Grace Meng, Judy Chu, and Ted Lieu – endorsed three Asian American Democratic congressional candidates on May 7th. The aim is to help the Democratic Party regain control of the House of Representatives after the November elections.
The three Asian American congressional candidates endorsed are Lanon Baccam from Iowa’s 3rd District, Dave Min from California’s 47th District, and Derek Tran from California’s 45th District. They have recently been selected for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program, which identifies competitive Democratic congressional candidates and provides them with strategic guidance, resources, training, and fundraising support to ensure their success in the November elections.
Lanon Baccam from Iowa is the son of Laotian refugees, a military veteran, and a public servant who grew up in a rural area. He served in the Iowa National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2004. After his service, he exercised his veteran’s benefits to pursue higher education, subsequently working at the USDA under former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack.
Dave Min, running for California’s 47th District, is the only Korean American in the California Legislature and a former law professor specializing in business law at UC Irvine. He has drafted 16 bills signed into law by the governor, focusing on hate crimes, gun violence prevention, and family safety.
Derek Tran, the candidate from California’s 45th District, is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a veteran, consumer rights attorney, municipal official, and small business owner. His parents fled the communist regime in Vietnam to give their children a chance at the American dream. After serving in the military, his family operated a corner market where he worked after school. Following his military service, he attended law school and later opted to start a small business in Orange County, advocating for immigrant, worker, and consumer rights.
Grace Meng emphasized her commitment to helping more Democratic candidates win as the Vice Chair of the ASPIRE PAC (Asian American and Pacific Islander Rising and Empowerment Political Action Committee). By mobilizing more Asian American voters and attracting their support, the Democratic Party aims to regain control of the House of Representatives in November.
Sarah Lin, Deputy Director of the DCCC National AANHPI Engagement, expressed anticipation for continued collaboration with all candidates participating in the “Red to Blue” program to engage Asian American voters nationwide. She stressed that Asian Americans are an essential part of the Democratic coalition and integral to winning back the House of Representatives in November.