LOS ANGELES (AP) — Democrat Derek Tran ousted Republican U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel in a Southern California House district Wednesday that was specifically drawn to give Asian Americans a stronger voice on Capitol Hill.
Steel said in a statement that “like all journeys, this one is ending for a new one to begin.” When she captured the seat in 2020, Steel joined Washington state Democrat Marilyn Strickland and California Republican Young Kim as the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.
Tran, a lawyer and worker rights advocate and the son of Vietnamese refugees, declared victory earlier this week. He said his win “is a testament to the spirit and resilience of our community. As the son of Vietnamese refugees, I understand firsthand the journey and sacrifices many families in our district have made for a better life.”
The contest is one of the last to be decided this year, with Republicans now holding 220 seats in the House, with Democrats at 214. The Associated Press has not declared a winner in California’s 13th District, where Democrat Adam Gray was leading Republican Rep. John Duarte by a couple of hundred votes.
Steel held an early edge after Election Day, but late-counted ballots pushed Tran over the top.
Steel filed a statement of candidacy on Monday with federal regulators, which would allow her to continue raising funds. It wasn’t immediately clear if she planned to seek a return to Congress.
In the campaign, Tran warned of Republican threats to abortion rights. Steel opposes abortion with exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life of the pregnant woman, while not going so far as to support a federal ban. Tran also warned that President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House would put democracy at risk.
On Capitol Hill, Steel has been outspoken in resisting tax increases and says she stands strongly with Israel in its war with Hamas. “As our greatest ally in the Middle East, the United States must always stand with Israel,” she said. She advocates for more police funding and has spotlighted her efforts on domestic violence and sexual abuse.
The largest demographic in the district, which is anchored in Orange County southeast of Los Angeles, is Asian Americans, and it includes the nation’s biggest Vietnamese community. Democrats hold a 4-point registration edge.
Incomplete returns showed that Steel was winning in Orange County, the bulk of the district. Tran’s winning margin came from a small slice of the district in Los Angeles County, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 2-to-1.