Rep. Michelle Steel, a two-term incumbent in California’s 45th congressional district, appears to have conceded to Derek Tran Wednesday afternoon after a long slog of a race that is one of the nation’s closest remaining contests yet to be called.
“From the moment I came to the United States, I knew that giving back to the country that welcomed me with open arms would be part of my future,” said Steel, who made history in 2020 as one of the first Korean American women to be elected to Congress.
“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,” she said. “Everything is God’s will and, like all journeys, this one is ending for a new one to begin.”
Tran’s lead over Steel on Tuesday edged up to 613 votes in the district that spans Los Angeles and Orange counties, continuing a trend that started last week when the Orange-based Democrat outpaced the Republican from Seal Beach.
The race is one of two congressional contests in California and one of three nationally that have yet to be called. The outcomes of those three races will determine the size of the Republican Party’s advantage in the House.
Tran declared victory Monday evening, saying the “victory 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.”
He was vying to become the first Vietnamese American to represent the country’s largest Vietnamese community in Congress.
Both Steel and Tran have already filed paperwork to run in the district again in 2026.
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