Though half-Indian Vice President Kamala Harris was defeated by President Trump on November 5th, Asian Americans nonetheless made slow but steady gains down-ballot, with Andy Kim being notably elected to become the first Korean senator in Congress and politicians such as Democrat Suhas Subramanyam being elected to the House of Representatives. However, the race for California’s 45th House stood among them as not only both candidates were Asian-American, but it was also highly competitive, with the current vote share being nearly evenly divided and potentially determining how much legislation President-elect Trump can pass in his first few months.

First, the district’s background must be understood to understand the dynamics of the race. California’s 45th Congressional District is a primarily suburban House seat located in Southern California and is incredibly racially diverse, with Asian Americans making up around 38% of its residents. Though it voted for President Biden by around 6% in 2020, voters have narrowly favored Republican candidates since, and it was generally considered the most competitive House race in 2024, with both parties putting it at the top of their districts to target. 

A map of the 45th Congressional District, located in California.

Representative Michelle Steel, born in South Korea, adopted a moderate approach in her campaign as the incumbent in the congressional district, having voted with President Biden around 21% of the time and has attempted to portray herself as a “bread-and-butter” focused Republican. However, she also made controversial decisions, such as voting against an act that would require the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages and supporting the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

She was defeated by Democrat Derek Tran, a Vietnamese-American attorney and army veteran whose father fled to the United States due to the Fall of Saigon in the Vietnam War. Tran narrowly won the Democratic primary and emphasized his Vietnamese heritage on the campaign trail, as the district includes predominantly Vietnamese-American cities and communities such as Little Saigon, Westminster, and Garden Grove. 

Derek Tran, seen on the left, and Representative Michelle Steel, on the right.

Currently, Tran leads Steel by around 596 votes and has been declared the winner in this tight race by the Associated Press. With Tran and fellow California Democrat Adam Gray likely to prevail in their races, Republicans will have a bare 3-seat majority next year, which is dangerously close. Given that elected Republican Matt Gaetz has already resigned from Congress and President Trump has chosen Representatives Michael Waltz and Elise Stefanik to be in his cabinet, potentially imperiling Republicans in the House until special elections are held and stalling their agenda. Overall, the race signified the growing influence of Asian Americans in dictating what Congress will look like and ensuring that their voices are seen, heard, and addressed.