Derek Tran Expands Lead Over Rep. Michelle Steel in One of Nation’s Tightest Congressional Races 

Democratic challenger Derek Tran expanded his pb successful the contention against Republican Rep. Michelle Steel successful the contention for California’s 45th Congressional District connected Tuesday, increasing his pb to 314 votes. 

Right now, some candidates are successful a dormant vigor astatine astir 50% of the ballot each with astir 310,000 votes counted according to information from the Orange County and LA County registrars of voters. 

It’s besides 1 of lone 5 legislature races successful the state not yet called by the Associated Press.

Tran’s pb has continued expanding since helium passed Steel connected Saturday. 

[Read: Derek Tran Pulls Ahead of Rep. Michelle Steel successful OC’s Tightest Congressional Race]

The bulk of the 45th Congressional District sits successful Orange County, encompassing Garden Grove and Westminster – representing Little Saigon. The territory besides encompasses Fullerton, Yorba Linda and Brea, portion dipping done Cypress and Buena Park 

The territory includes parts of Los Angeles County similar Cerritos, Artesia, Hawaiian Gardens and Lakewood. 

Steel — a erstwhile Orange County supervisor — has held the spot since 2020, and Tran is simply a governmental newcomer. 

Tran’s pb comes aft Democrat authorities Senator Dave Min won the hotly contested contention for the neighboring 47th Congressional District against Republican Scott Baugh. 

[Read: Dave Min Wins OC’s Coastal Congressional Seat]

With Min and Tran starring arsenic of Tuesday night, Democrats are poised to bent onto a bulk of the county’s legislature seats, which they’ve held since 2018 erstwhile the county’s full legislature delegation was swept by Democrats.

Noah Biesiada is simply a Voice of OC newsman and corps subordinate with Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative. Contact him astatine nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org oregon connected Twitter @NBiesiada.

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