By Akemi Tamanaha, Associate Editor
California State Senator Dave Min’s parents came to America in search of a better life. Now, he’s hoping to make the country a place his parents could be proud of again.
Min recently announced that he would run to represent California’s 47th Congressional district in Orange County with the blessing of CA-47’s current representative Katie Porter, who will run for U.S. Senate in 2024.
“I endorse my friend Dave Min in his campaign for Congress and have every confidence that his campaign will ensure that California’s 47th Congressional District continues to be represented by a progressive Democrat,” Porter said in a statement.
Min, the son of Korean immigrants, hopes that if he gets elected to Congress he can restore people’s faith in the American dream.
LATEST STORIES
“We have to fight to protect our values,” Min said in an interview with AsAmNews. “And then I think also make sure that people start believing in government, again, believing that America can be the country that you know, people like my parents came to. And I think for a lot of folks, honestly, they feel like that America is something of the past. We have to fight to restore that American dream.”
The 41-year-old grew up in California’s Bay Area and graduated from Harvard Law School with honors. For several years, he worked as a law professor at the University of California, Irvine, testifying before Congress on banking and housing policy.
In 2020, he won the race for California’s 37th State Senate district against Republican opponent John Moorlach with roughly 51 percent of the vote. Min told AsAmNews that 85 percent of CA-47 is encompassed by his State Senate district.
“So, we know we can win the area and that, that’s where it starts,” he said, pointing out that Harley Rouda, a Democrat who will also run for CA-47, lost the area in 2020.
Since 2021, Min has been an active State Senator, serving on the budget, transportation and energy committees in the legislature. He says his busy schedule won’t detract from his campaign, believing instead that it proves he’s the right person for the job.
Over the past two years, the State Senator told AsAmNews that 17 bills he authored passed into law. The bills address everything from gun violence prevention, reproductive rights and small business relief. He noted that Scott Baugh, a Republican candidate running for CA-47, hasn’t held a seat in over 10 years.
“So, it’s those two ingredients of I can win, and I can get things done that reflect what I believe are the emerging values of Orange County,” he said.
“Progressive for Orange County”
Some media outlets have labeled Min the “progressive” candidate, especially with Porter’s endorsement. The state senator describes himself as “progressive for Orange County.”
“On issues around the environment, reproductive rights, gun violence prevention, education, I will match my record with any progressive Democrat out there,” Min said. “But when it comes to other issues around the economy, small business, public safety, you know, there I tried to reflect the values in my district, which are a little bit more nuanced.”
Min identified gun violence, climate change and the cost of living crisis as issues that his constituents care about.
The State Senator has helped bring millions of dollars in direct appropriations back to his district and obtain EDD benefits for thousands of his constituents. He has held close to 15 town halls and met with thousands of stakeholders.
“If you talk to people in our area, they know who my office is, they know who I am, because of the work we’ve done,” he said.
A voice for Asian Americans
Min also hopes to be a voice for the Asian American community and stem the rise of anti-Asian hate. In 2021, he helped pass California’s API equity, a three-year $166.5 million investment into California’s Asian and Pacific Islander communities. He also helped author and pass SB 1161 in partnership with Stop AAPI Hate, which required the creation of a survey tool to help public transit operators promote safety.
“Orange County and California’s 47th Congressional District are home to one of the largest and most vibrant AAPI communities across the country, and they deserve to be represented by someone that understands their values and the issues they face,” said Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) in an endorsement for ASPIRE PAC, an AAPI-focused political action committee.
In July 2021, Min personally defended Republican Orange County Board of Supervisors Chair Andrew Do after he was the target of anti-Asian racism.
“The comments made at last night’s Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting attacking the Chair because of his Asian heritage and questioning his loyalty to this country serve as another painful reminder that there are still those here in Orange County who would traffic in the vilest and most disgusting types of anti-Asian racism,” he said according to the Orange County Breeze.
Min also hopes to combat anti-Asian racism with long-term solutions like outreach and education.
“We belong here, we have to give that message. So that’s why I think things like ethnic studies are important, why investing in Asian media and Asian community groups is important. And I will continue trying to fight for those priorities, should I get elected to Congress,” he said.
AsAmNews produced this story with funding under the Stop the Hate grant program from the California State Library Commission and in collaboration with the National Association of Asian Pacifics in Politics and Public Affairs. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Library Commission or the State of California.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc. Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our efforts to produce diverse content about the AAPI communities. We are supported in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.
