One of several competitive U.S. House races in Southern California finally has a winner over two weeks after Election Day.
Democrat Derek Tran won election to a U.S. House seat representing California on Wednesday, defeating Republican Rep. Michelle Steel.
Tran, a U.S. Army veteran and the son of Vietnamese refugees, will represent the 45th District, anchored in Orange County, which is home to a large Vietnamese American community. Tran will be the first Vietnamese American to represent a district, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The race was the third-to-last to be called in the country. As Orange County and Los Angeles County counted mail ballots, Steel’s margin of victory shrank before Tran took the lead 11 days after the election. Tran was leading by 613 votes when Steel conceded Wednesday.
“This 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. My parents came to this country to escape oppression and pursue the American Dream, and their story reflects the journey of so many here in Southern California,” Tran said in a statement when he declared victory on Monday.
Steel previously flipped this seat in 2020, two years after a Democrat captured the seat in the 2018 midterms.
The Associated Press declared Tran the winner at 4:03 p.m. EST.