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United States Representative, District 45

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Federal

United States Representative, District 45

This person holds your district's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives (2-year term).

Representative Derek Tran took 53.8% of the June 2 vote. Republican Chuong V. Vo took 15.3% to advance. The district covers part of central Orange County.

The winner holds one of 435 seats in the U.S. House for a two-year term. A member introduces bills, sits on committees that shape federal legislation, votes on the federal budget and on war powers, and handles casework between constituents and federal agencies. A first-term member is at the bottom of the seniority ladder that governs committee assignments.

The incumbent raised nearly $5 million in his first term — among the largest congressional campaigns on this ballot — with 72% of it from named individuals. His challenger raised about a tenth as much, almost entirely from individuals too. Weigh a first federal term against a modestly funded challenge.

Derek Tran

Derek Tran served eight years in the Army Reserve, including an activation for Operation Enduring Freedom. He later became a workers rights attorney and served on the board of a statewide consumer attorneys group. He and his wife Michelle also own a pharmacy in Orange County. He now sits on the House Armed Services and Small Business committees.

Tran says he is running to put people ahead of politics and protect our democracy. His parents fled Vietnam as refugees, and he says he joined the Army to give back to the country that gave him so much. In July 2026 he voted against that year's defense policy bill. He said Republicans blocked his amendments and added unrelated voting rules he could not support.

He promises to defend reproductive rights and expand health care access. He wants to raise teacher pay and support small businesses. He also lists gun safety and standing up to China among his priorities.

Chuong V. Vo

Chuong V. Vo is a Republican and a retired police officer. He advanced to the general election from a five candidate primary field.

Public coverage of his campaign is thin. No campaign website, biography, or issues page could be located.

He has not published a platform that could be located. Voters have little beyond his name, party, and ballot designation to judge him on.

Record in office

Chuong V. Vo has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress; these records cover only those offices. Derek Tran (Democratic) has served in the U.S. House since 2025 and has sponsored 16 bills in the 119th Congress; none of their bills have become law so far. Per Congress.gov and the public-domain congress-legislators roster, retrieved 2026-09-21.

Financial info

Chuong V. Vo

$495,763raised
  • Individuals$468,76397%
  • PACs & committees$17,0003%

Derek Tran

$4,981,277raised
  • Individuals$3,582,67876%
  • PACs & committees$1,103,26024%
  • Party$4,179<1%

Total raised is all receipts for the 2026 cycle; the breakdown lists direct contributions, so the pieces can sum below the total. Figures are FEC filings through June 30, 2026, per the FEC bulk campaign-finance summaries, retrieved 2026-09-21.

Your pick

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