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Ballot Explained

U.S. House · November 3, 2026

Who's running in California's 45th congressional district

2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.

Candidates
2
Incumbent
Derek Tran
Parties
Democratic · Republican
State primary
Jun 2

Candidates appear in ballot order. We do not rank them, score them, or recommend one — here is how this is put together, and here is what the office actually does.

2 candidates · ballot order · Derek Tran currently holds this seat

Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Lowering costs for working families, seniors and veterans.
  • Protecting and expanding Social Security, Medicaid and food assistance — programmes he says his family relied on.
  • Banning members of Congress from trading stocks.
  • Reinstating veterans dismissed from federal jobs without cause, through his Protect Veteran Jobs Act.
  • Opposition to the war in Iran.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • U.S. Representative for the 45th District since January 2025; won the seat in 2024 with 50.1%.
  • Member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Small Business Committee, where he is ranking member of the oversight subcommittee.
  • U.S. Army veteran; consumer rights attorney.
  • Broke with the House Democratic majority on some immigration enforcement votes in his first weeks in office.
  • Raised $4.98 million as of June 30, 2026, against his opponent's $496,000.
  • Took about 53% in the June 2, 2026 primary.

Arguments in favor

  • He has worked to lower costs and to ban members of Congress from trading stocks, and comes to the job from a family that relied on the programmes now being cut.

    — Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

  • He has not voted the party line automatically, breaking with the Democratic majority on immigration enforcement votes in his first weeks in office.

    — Reporting by the Orange County Register on Orange County's freshman Democrats

Arguments against

  • He voted against condemning socialism in all its forms and against a resolution denouncing the Democratic Socialists of America.

    — National Republican Congressional Committee

  • He voted against funding the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service, and against the Working Families Tax Cuts the committee says protect 708,000 California jobs.

    — National Republican Congressional Committee

What we couldn’t verify

  • His response to the NRCC's specific vote claims has not been published in the material available.
  • How the redrawn district's new territory changes his coalition from 2024.
Their campaign site ↗Sources:derektranforcongress.comdccc.orgtran.house.govnrcc.orgnews.ballotpedia.org

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • Expanding mental health and addiction treatment beds, and addressing fentanyl trafficking.
  • Secure borders and stronger enforcement capacity, with agents given training and resources, and opposition to racial profiling.
  • Faster asylum and visa processing and modernised legal immigration to reduce delays.
  • Completing border technology and infrastructure.
  • Lowering costs and improving affordability.

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Cerritos city councilmember 2020 to 2025, including a term as mayor and a period as mayor pro tem.
  • Roughly 28 years with the Torrance Police Department, beginning in August 1999.
  • Raised $496,000 as of June 30, 2026, against the incumbent's $4.98 million.
  • Took about 15% in the June 2, 2026 primary, finishing second.

Arguments in favor

  • Twenty-eight years as a police officer and five years running a city give him direct experience of the public safety and fentanyl problems the district faces.

    — Chuong Vo's campaign

  • He argues immigration can be handled by enforcing the border while also clearing asylum and visa backlogs, and opposes racial profiling in enforcement.

    — Chuong Vo's campaign

Arguments against

  • He supports one of the largest tax cuts for the wealthy in history, paid for by cutting Medicaid — which would remove coverage from more than 41,000 people in this district.

    — Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

  • As mayor pro tem of Cerritos he cast the deciding vote to raise fees on residents, and he is backed by Republican leaders who extended tariffs that raise costs.

    — Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

What we couldn’t verify

  • A campaign website could not be confirmed; the positions above come from candidate profiles and reporting.
  • His response to the DCCC's claims about the Cerritos fee vote and Medicaid.
  • His positions on trade, housing and climate were not stated in material available.
Sources:ballotpedia.orgdccc.orgwtop.comfec.gov

Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.

California's June 2, 2026 top-two primary sent Democratic incumbent Derek Tran, with about 53%, and Republican Chuong Vo, with about 15%, to the November ballot. Proposition 50 changed the district's boundaries from those used in 2024; as redrawn it is rated D+1 by the Cook Political Report. Tran won the seat in 2024 by about 600 votes and both national party committees are active here. Roster confirmed against Ballotpedia and the Associated Press.

This is one contest on a longer ballot

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