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Press Releases

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Oct 20, 2009

Van Tran Not So Transcendent After All

Despite being feted, celebratedand touted by Republicans at the outset, Van Tran has failed tolive up to expectations.

"Despite all the early hype, Van Tran has totally failed tolive up to expectations," said Andy Stone, Western Regional Press Secretary forthe Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.  "After disrupting anactive police investigation, filing to run for a different elected office inthe midst of his Congressional effort, and putting up ‘disappointing' thirdquarter fundraising numbers, Tran's campaign sure leaves a lot to be desired."

NRCC Recruitment Chair KevinMcCarthy once called Tran one of the "top people" he'd gone after and said thatTran would "transcend" Republican politics.  Other Republican leaders also heavily recruited Tran and Tran was even named an NRCC "YoungGun."

But since then, Tran's star has faded rapidly.

Despite being in the midst of a Congressional campaign, Tranfiled to run for State Senate in 2012.

Then in August, Tran let loose at the scene of a policeinvestigation involving a local city councilmember.  Tran was sodisruptive, and had to be warned multiple times not to interfere, that a policesergeant on the scene had to threaten him with arrest to get him to stay away.

Tran put up a "disappointing" number and was even outraisedby a Republican primary opponent this past quarter.  According to TheHill, Tran was one of the "hyped challengers to several targeted incumbents[who] didn't do much with their third quarters."

Background

• "Hyped challengers to several targeted incumbents didn't do much with their third quarters.  Raising less than $100,000 for the quarter were...Republican Van Tran, who is challenging Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.)." [The Hill, 10/17/09]

• "California Assemblyman Van Tran, running against Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), had an even more disappointing outcome. He only collected $92,000 and was actually outraised by Quang Pham, another Vietnamese candidate challenging him in the primary."  [Politico, 10/16/09]

• Assemblyman Van Tran was so disruptive at the scene of the police investigation into Councilman Andy Quach's car crash that a sergeant had to threaten him with arrest to get him to stay away, according to incident transcripts released today by the police chief. [Orange County Register, 8/6/09]

• Van Tran filed to run for the 35^th State Senate District in 2012. [CA Secretary of State, Form 410, filed 7/07/09]

• Tran had been recruited heavily by GOP leaders in Washington. [Orange County Register, 5/6/09]

• "I've been working on recruitment, and this is one of the top people I've gone after since the very beginning," said McCarthy, who served in the state Assembly with Tran. "Tran transcends Republican politics, and he will be able to reach out to independents and moderate Democrats." [Politico, 4/28/09]

• Tran is a Young Gun. [NRCC Young Guns site, accessed 10/19/09]

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