“I’m running for Congress because, as a first-generation, Korean American, I want my kids to grow up in the same California that attracted my parents and so many immigrants like them to come plant roots here—where everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream, where we prioritize our environment and the education and safety of our children, and where we maintain the spirit of openness and innovation that makes America so special."

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“I learned the importance of hard work, education and economic opportunity from my parents. They came to this country from Korea … and ended up settling down in California to raise my younger brother and me. My mom and dad grew up in the aftermath of the Korean War, and like most Koreans from that era, they had an incredibly positive view of Americans, who came from so far away to give their blood, their sweat, and even their lives to help protect and then rebuild South Korea.” (website)

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“I know how much Dave cares about our country and Orange County. During the financial crisis, Dave fought to hold Wall Street accountable and to help stabilize our economy. I’ve been impressed with his record in the California State Senate, where he has been a progressive leader on issues like gun violence prevention, reproductive rights, and environmental protection.” Representative Katie Porter’s pre-primary endorsement (Min’s website and reported by The Liberal OC).

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“In David Min, Orange County finds a dedicated leader who embodies the values of resilience, compassion, and progress, and as he seeks to represent California’s 47th congressional district, he carries with him a legacy of service and a determination to enact meaningful change.” Attorney Navneet Chugh, quoted in India West Journal

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BACKGROUND + EXPERIENCE 

David Kunnghee Min is an attorney, professor, and politician. He served as an enforcement attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission, economic and financial policy advisor to Senator Chuck Schumer, and economic policy director at the Center for American Progress. 

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Min was an assistant law professor at the University of California, Irvine School of Law before being elected as the  Democratic State Senator for California’s 37th  Senate District in 2020. For the past three years, he has worked to build a better Orange County by ending gun shows at the County Fairgrounds, appropriating $2.1 billion for COVID-19 relief grants for small businesses, and making California the first state in the nation to recognize reproductive coercion as a form of domestic violence.

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Min has taken aggressive action to address our climate crisis — bringing back nearly $80 million in direct funding to Orange County for key district priorities related to wildfire prevention, outdoor space preservation, and green innovation, as well as hundreds of millions more in indirect funding for small businesses and unemployed workers.

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Dave met his wife, Jane, while they were both at Harvard Law School. She teaches Family Law and runs the Domestic Violence Clinic at UCI Law. She is the founder and director of UC Irvine’s Initiative to End Family Violence. Together, they are raising three children in Irvine.

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ISSUES

Reproductive rights: Min is a loud and outspoken advocate for abortion rights and has authored leading legislation to protect these rights, including Proposition 1, which codified abortion rights in the state Constitution, and SB 374, which made California the first state in the nation to recognize reproductive coercion as a form of domestic violence. He is proud to be the only candidate in the race for CA-47, rated 100% by Planned Parenthood and NARAL.

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Gun violence prevention: Min supports the renewal of the assault weapons ban and expanded background checks and red flag laws. He looks forward to continuing to collaborate with leading gun safety groups to ban ghost guns, push for safe gun storage, and expand the liability of gun manufacturers.

Climate action and environmental justice: Dave Min is the only candidate in this race endorsed by and rated 100% by the Sierra Club. In the State Senate, he authored and coauthored key climate bills, including legislation to end offshore drilling, decarbonize transportation and household appliances, and to require companies to disclose their climate risks and carbon emissions from their supply chains. Min is a leader in the fights to preserve wilderness and protect biodiversity, including authoring the first law in the country to enact the “30 by 30” goals of protecting 30% of US open spaces by the year 2030, which are necessary to prevent mass extinctions.

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CA47 DISTRICT

California’s 47th is an open Congressional district in Orange County that includes Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, and portions of Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, and Laguna Woods. Incumbent Katie Porter is vacating the seat to run for US Senate.

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In 2022, Porter defeated former Assemblymember Republican Scott Baugh by 3.44% in this district that is one of the most competitive races in the nation. Min currently represents more than 80% of Congressional district 47 in Sacramento. In 2020, he got more than 158,000 votes within CA-47, defeating incumbent John Moorlach by 5.15%. CA-47 has a large Korean-American community and the District is 19% Asian and Pacific Islander. David Min’s opponent is Scott Baugh (R).

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