IRVINE — On Monday night, a number of “Dave Min for Congress” signs in Huntington Beach were vandalized with anti-Asian racist slurs, according to Min’s campaign.
Supporters who live nearby discovered the vandalized signs while walking their kids to school Tuesday morning. A report has been filed with the Huntington Beach Police Department, which is investigating these hate crimes.
In response, State Sen. Min, the Democratic candidate in the 47thCongressional District, released the following statement:
“Hate of any kind, directed against anyone, is unacceptable. Full stop. But unfortunately, we have seen a sharp rise in hate in recent years due to the xenophobia and racism that have come to define Donald Trump’s MAGA movement. We’ve all seen and heard Trump’s anti-Asian rhetoric and his racist comments about Haitian immigrants.
“Locally, Orange County residents are being bombarded with Scott Baugh (the Republican candidate in the 47thCongressional District) and MAGA Republican hit pieces baselessly claiming I want to create open borders because I’m the child of immigrants.
“It is saddening, but not surprising, that we are seeing this type of anti-Asian hate in the immediate aftermath of the Trump MAGA event in Huntington Beach this weekend. This type of hate speech does not represent the values of Orange County, and I urge my fellow Orange County elected officials to join me in condemning it.”
Irvine City Councilmember Tammy Kim said in a statement, “I am appalled that the campaign signs for Dave Min for Congress were defaced with anti-Asian and derogatory slurs. This disgusting act reminds me of when I faced similar xenophobic attacks for being a proud Korean American, a proud Asian American, and a proud Irvine resident, standing up against those who target our immigrant population.
“Hate has no place in our community, and I unequivocally condemn these actions and any attempts to deface signs or spead hatred.”
Min, the son of Korean immigrants and the former vice chair of the Asian and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, has been a leading voice against anti-Asian hate since he took office in December 2020. He is endorsed by Asian American advocacy groups including ASPIRE PAC, AAPI Victory Fund, Asian American Action Fund and Asian American Forward.
Min represents the 37thState Senate District, which includes Anaheim Hills, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, Orange, Tustin, and Villa Park. Before joining the State Senate, he was a law professor at UC Irvine, where he taught and researched in the area of business law.
Baugh, an attorney, is a former GOP Assembly leader and former Orange County GOP chairman.
“We condemn any vandalism of property, including political signs of any candidate for public office,” campaign manager Nic Gerard told The Los Angeles Times.“And, as Scott has repeatedly said, there is absolutely no room for racism of any kind in America.”
Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark told The Daily Pilotthat her signs have also been vandalized, and accused Min of “race-baiting.”
The 47thCongressional District has been designated by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a “red-to-blue congressional district” in Orange County. It includes Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, and Seal Beach, and portions of Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, and Laguna Woods.
Incumbent Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, who unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate, is not running for re-election. In 2022, Porter defeated Baugh by 3.44%.
Min currently represents over 80% of the 47thCongressional District in Sacramento. In 2020, he received over 158,000 votes within the district, defeating Republican incumbent John Moorlach by 5.15% in this area. In the district, 19% of registered voters are of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, including one of the largest Korean American populations in the country.