Dave Min, the incumbent California’s 47th Congressional District, which includes Irvine, claimed reelection in the 2026 midterm race. Min, a Democrat, defeated Republican Jenny Rae Le Roux, executive director of CAL DOGE, an initiative modeled after the Department of Government Efficiency.
Min’s reelection is part of a series of victories for Democrats that resulted in a Democratic majority in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
“Tonight’s sweeping victory, for myself and for Democrats across the nation, up and down the ballot, is a repudiation of Donald Trump and his Republican rubber stamps,” Min wrote in a statement. “Across Orange County and across the country, voters are demanding change and a government that puts hardworking families first.”
Min campaigned on plans to reduce housing costs in Orange County, increase funding to Medicare and Medicaid, and guardrail ICE misconduct. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2024 to fill an open seat, after former representative Katie Porter decided not to run for reelection. He currently serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, where he most recently questioned the Trump administration’s actions surrounding university research funding cuts and federal immigration enforcement.
According to the Associated Press, 211,441 votes were counted, 120,308 of which were cast for Min. In Irvine’s District 6, which includes UC Irvine, 17,962 were registered to vote.
In June 2025, Min hosted a town hall at UCI, where he discussed funding cuts for university research and student visa revocations. He did not participate in a debate hosted by the Associated Students of UCI on Oct. 23 due to a scheduling conflict, his team told New University.
Min was endorsed by organizations such as the Democratic Party of Orange County, Planned Parenthood and the California Federation of Labor Unions. His campaign received a total of $3.87 million.
Mariam Farag is a 2026-27 Managing Editor. She can be reached at manager@newuniversity.org.
