PIVOT Endorses Dr. Mai Khanh Tran for Congress in California's 39th District

February 5, 2018

PIVOT is extremely pleased to announce its support for Dr. Mai Khanh Tran in her race for California’s Congressional District 39. Dr. Tran is not a career politician, and her path reflects that of so many immigrants and refugees to this country, those who have overcame great odds to succeed and then to give back.  

Dr. Tran arrived in the U.S. in 1975 as a refugee at the age of 10. She attended Harvard for college and Dartmouth/Brown for medical school. Dr. Tran completed her residency in Pediatrics at UCLA, and has been a practicing pediatricians for the last 20 years. She has also ran a highly successful non-profit for a leper colony in Vietnam, for which she had raised several million dollars. 

It was not until 2016 when Dr. Tran became involved in politics. As a woman of color, she understood the danger posed by Donald Trump. She co-chaired Vietnamese Americans for Hillary Clinton and worked tirelessly to turn Orange County, CA and Nevada blue. After the election, she helped to found PIVOT. However, it was clear that progressives needed to stand up as candidates for office, and as a sign of who she is, Dr. Tran did not look around for someone else to step up. Despite having been a breast cancer survivor, having a young daughter, and working full-time as a doctor, Dr. Tran decided to challenge the incumbent Republican, Ed Royce, even though most thought he would likely be re-elected. Partly due to the pressure generated by her campaign, Ed Royce decided to retire, leaving a wide open field. 

Dr. Tran has received multiple endorsements besides PIVOT’s, including Emily’s List, AAPI Victory Fund, and many others. She has been featured on numerous national media outlets, including MSNBC, and most recently was one of the women on the cover of TIME magazine and in the article. 

Dr. Tran is fighting for the causes that PIVOT believes in—immigrant rights, civil rights, women’s rights, healthcare, education, and the environment. Dr. Tran is fighting for Vietnamese Americans like her family and her patients, and for all Americans who have been threatened and oppressed by the current Administration. PIVOT is proud to support Dr. Tran. Please donate on her website and please tell all of your family, friends, and social network.