SACRAMENTO, CA – After years of community organizing, it’s rare I meet a candidate I can get excited about. After my documented support of political candidates in the past, I have become savvy on the internal dynamics and money-based decisions that have strayed far away from my common sense principles and community focus.
But I have come out early to support the mayor of Westminster Tri Ta for his assembly run. Tri is a rare gem that deserves a deeper look and analysis. He is also the type of candidate that would overturn tired liberal narratives and display consistent strength as part of the much needed opposition caucus to the off-the-rails Sacramento majority.
I need to point no further than to Tri’s track record as a long time mayor and city councilman of the largest Vietnamese American city outside of Vietnam, Westminster, California. This was where America lovingly welcomed freedom loving refugees in the 1970s and beyond, who’s lives were torn apart by Communism. This is just one part of Tri’s story and he doesn’t use it as a crutch because he has many other achievements to tout that display his fearlessness, competence, leadership and consistent dedication to conservative values. Many Asian politicians use this as their sole reason for running but that’s not enough as the political swamp is deep. Show me how. Show me a track record. Show me your deep understanding of what makes America great, not just identity politics generalities. This is where Tri, through action, has shown it.
The mechanics of local government are often overlooked. In the age of Trump, people think they can shortcut their way to a higher office. Trump had the executive skills to pull it off. In California, it has gotten beyond ridiculous when candidates with zero experience are running and making a fool of themselves. I have grown so tired of these people. When push comes to shove, their sole reason for running is personal glory and they cannot see the effect of their actions. As a community leader in Orange County, two candidates running against Tri are actually members of my nonprofit organization. I encouraged them not to run but personal ambitions sadly took over.
It was a no brainer which candidate in the AD70 race stood above the rest. Tri is the one with the track record. And you can’t fake that. He has also remained an outsider, as his decisions were based out of principle and what’s right for the community. Tri is a good dad and he brings that to his public service as he sees the importance of long term thinking when it comes to decision making. Many politicians want to spend more time kissing the pinky ring of the establishment. I have watched Tri’s actions over the years. He has stuck with his community and his city over political hobnobbing and remains fiercely independent.
Results prove it. With $2.5 million spent against him to recall him for his leadership as one of the first cities to come out against sanctuary cities, he won against the recall 60-40. His community knew him and he didn’t pander despite pressure from left wing groups and people who unnecessarily vilified his character for his stance. It showed common sense and strong leaders with deep community roots can prevail against a media messaging machine determined to destroy you.
Tri’s leadership, along with neighboring Fountain Valley’s Michael Vo, used their community roots and strong stand against illegal immigration, keeping businesses open during pandemic and pro-life values to become loved and influential in the Vietnamese American community. During this time I was able to continue life interrupted while so many lost 2 years of their lives cooped up in fear.
These leaders moved the Little Saigon communities from voting overwhelmingly Democrat in 2016 to strongly Republican in 2020, bucking the parent county’s bluing trend. All in all, the two cities moved 20 points to the right despite tough stances made by their respective mayors. Stances the Vietnamese community remembers as they escaped the takeover of Communism. I worked with Tri and Michael on some great rallies attended by thousands supporting President Trump in 2020. They were unafraid and stood for good leadership. People said we were crazy because those cities had voted for Hillary in 2016 but in the end they shifted overwhelmingly right in 2020.
This clarity is once again present in his current flyer s he proudly proclaims being a strong conservative Republican, legal immigrant and proud American with a simple plan to cut taxes, end sanctuary state laws, decease homelessness and ending open air drug markets, lowering fees and cutting regulations to help small businesses, encouraging American pride, fighting against critical race theory and making government smaller and more efficient.
That is also why Tri is the community choice and a rising star who built his foundation from bottom up.
I remember years ago encouraging Tri to run for higher office but he patiently declined to focus on his community and waited as he knew that timing was everything. That wisdom to wait is leadership as he knows what it takes to do the job and do the job right.
A few weeks ago I contacted Tri as I gathered local leaders to endorse his candidacy for the press. You know what made that conversation different from many others? He didn’t bug me about how much money he was gonna raise, if it was worth his time, etc. He knew my dedication to the community and conservative principles and he was there early to meet voters and the media and stayed until the end.
Last night, Epoch Times came to cover this multicultural ceremony in his district to honor him at an Irish pub. In attendance to speak glowingly on Tri’s record was myself, the organizer and President of Asian Industry B2B, Betty Tom Chu, the founder of East West Bank and former mayor of an equal size Chinese American city, Monterey Park, local 100+ employee business owner Sonya Green of the African American community, Latin American community activist Elvira Moreno, Chinese American Citizens Alliance President John Gee, current mayor Michel Vo and former Villa Park city councilwoman and current president of conservative patriots of Orange County (CPOC) Deborah Pauly.
Pauly said “I trust Tri because of the company he keeps”. This is everything in politics. Principles are everything in this day and age where Sacramento has none. That is why it is important we send a warrior who last night spoke with passion and confidence that his stances on legal immigration and pro-life were winners, not losers in a state and media that want to tell us the majority think otherwise. And peoples opinions are shifting because of local leaders like Tri. The numbers in registration and shifts in little Saigon look like Miami Dade and West Texas for Hispanics.
John Gee, who endorsed Tri at the ceremony, mentioned Adam Smith’s free trade principles in his speech and I watched Tri’s eyes light up as he and John engaged after the event in their passion for free markets and how they better the communities. Tri is proud of America, his only home now, when he was uprooted from his own as a child. These are the types of America living representatives we need, not those who want to follow the sheep to slaughter.
This contrast is what is needed in an increasingly helpless-mentality-inducing Communist big government Sacramento and I have not been so excited to support a candidate like Tri Ta, homegrown, consistent, patient and a true leader. Please vote before June 7th for Tri in Assembly District 70.
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