The son of immigrants from Taiwan, Jay Chen is running in the newly redrawn 45th district in Southern California that would have been carried by President Biden 52-46%. Gov. Gavin Newsom also carried the district in his recall election. This district, now held by incumbent Rep. Michele Steel (R), is considered one of the best opportunities this year for Democrats to gain a House seat.
Chen is a Harvard-educated business owner, College Board Trustee and community leader. He also serves as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Naval Reserves, and he has operated on the Korean peninsula and deployed to the Middle East. He led an intelligence team in the fight against the terrorist group ISIS and played a key role in the military’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East.
Chen supports reductions in U.S. and Russian nuclear forces and has argued, “We must restore our standing in the world and among our allies by upholding human rights and democratic principles here at home, by honoring our commitments to our international partners, and by holding to account those who abuse human rights and flout international law.”
