So have you heard the latest DPOC mishegas, the latest DPOC desmadre? Tracy La, young Viet superstar, leader of the fabled progressive juggernaut VietRISE, and a favorite punching bag of Matt Cunningham, is running for office – for a seat on the Garden Grove School Board against two Viet Republicans, and has a real good chance. Thus far, the DPOC is LOVING it – a good way to build on Democrat gains in the long-elusive-but-in-play Little Saigon, after Congressman Derek Tran’s narrow 2024 victory, and latch onto some of that youthful spunkiness too!
EXCEPT! Except, just last year, Tracy/VietRISE posted an 8-page Instagram post lauding Ho Chi Minh’s role leading the fight for Viet independence. And even now in 2026 Little Saigon is full of voters who remember the excesses of Ho and his Viet Minh / Vietcong, voters who lost relatives, who lost property and freedom, who got sent off to re-eductaion camps, who had to flee, and who still call anyone they don’t like “Communist.” To say, in Little Saigon, ANYTHING about Ho Chi Minh beyond “May he burn in hell” is like pissing on the third rail. (Something a drunk friend of mine once tried in a Berkeley BART station, and nothing happened.)
Local Republicans are salivating over tying the entire Democrat Party to Tracy and her Ho post. And not just the DPOC and Chief Florice, but nice progressive Viets I know who otherwise think the world of Tracy have tried hard to get her to remove that post, apologize, at least balance it off with something critical. But – who knew? – Tracy is stubborn! And technically nothing in her post was untrue. So the post remains up. And over the weekend Florice urged the Party NOT to endorse Tracy at their Monday night meeting.
Naturally our kneejerk reaction would be “There goes Florice’s Zionist mafia again, rejecting another progressive, siding with the powerful, losing the youth, embracing caution over progress, stifling free speech, etc etc” which is often the case. But let’s pursue more nuance here and not be dumb. Tracy doesn’t need the DPOC, and maybe Democrats are right that it’s better for them to keep their distance. My few progressive friends still in the Party, who like Tracy, told me they’d abstain.
Florice pictured with her Republican counterpart Will O’Neill, who would just LOVE to tie us Democrats to Ho Chi Minh!
(Wait, this letter is way too long. It’s nearly as long as the letter Florice wrote explaining the bullshit reasons she took away the Anaheim Democrat Club’s charter. I don’t want to lose you guys, you can read the whole thing here if you want, but here’s excerpts)
Dear Central Committee Members:
I am writing to support the Endorsement Committee’s recommendation of No Endorsement in the race for Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education, Trustee Area 4...
Last spring, I was asked, on behalf of the DPOC, to issue a press release condemning an eight-page social media post by Tracy La concerning Ho Chi Minh that was made on behalf of VietRISE. At the time, I did not believe that issuing such a statement was appropriate. Tracy La was no longer an ADEM delegate, VietRISE was not affiliated with the DPOC, and I believed it was important to recognize that VietRISE has done commendable work protecting and advocating for immigrants in our community.
Prior to Tracy La’s endorsement interview, however, Tracy and I had a lengthy discussion about the post, the concerns it had created within the Vietnamese American community, and what she could do to address those concerns and earn the Party’s endorsement. I came away from that discussion believing there might be a path forward. I hoped she would disavow or clarify the posts, acknowledge the harm they had caused, and take steps toward healing and reconciliation within the community.
Unfortunately, it became clear to me that she was not interested in taking those steps. I also became concerned about her unwillingness to work constructively with Democratic elected officials and candidates running in Garden Grove and Westminster at a time when our Party should be focused on electing Democrats across Orange County and taking back the House.
After receiving the emails from Annie Wright and Thai Viet Phan yesterday [the latter copied below – V], I concluded that I could no longer remain silent about the potential consequences of an endorsement.
This issue also cannot be considered without remembering what actions the DPOC took in 2020… [Here Florice recounts the 2020 expulsion of progressive DPOC officer Jeff LeTourneau from the Party for a similar Ho faux pas – hence our deja vu! But in many ways Jeff’s story is nearly the mirror opposite of Tracy’s, and I’ll retell that sorry saga later, more honestly than Florice could. – V]
… we cannot ignore the political consequences for Democratic candidates running in communities where the history of the Vietnam War, communism, and the experiences of refugees remain deeply personal. The issue before us is not whether Tracy La has the right to hold or express her views. She does. Nor does a No Endorsement determination prevent any Central Committee member, Democratic activist, organization, or voter from individually supporting her candidacy.
The question before us is narrower: whether the Democratic Party of Orange County should place its institutional endorsement behind her candidacy under these circumstances.I do not believe that we should.….The political stakes today cannot be more significant. We should apply our principles consistently and consider not only one race, but the effect our actions can have on Democratic candidates throughout Garden Grove, Westminster, Little Saigon, and Orange County.
For those reasons, I respectfully urge the Central Committee to support the Endorsement Committee’s recommendation of No Endorsement for Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education, Trustee Area 4…
Sincerely, Florice Hoffman, Chair, Democratic Party of Orange County Granddaughter of refugees from the former Soviet Union
But it’s not just Florice…
I talked to a few other friends, progressive Democrats who are Vietnamese and not, who like Tracy and hope she wins, but agree that it’s just not smart for Democrats to align themselves with a Ho’pologist this early in the century. One tells me,
“I and and many Vietnamese Dems are offended at her stance. She asked for my endorsement a few months ago. I said, yes, on one condition; that she clarify her stance on Ho Chi Minh, and get it more satiable to the Vietnamese community. I offered to help her craft a message to soothe things with the community. To clarify her stance, still retain her values, but don’t offend the community. She refused. She double downed. I had to kindly reject her…
“I don’t have anything personal against Tracy. I greatly admire the work of VietRISE. But if DPOC endorses her, it would come back and bite them in the ass. The entire Vietnamese community will turn against Democrats. The damage will take years to recover from. We might even kiss Derek and Thu-Ha’s races good-bye. Are you willing to risk it all?”
Speaking of Derek…
I don’t know about Assembly candidate Thu-Ha, but it’s hard to imagine popular moderate incumbent Derek Tran losing to a little-known underfunded Republican in this year of Huge Backlash Against Trump, just because someone else in his Party put up a nice post about Ho Chi Minh (though I’m sure the GOP will grasp at that straw.) But, speaking of Derek, let me for once DISPEL A CHISME instead of spreading it:
Several people told me that, while Florice was berating her flock, Derek was busy sending e-mails to the POLITICIANS who’ve endorsed Tracy, urging them to rescind those endorsements. I tracked down THIS e-mailed packet of 4 attachments, which doesn’t appear to me to be from Derek at all. As you can see below, it was sent to eight politicians INCLUDING Derek, it came from the address “dtranvt@gmail.com,” and it’s signed by eleven signatories including one Dung Tran from “Democracy from Vietnam.”
Tracy, whom I just met like an hour ago, is SURE that the e-mail is from Derek. I think she’s wrong, and we argued and argued. I got no brief for Derek but I just want us to be accurate, if I find out it is from him I’ll say so. But I think it’s from Dung (pic to the left.) Tracy says Derek has it in for her because she criticized him for voting for the anti-immigrant Laken Riley Act early in his term. HEY! I criticized him here for the same thing! Tracy says Derek actually “doubled down” on Laken Riley somehow. Tracy doubling down on Ho, Derek doubling down on Laken Riley, there’s a whole lotta doubling down going on in Little Saigon is all I can say!
Heading of the E-mail in question
Signatures on Attachment 1, which I’ve uploaded here and is interesting.
UPDATE: CONFIRMED – Derek had nothing to do with this.
***************************
But as mentioned above (by Florice) the most powerful PRO-Tracy missive came from the very responsible, moderate, Vietnamese-American Santa Ana Councilwoman,
Thai Viet Phan!
Dear Democrats,
This is Santa Ana Councilmember Thai Viet Phan. As the first Vietnamese American and first Asian woman elected in Santa Ana, I am reaching out to urge you to please join me, the Garden Grove Education Association (GGEA) teachers, and the CSEA 121 school staff in supporting Tracy La, the only Democrat running to represent Garden Grove Unified Board of Education Trustee Area 4 (west Santa Ana, Fountain Valley, Westminster, Garden Grove).
On Monday evening, the central committee has a choice: side with Amy Phan West and the MAGA Westminster Republicans responsible for Charlie Kirk Way who have been leading McCarthyite attacks on Tracy and the nonprofit she leads — or side with Tracy, a proven and experienced champion for immigrants, Vietnamese seniors, and our youth.
As a refugee and a Vietnamese Democrat representing a part of Little Saigon, I’m supporting Tracy because she’s a fierce fighter for West Santa Ana communities, including our Latino and Asian residents. About a fourth of the residents of Area 4 are Latino, and I’ve seen Tracy bring them together with Vietnamese residents in the fight for rent stabilization, immigrant rights, and government accountability. Tracy has also spent years working directly with Vietnamese seniors to fight back against displacement and rising housing costs, and she understands the struggles our low-income and working class Vietnamese residents face.
The GGUSD Area 4 seat is currently represented by a Republican who is now retiring after over 30 years on the board, leaving a very strong chance to flip this open seat blue. Democrats lead Republicans in the registration at 38%-31%, and almost 60% of voters in the 2025 special election voted yes for Prop. 50. Tracy is up against two conservative candidates endorsed by MAGA Republicans like Janet Nguyen, but Tracy has out-fundraised them by about $30,000. As a student who attended schools in Area 4, I know that we need an advocate like trace on the GGUSD Board.
Right-wing activists and Republicans like school board member Lan Nguyen are trying very hard to discredit Tracy because they can see what I see: a qualified, experienced candidate who mobilizes Vietnamese and Latino volunteers, who has built a strong base of resident supporters, and who is the clear frontrunner in this race.
Please join me and other residents of Santa Ana Ward 1 in backing Tracy’s campaign for GGUSD.
Very Truly Yours, THAI VIET PHAN
************************************
Good inspiring letter Thai, but I gotta make two quibbles: Never say “you’ve got a choice – either side with A or side with B” Shades of George W Bush, “You’re with us or you’re with the terrorists!” There’s even a logical fallacy name for that, it’s called “false dilemma.” Any red-blooded American is gonna go looking for a third or fourth choice.
Also, Amy Phan West, loud, corrupt and extreme as she is, is no longer a good boogieman, having come in FIFTH AMONG REPUBLICANS running against Derek in the June primary.
FIFTH PLACE. Among anti-Derek Republicans. This, I would say, makes Amy the Riley Gaines of Little Saigon. And you can quote me on that.
SO ANYWAY,
What the hell happened Monday night with the endorsement?
Good question, and thank you for helping me stay on track. Monday night, Tracy did NOT get the DPOC endorsement. I hear about 25% of the committee voted for her, and many who want her to win her school board race abstained.
WHATEVER! Tracy doesn’t need the DPOC, just like my Anaheim Democrats Club doesn’t need the DPOC. The DPOC is an ever-shrinking section of the left in our County, even an ever-shrinking section of Democrats in our County. Let them run for safety, while we run for change.
AND NOW………
1. The September 2020 Ho Faux Pas of Jeff LeTourneau.
Florice told her revisionist version of this sad incident, so let me give you the straight dope. In 2020 Jeff LeTourneau was a DPOC Vice-Chair and unapologetic progressive. There are now no more progressives in leadership at the DPOC. This story is, properly, just one chapter of the GREAT PURGE of progressives from the DPOC. There were those in the Party who were spending much of their time JUST LOOKING for reasons to get rid of folks like Jeff from their ranks. “Show me the man, I’ll find you the crime,” as Stalin’s goons used to say.
And Jeff had a habit (one I see he still has) of staying up late at night, on Facebook, and re-posting everything that looked inspiring or interesting to him, sometimes 30 re-posts a day, I know because I used to follow him. You do that and eventually you’re gonna re-post something you wish you hadn’t, and he took this one down after ONLY 90 MINUTES but it wasn’t quick enough to save him!
Grand Inquisitor Kim Nguyen (now Kim Nguyen-Penaloza) pounced. Immediately screenshots of Jeff’s 90-minute-shelf-life post were everywhere, in the hands of Democrats and Republicans. Vietnamese were outraged, Republicans feigned outrage, Democrats who didn’t wanna alienate Viets RIGHT IN THE THICK OF 2020 ELECTION SEASON expressed concern and outrage! And Jeff quickly, ABJECTLY apologized but it wasn’t good enough – soon he was gone as DPOC North Vice-Chair, sent off to re-education, and the DPOC was minus one more progressive.
Jeff: another scalp for Kim.
So, despite surface similarities, there are big differences between Jeff-gate and Tracy-gate. With Jeff, they were looking for an excuse to get rid of him, and he was happy to delete his Ho post and apologize but too bad! With Tracy (to all appearances) the Party WANTED to hitch itself to her young/energetic/Viet wagon, and pleaded with her to remove or better-contextualize HER Ho-post, but she stubbornly refused. I see too, that Tracy was around during Jeff-gate and was asked her opinion by the Voice:
Other community leaders like Tracy La, executive director of the progressive Vietnamese immigrant advocacy group VietRISE, said it’s “clear that neither the Republican Party nor the Democratic Party as it currently stands today in OC understand the nuances of our history and our experiences, and they continue to simplify us in a pro or anti-communist dichotomy.”
“Our elected leaders need to stop using our trauma and the history of violence that we still face today as a result of the war merely as simplified political chess pieces to win their elections or to harm each other’s parties,” she said over the phone Tuesday.
She added that “if congressional representatives and local elected officials really cared about the Vietnamese community,” they should be equally loud about enacting things like rent control in their communities, and “ensure that working families and small businesses are protected during this unprecedented health crisis…” [COVID – it was 2020.] .
Maybe experiencing the Purge of Jeff steeled Tracy’s resolve to not let the DPOC LeTourneau her.
Let me add an interesting little fact I learned in history class at UT Austin: Way back in 1919, a 29-year-old Ho Chi Minh, inspired by US President Woodrow Wilson‘s rhetoric of “national self-determination,” showed up at the Paris Peace Accords to get Wilson’s support for Vietnamese independence from France – and Wilson blew him off. “No self-determination for YOU!” Just think, if we Americans ever lived up to our ideals, how different history would be. This rejection marked the beginning of Ho’s embrace of Communism and the Soviet Union.
The purpose of the VietRISE August Revolution anniversary post is, ostensibly, “Empowerment Through History,” but the community’s gripe is that the history is so selective. Maybe hearing the rest of the history would be “empowering” in its own way:
Empowering and cautionary:
Declining to tell the rest of that story doesn’t seem like… “The hill to die on.”
3. Leftists! Don’t be “Tankies!”
I learned the word “tankie” just last week. I learned it from Rick Wilson. I learned it because DSA (which I think I’m actually a member of) saw fit to celebrate Fidel Castro in Florida last week. Right when a great DSA candidate, Angie Nixon, is running for Senate. I do not think celebrating Castro in Florida is going to help Angie Nixon.
“Tankie” is a term originating from the British left, denoting idealistic folks in democracies who overlook, make excuses for, or even deny, the violent and anti-democratic excesses of totalitarian regimes just because those excesses are nominally in service to ideals we all share – equality, and improving the lives of the disadvantaged, etc. No seas Tankie! I’ve even made us a meme to help us remember. And never forget.
Greatest pianist/composer in Orange County, and official political troubadour of Anaheim and most other OC towns. Regularly makes solo performances, sometimes with his savage-jazz band The Vern Nelson Problem. Reach at vernpnelson@gmail.com, or 714-235-VERN.
