Andrew Do victory aids GOP comeback

Andrew Do’s election as an Orange County supervisor finally is over as a recount confirmed his victory. He beat Lou Correa, a former supervisor, California state senator and assemblyman.

It’s also a victory for the California Republican Party’s outreach to minorities. Do replaces Janet Nguyen, who last November won a seat in the state Senate. As CalWatchDog.com reported, her victory prevented Democrats from reclaiming a 2/3 supermajority in the Senate.

The Do victory also is a mark on the side of state Republican Chairman Jim Brulte’s “ground game” strategy of candidates walking the precincts and speaking before local community groups. He also has urged recruiting local minority candidates who hold to Republican values, such as limited government and tax reform.

Do’s website described him this way:

“Andrew Do is a prominent central county businessman, attorney and Republican who most recently served as Supervisor Janet Nguyen’s Chief of Staff. Born in Vietnam Andrew Do was fortunate to flee the country as a young child during the fall of Saigon eventually settling in Orange County.”

By “flee the country,” he means flee the communist regime that took over South Vietnam 40 years ago.

Another cause of Do’s victory is one we have stressed on this website: When one party gains overwhelming control, as Democrats have in California, it becomes complacent. Victory is just too easy. Which provides openings to challengers from other parties, in this case Republicans.

On the O.C. Board, Do joins Michelle Steel, a Korean-America, who was elected last November. A former member of the state Board Equalization, she also emphasized her pro-business credentials: “Michelle Steel has distinguished herself as the state’s leading tax fighter.”

While Republicans still have a long way back in California, as Lao Tzu put it, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”