Lawmaker edges incumbent

In the past three months, Assemblyman Van Tran narrowly edged out incumbent Rep. Loretta Sanchez for funding in the 47th District Congressional race, according to filings that were due at midnight Wednesday.

Tran raised $254,000 during the period while Sanchez raised $242,000.

The Republican challenger still trails by a large margin in financing. While Tran’s quarter-million dollars represents his total cash, Sanchez — a 13-year incumbent — has almost three times that altogether ($714,000).

Tran announced his fundraising effort with a statement that he “shattered all previous fundraising numbers,” which Democratic Party officials consider hyperbole because several dozen Congressional competitors raised more than him during the period — some even two and three times more — the most recent filings show.

The numbers do indicate a healthy cash flow to the challenger, though, putting him well above many candidates in races that seem like foregone conclusions and right alongside other candidates in competitive races.

Republican strategists have been touting Tran as a serious challenger for a while now and think that the race will be competitive.

— Alan Blank