Dave Min was born March 6, 1976, in California to Korean immigrant parents who came to the United States seeking opportunity and a better future. He grew up in a working-class family that emphasized education, hard work, and service — experiences that shaped his commitment to economic fairness and the American Dream. Min earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and later graduated from Harvard Law School. After beginning his career as an attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission, he worked as senior economic policy advisor to Senator Chuck Schumer on the Senate Banking Committee, where he helped shape major financial-reform legislation following the 2008 financial crisis. He went on to become a law professor at UC Irvine School of Law, specializing in banking, finance, and consumer protection.
Min was elected to the California State Senate in 2020, representing the 37th District, where he focused on gun-violence prevention, climate policy, women’s rights, housing affordability, and cracking down on corporate fraud. In 2024, he ran for Congress to represent California’s 47th District — a highly competitive Orange County seat — and won the general election. He was sworn in on January 3, 2025. Today, Dave Min brings expertise in financial regulation, consumer protection, and economic policy to Congress, grounded in his lived experience as the son of immigrants and his dedication to serving working families.
Key Issue Stances & Priorities
- Economic Security & Consumer Protection — Min is a national expert on financial markets and consumer protection. He supports strengthening safeguards for working families, fair lending rules, and cracking down on predatory financial practices.
- Gun-Violence Prevention — In the State Senate, Min led high-profile gun-safety legislation, including restrictions on ghost guns and efforts to prevent gun trafficking. He supports universal background checks, assault-weapon limits, and community-based violence-prevention programs.
- Reproductive Freedom — Min has been a vocal defender of abortion rights, backing state protections and calling for federal legislation securing reproductive healthcare access nationwide.
- Climate Action & Clean Energy — Min supports transitioning to clean energy, expanding sustainable transit, improving wildfire prevention, and protecting California’s coast from climate threats.
- Affordable Housing & Homelessness Solutions — He has pushed for increased housing supply, fair zoning practices, tenant protections, and homelessness-prevention programs aligned with local community needs.
- Asian American Representation & Civil Rights — As one of the few Korean American members of Congress, Min champions anti-hate initiatives, immigrant protections, voting rights, and inclusive policies that strengthen diverse communities.
Accomplishments
- Financial-Regulation Leadership: Helped develop key components of federal financial-reform efforts on the Senate Banking Committee after the 2008 crisis.
- State Policy Wins: Passed legislation on gun safety, climate resilience, transportation modernization, fraud prevention, and reproductive-health protections in the California State Senate.
- Consumer-Rights Advocacy: As a professor and policy expert, produced widely cited research on banking, housing finance, predatory lending, and economic inequality.
- Winning a Critical Swing District: Flipped CA-47 — one of the most competitive districts in Orange County — helping protect Democrats’ path to a House majority.
- Champion for Immigrant & Asian American Communities: Passed anti-hate legislation and elevated visibility for AAPI voices in state government and now in Congress.
A civilization is great when its elders plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in.
- Dave Min