Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Calif., is fighting a tough race for re-election with her poll numbers rising as Democrats pour money into the race in support of Derek Tran.
"The latest American Viewpoint poll showed Michelle up by 45 to 41%," Republican National Committee member Shawn Steel, husband of Michelle Steel, told Newsmax.
He added that the latest numbers are moving in her favor. A poll in May showed her tied with her opponent and another in September had her behind by 2 points.
Since she unseated Democrat Rep. Harley Rouda in 2020 in a nearby district and thus became the first Korean-American woman in Congress, Michelle Steel has been a top target of Democrats in California.
In 2022, she was elected in her current district, the 45th, with 52% of the vote.
This year, lawyer Tran has run an aggressive campaign that mobilized his fellow Vietnamese-Americans.
Tran has closely identified himself with Vice President Kamala Harris at a time the newly-minted Democrat presidential nominee was rising.
But Michelle Steel, husband Shawn, and legions of volunteers worked overtime in September. As in past campaigns, they focused on door-to-door campaigning.
Moreover, they hit hard at where the Republican congresswoman and Tran differed on such key issues as abortion, spending, and illegal immigration.
"And while Democrats have been trying to remain ahead by going after Steel's voting record, Tran has gone from scandal to scandal," according to the California Globe.
The publication says he has lied about "being able to speak fluent Vietnamese, false claims about his military record, and then the biggest roadblock so far, his legal career — such as representing a rapist for profit and defending someone who put up a noose in his office."
Michelle Steel's tough-on-crime message is resonating.
She has received high level law enforcement endorsements, including from Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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