Yesterday the Van Tran for Congress campaign noted in a release that, ‘we have a long campaign and a lot of work to do…’ In his release he crowed about having raised more than $250,000 for his congressional challenge of the 47th District popular democratic Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Also, in yesterday’s news we picked up on a report from the Little Saigon Inside blog, Van Tran forms Campaign Committee for Senate in 2012.
Before filing to run for Congress, Team Tran was talking about running for State Senate in 2012? In fact, Tran had gone so far as to file a Statement of Intent to run back in February. Martin Wisckol over at Total Buzz followed up on the story saying that “Secretary of State documents show that Tran opened the account on Feb. 9, well before he declared his candidacy, and he says he did so because of a technicality that blocks him and others from accepting contributions into existing state accounts.”
Well, that could be the case, but why did it take Team Tran 5 months of file the “Statement of Committee Formation?” That task was accomplished on July 7, 2009, in the midst of his fundraising campaign for Congress.
“With the revelation that in the midst of a competitive Congressional campaign, Van Tran filed to run for a different office, Van Tran owes Orange County voters an explanation,†said Andy Stone, Western Regional Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “With his well-deserved reputation for job-shopping, Van Tran sure is working to keep his resume polished.â€Â
While his fundraising ability is certainly admirable, you’ve got to wonder why Tran needs to set up a Senate Committee if he isn’t running for that office.
This might explain things a bit.
Today was the filing deadline for the 2nd Quarter. Sanchez reported that she raised $242,000 in the quarter, with $714,000 in the bank. Sanchez has raised more than $342,000 this year.