Garden Grove, CA – Former Congressman and progressive icon Barney Frank announced his support of Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen’s campaign for Congress today.

Support from Frank, who is considered by many to be the most prominent gay politician in the country, helps cement Nguyen’s status as the progressive choice in the open-seat race for California’s 46th Congressional District.

In announcing his endorsement, Frank stated: I am pleased to endorse Bao Nguyen for the U.S. House of Representatives. I am confident that he will be an excellent representative of the people of California’s 46th Congressional District.

Frank represented Massachusetts in Congress between 1981 and 2013, and he served as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee between 2007 and 2011. In 2010, Frank helped lead significant reforms to the financial industry through his co-sponsorship of the Dodd-Frank Act. In 1987, he became the first member of Congress to come out publicly as gay.

Born in a UN refugee camp, Bao and his parents emigrated to the United States to escape oppression in communist Vietnam. He grew up in the 46th district, attended Garden Grove public schools, and graduated from Pacifica High School. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree from UC Irvine and a Master’s degree from Naropa University, Bao came back to Garden Grove to teach.

Bao was elected Mayor of Garden Grove in 2014. Upon his swearing-in, he became the first directly- elected Vietnamese American Democratic Mayor in the United States. He is the city’s first Vietnamese American and first Openly LGBTQ Mayor. Prior to his historic election, he served as member of the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education.

For more information, please visit www.bao2016.com