Quick Facts
Biography
David Min (born March 5, 1976) is an American academic, former political aide, and candidate for Congress in California's 45th congressional district. He is a member of the Democratic Party and former aide to Senator Chuck Schumer. Min is currently a law professor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and is regularly quoted in the media for his expertise in housing finance and financial market issues. As a professor, he focuses on the law and policy of banking, capital markets, and real estate finance. Min is also a nationally recognized expert on financial market regulation.
On April 5, 2017, Dave Min announced his candidacy for United States Congress, challenging incumbent Mimi Walters. Min has said that the victory of Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election and Walters' continued support for the president led him to run against her in the 2018 election.
Early life and education
Min was born on March 5, 1976 in Providence, Rhode Island to Korean immigrant parents who first came to the United States to pursue doctoral degrees at Brown University. Min grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and aspired to be a molecular scientist.
He went to the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and School of Art and Sciences, where he received his undergraduate degrees and graduated magna cum laude. Min then attended Harvard Law School, where he got his J.D.
Political career
After graduating from Harvard Law School, Min worked in financial regulation. Min was a staff attorney at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Banking Committee counsel for Sen. Chuck Schumer, and counsel and senior policy advisor for the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee until becoming the Associate Director for Financial Markets Policy at the Center for American Progress. There, he supervised the efforts of a team of specialists on housing finance reform, called the Mortgage Finance Working Group.
2018 Congressional campaign
Min announced his House candidacy on April 5, 2017, challenging incumbent Rep. Mimi Walters in California's 45th congressional district. Min has said that he previously preferred to craft policy behind the scenes, but that Trump's travel ban and Walters' refusal to directly condemn it were the tipping point that compelled him to run. He has been endorsed by local and state politicians, including former Irvine mayor Sukhee Kang and Fiona Ma, Chair of the California State Board of Equalization.
Although Mitt Romney won the 45th district in the 2012 Presidential Election, Trump lost the district by 5 percent. The historically conservative district’s changing demographics have made it, along with other districts in Orange County, a target for Democrats in 2018. Min has said there is a new groundswell of political consciousness nationally among Korean Americans, with people starting to feel comfortable enough to enter politics.
The 45th Congressional district is about 24 percent Asian American and Pacific Islander. Min has called Walters out for living outside of the district and for refusing to hold public and in-person town halls. He has held such events and plans to hold more.
Personal life
Min’s wife, Jane Stoever, is also a law professor at UC Irvine, where she runs the Domestic Violence Clinic.
They have three children.