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Mai Vang

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Mai Vang
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Member of the Sacramento City Council
from the 8th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 15, 2020
Preceded byLarry Carr
Personal details
BornMai Yang Vang
1984 or 1985 (age 41–42)
Sacramento, California, United States
PartyDemocratic
Spouse
Omar Gonzalez
​
(m. 2024)​
EducationUniversity of San Francisco (BS)
University of California, Los Angeles (MA, MPH)
WebsiteCampaign website

Mai Yang Vang (born 1984 or 1985) is an American politician who has served on the Sacramento, California, City Council since 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, she represents the 8th district and is the first Asian-American woman and first person of Hmong descent elected to the body.

As of 2026, she is running for the U.S. House of Representatives, challenging incumbent Democrat Doris Matsui to represent California's 7th congressional district with the endorsement of the Sacramento chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

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Vang was born in Sacramento, California, to Hmong refugees from Laos who fled after the Vietnam War.[4][5] She is the eldest of 16 children and grew up impoverished[6][4] in the Meadowview and Oak Park neighborhoods, later graduating from Sacramento High School.[4][7] Vang's family relied on food stamps, government safety net programs, the Salvation Army for resources.[8]

She holds Bachelors’ Degrees in Biology and Sociology from the University of San Francisco and completed a joint Master of Arts and Masters of Public Health in Asian American Studies program at the University of California, Los Angeles in 2011.[4]

Early career

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In 2013, Vang co-founded Hmong Innovating Politics to organize the South Sacramento Hmong community, register voters, and mobilize residents and parents against school closures, after multiple such closures in the area.[5] Now the organization focuses on voter engagement, youth leadership, parent engagement, and coalition building across the state.[9]

Vang began lecturing in the Department of Ethnic Studies at California State University, Sacramento in August 2015, a position she still holds.[10] She also taught in the Department of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Davis.[11]

Political career

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Sacramento City Unified School District School Board

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In 2016, Vang was elected to represent the Area 5 seat on the Sacramento City Unified School District school board.[7] As a school board member, Vang spoke out about issues affecting communities of color and low income kids in Meadowview. She co-lead the effort to pass the first ever Safe Haven resolution in SCUSD and was instrumental in passing Ethnic Studies as a high school requirement. During her tenure on the school board, she was a vocal advocate against the school-to-prison pipeline and consistently raised concerns about the presence of police officers on school grounds.[12]

2020 Sacramento City Council campaign

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In 2020, Vang successfully won a seat on the Sacramento City Council representing District 8, the neighborhoods of Meadowview and South Sacramento. Vang highlighted affordable housing, public health, and her district becoming integral in the farm to fork movement.[13] Vang received endorsements from 4 councilmembers including retiring council member Larry Carr and Angelique Ashby; the city firefighters’ union; assemblymembers Anthony Rendon, David Chiu, and California State Controller Betty Yee; California State Treasurer Fiona Ma; U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders;[14] and the editorial board of the Sacramento Bee.[15]

Her campaign had raised $122,000 by February 2020.[16] In the first round, Vang placed first leading pastor Les Simmons with 47% of the vote.[17] She defeated Simmons in a run-off election with 52% of the vote. She is the first Asian-American woman elected to the body and was sworn in on December 15, 2020.

She won re-election in 2024 unopposed.[18]

Sacramento Council member

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During Vang's tenure on the Sacramento City Council, the city established the first-ever Sacramento Children’s Fund, dedicating $10 million annually to support children and youth impacted by poverty, violence, and trauma.[19] Vang lead the effort to secure the first-ever city-wide language access coordinator to make sure government was accessible to everyday people.[20] Vang secured over $40 million in public investments to strengthen neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for youth, seniors, and families.

In 2022, a man was arrested and charged for making threats of death or serious injury against Vang and another council member, as well as a candidate and a staff member.[21]

In 2023, Vang voted to shift $6 million away from the Sacramento City police overtime and unfilled vacancies, and reallocate the money into expanding the hours of the homeless behavioral health department which only operates Monday through Friday during regular business hours.[22] The proposal was rejected by a majority of the council, but a similar proposal was made again in 2025.[23] In 2025, an analysis showed that the police overtime spending increased from $2.6 million in 2011 to $23 million in 2023, and was a total of $36 million over-budget from 2021-2023.[24]

In 2024, Vang and Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes worked with the community to support and secure funding for city library services through Measure E.[25]

Vang endorsed Flojaune Cofer's eventually unsuccessful run in the 2024 Sacramento mayoral election.[26]

Vang was the only council member to vote against the renewal of the controversial ShotSpotter detection technology.[27] Studies from Houston, New York City, and other jurisdictions have found up to 87% false positive rates, contributing to increased police costs and also response times for actual emergencies.[28][29]

2026 U.S. House campaign

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In September 2025, Vang announced her campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026, challenging incumbent Democrat Doris Matsui in the 7th district.[1] She was endorsed by organizations including the California Working Families Party,[30] Justice Democrats,[31] Sunrise Movement, Sacramento Democratic Socialists of America, and the newspaper The Sacramento Bee.[32]

If elected, Vang would be the first Hmong American in Congress. Her decision to run was motivated by her opposition to the increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the region.[33] In March 2026, Sacramento-based platinum funk rock band Cake performed a benefit concert in support of the congressional campaigns of Vang and Effie Phillips-Staley. Lead singer John McCrea, Vang, and Phillips-Staley attended the same high school, though not at the same time.[34]

During a May 20, 2026 Joint Special Meeting of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors and the Sacramento City Council, Vang remained turned away from the American flag and did not recite the Pledge of Allegiance, as recorded in video footage published on the City of Sacramento's official website.[35] The incident led to the resurfacing of multiple videos showing Vang turning away or remaining silent during city council meetings while members recited the Pledge of Allegiance.[36] Vang had previously addressed the practice in a February 4, 2025 Facebook post, stating that she uses the moment to reflect on injustices affecting communities locally and globally, and that she views the gesture as a form of resistance against complacency.[37]

Electoral history

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2020

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Sacramento City Council election, District 8[38][39]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Mai Vang 4,705 47
Nonpartisan Les Simmons 3,309 33
Nonpartisan Santiago Morales 713 7
Nonpartisan Ronald Bell 662 6
Nonpartisan Daphne Harris 522 5
Total votes 9,911 100
General election
Nonpartisan Mai Vang 10,225 52
Nonpartisan Les Simmons 9,386 47
Total votes 19,611 100

2024

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Sacramento City Council election, District 8[40]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Mai Vang (incumbent) 6,017 100
Total votes 6,017 100

2026

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2026 California's 7th congressional district election[41]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mai Vang 65,617 31.2
Democratic Doris Matsui (incumbent) 61,114 29.1
Republican Zachariah Wooden 45,994 21.9
Republican Ralph Nwobi 31,670 15.1
Democratic Robby Morin 4,107 1.9
Democratic Enayat Nazhat 1,613 0.8
Total votes 210,115 100.0

Personal life

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Vang resides in the Meadowview neighborhood of Sacramento. She married Omar Gonzalez, a second generation Mexican-American, in 2024.[33]

References

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  1. 1 2 Nixon, Nicole (September 16, 2025). "Sacramento Councilmember Mai Vang challenges longtime Rep. Doris Matsui". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  2. ↑ Nguyen, Tran; Bates, Sophie; Mattise, Jonathan; Haigh, Susan (February 2, 2026). "Out with the old? Young Democrats are trying to convince voters to send a new generation to Congress". ABC News. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Democratic socialists beat mainstream Democrats in latest Calif. poll". SFGate. Retrieved August 29, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Bretón, Marcos (February 23, 2020). "How a daughter of Hmong refugees seeks to make political history in Sacramento". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Stepping Up to The Dais". Making Meadowview. Capital Public Radio. December 5, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  6. ↑ Epley, Robin (April 20, 2024). "This Sacramento City councilwoman could be the rare politician who keeps her promises | Opinion". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Wong, Ashley; Clift, Theresa (November 19, 2020). "Mai Vang 'ready for the challenge' of being first Hmong woman on Sacramento City Council". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  8. ↑ Womack, Graham (October 10, 2025). "Sacramento councilmember's family relied on Salvation Army. It 'fills the gap'". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  9. ↑ "What We Do!". Hmong Innovating Politics. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Meet Us". Ethnic Studies. California State University Sacramento. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  11. ↑ "ABOUT MAI VANG". Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  12. ↑ https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/california-forum/article243490391.html
  13. ↑ Gonzalez, Vicki (March 2, 2020). "Interview: Sacramento City Council District 8 Candidate Mai Vang". Capital Public Radio. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  14. ↑ Wong, Ashley (October 30, 2020). "Sacramento City Council candidate picks up endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  15. ↑ Sacramento Bee Editorial Board. "The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board endorses Mai Vang, a 'change agent' for city council". No. 10 February 2020. Sacramento Bee. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  16. ↑ Clift, Theresa (February 16, 2020). "Well-known pastor, school board member face off in competitive Sacramento City Council race". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  17. ↑ Clift, Theresa (March 4, 2020). "Vang leads Simmons in race for Sacramento City Council seat in Meadowview". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Matsui and Vang: Tracking CA's Congressional District 7 Election Results". Abc10. June 2, 2026.
  19. ↑ https://maivangsacramento.org/measure-l
  20. ↑ https://maivangsacramento.org/leap
  21. ↑ Ayestas, Jonathan (November 15, 2022). "Complaint: Man threatened Sacramento government officials". KCRA 3. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  22. ↑ Lam, Kristin (June 14, 2023). "Sacramento City Council OKs budget, rejects proposal to move police funding to homeless services". Capital Public Radio. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  23. ↑ Apodaca, Tori (May 20, 2025). "Here are the Sacramento police cuts the city is considering amid $44 million budget hole". CBS News Sacramento. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  24. ↑ Miranda, Mathew (May 7, 2025). "Sacramento police spend millions on overtime each year. Should it be investigated?". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  25. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCaGan1TFhH/
  26. ↑ Clift, Theresa (February 2, 2024). "Two Sacramento mayoral candidates want to hire 100 cops. Another wants to cut the police budget". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Sacramento approves $2 million ShotSpotter deal despite concerns over effectiveness, cost". CBS News Sacramento. September 9, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  28. ↑ Chen, Yilun (June 11, 2023). "Houston's gunshot alert system isn't curbing violence but delays police response times, data shows". Investigations. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  29. ↑ DeAngelis, Jenna (June 20, 2024). "ShotSpotter technology sends NYPD after false alarms 87% of the time, report finds". CBS News. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  30. ↑ Evans, Jordan Willow (September 19, 2025). "Working Families Party Endorses Mai Vang in California 7th Congressional Race". Independent Political Report. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Justice Dems back Matsui challenger". Punchbowl News. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Mai Vang (California)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 4, 2026.
  33. 1 2 Alvarez, Felicia (September 16, 2025). "Mai Vang launches 'incredibly personal' run for Congress against Doris Matsui". Abridged. KVIE. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  34. ↑ Ruhoff, Hannah (March 22, 2026). "Cake hosted a benefit concert for politicians. Here's how the concert happened". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  35. ↑ City of Sacramento Clerk's Office (May 20, 2026). "2:00 PM Joint Special Meeting of the Sacramento County and the City of Sacramento [AMENDMENT MATERIAL 05/15/2026 @12:50PM]". City of Sacramento Official Website. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  36. ↑ Pendleton, Jennah (May 27, 2026). "Mai Vang campaign connects attacks over Pledge of Allegiance to opponent Matsui". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  37. ↑ Vang, Mai (February 4, 2025). "Facebook post". Facebook. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  38. ↑ "OFFICIAL 2020 PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 3, 2020". Sacramento County. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  39. ↑ "OFFICIAL 2020 General ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 2020". Sacramento County. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  40. ↑ "OFFICIAL 2024 PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 5, 2024". Sacramento County. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  41. ↑ "California Primary Election Tuesday, June 2, 2026". California Secretary of State. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
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