Quang Nguyen
{{Short description|American businessman and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Quang Nguyen
| image = Quang Nguyen by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
| state_house = Arizona
| district = 1st
| term_start = January 11, 2021
| term_end =
| predecessor = Steve Pierce
| succeeded =
| alongside = Selina Bliss
|birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1962}}
| birth_place = South Vietnam (present-day Vietnam)
| party = Republican
| spouse =
| children =
| education = California State University, Long Beach (BA)
| residence = Prescott Valley, Arizona, U.S.
|signature=Quang Nguyen Signature.png
| website = [https://quangforarizona.com Campaign Website]
[https://www.azleg.gov/house-member/?legislature=55&legislator=2063 Legislature Website]
}}
Quang H. Nguyen (born 1962) is a Vietnamese-American businessman and politician serving as a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives for District 1 since 2021. The district includes most of Yavapai County and some of Maricopa County.
Nguyen has served as chair of the House Judiciary Committee since 2022.{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Diego |title=Rep. Quang Nguyen is unfit to lead this crucial legislative committee |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2022/12/06/rep-quang-nguyen-oath-keeper-unfit-lead-house-judiciary-committee/69703347007/ |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}} Nguyen is a member of the Oath Keepers.
Early life and education
Quang Nguyen was born in South Vietnam in 1962 and left at 12 years old after the fall of Saigon.{{cite web|url=https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2021/06/26/house-gop-bill-requires-lessons-on-evils-of-communism/|title=House GOP bill requires lessons on evils of communism|date=June 26, 2021|access-date=August 19, 2021|last=Fischer|first=Howard|website=Arizona Capitol Times}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jul/22/more-than-a-third-of-americas-millennials-approve-/|title=More than a third of America's millennials approve of communism|last=Wood|first=Robert|date=July 22, 2021|access-date=August 19, 2021|website=The Washington Times}} Nguyen graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a bachelor's degree in technology education.{{cite web|url=https://www.yavgop.org/candidates.html|title=Yavapai GOP: 2020 Candidates|access-date=August 19, 2021}}
Early career
Prior to becoming an elected official, Nguyen founded marketing firm Caddis Advertising. He was also active in public speaking and conservative causes. He is a member of the Oath Keepers, a far-right organization.
Arizona House of Representatives
Nguyen first ran for Arizona House of Representatives in District 1 in 2020. He placed first in a crowded Republican primary with 30.4% of the total vote.{{cite web|url=https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2020/08/04/in-surprise-quang-nguyen-leads-crowded-house-race-in-ld1/|title=In surprise, Quang Nguyen leads crowded House race in LD1|last=Kimbel-Sannit|first=Arren|date=August 4, 2020|access-date=August 19, 2021}}{{subscription required}} Along with Judy Burges, he won the general election and defeated Democrat Judy Stahl.{{cite web|url=http://www.redrocknews.com/2020/11/03/arizona-coconino-and-yavapai-counties-post-early-election-2020-results/|title=Arizona, Coconino and Yavapai counties post early Election 2020 results|date=November 3, 2021|access-date=August 19, 2021|last=Fox Graham|first=Christopher|website=Sedona Red Rock News}} Nguyen was reelected in 2022.
=Tenure=
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona, Nguyen signed onto a letter urging Governor Doug Ducey to punish school districts that enforce a mask mandate on students.{{cite web|url=https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/amid-covid-19-surge-arizona-republicans-call-on-gov-ducey-to-punish-school-districts-with-mask-mandates|title=Amid COVID-19 surge, Arizona Republicans call on Gov. Ducey to punish school districts with mask mandates|date=August 11, 2021|access-date=August 19, 2021|last1=Martinez|first1=Jennifer|last2=Miller|first2=Bailey|website=FOX-10}}{{cite web|url=https://gilaherald.com/rep-nutt-is-one-of-a-group-of-legislators-calling-to-withhold-federal-funding-to-schools-that-implement-a-mask-policy/|title=Rep. Nutt is one of a group of legislators calling to withhold federal funding to schools that implement a mask policy|date=August 12, 2021|access-date=August 19, 2021|last=Johnson|first=Jon|website=The Gila Herald}}
Nguyen is anti-abortion, anti-vaccine card, and supports tax cuts.{{cite web|url=https://prescottenews.com/index.php/2021/05/22/prescott-talks-interview-with-rep-quang-nguyen-arizona-ld-1/|title=Prescott Talks – Interview with Rep. Quang Nguyen, Arizona, LD-1|date=May 22, 2021|access-date=August 19, 2021|last=Martin|first=Glenn|website=Prescott eNews}} He strongly opposes communism, citing his experience living in Saigon during the Vietnam War.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/refutes-white-nationalism-bigger-communism|title=Arizona GOP legislator, a Vietnamese refugee, rebuts claim white nationalism a bigger threat than communism|date=July 2, 2021|access-date=August 19, 2021|last=McFall|first=Caitlin|website=FOX News}} In November 2021, he sponsored House Bill (HB) 2008 that would require the Arizona State Board of Education to update high school civics curriculum to include anti-communist narratives from people who, like Nguyen, fled communist countries.{{cite news|url=https://thearizonadailynews.com/arizona-bill-would-require-civics-lessons-from-those-who-fled-other-other-countries-your-valley/|title=Arizona bill would require civics lessons from those who fled {{as written|ot|her other [sic]}} countries|newspaper=The Arizona Daily News|date=June 26, 2021|access-date=August 15, 2022}} On its initial third hearing, the legislation failed to pass the Senate floor, but on reconsideration, it passed with 16 ayes and 12 nays. Ducey signed it into law on June 17, 2022.{{cite news|first=Neil|last=Jones|url=https://tennesseestar.com/2022/06/19/new-arizona-law-aims-to-require-anti-communist-civics-education-in-arizona-high-schools/|title=New Arizona Law Aims to Require Anti-Communist Civics Education in Arizona High Schools|newspaper=The Tennessee Star|date=June 19, 2022|access-date=August 15, 2022}}
Following his reelection in 2022, Quang was appointed chair of the House Judiciary Committee.
=Committee assignments=
In the fifty-fifth Legislature session (2021-2023), Nguyen served on the following committees{{cite web|url=https://www.azleg.gov/house-member/?legislature=55&legislator=2063|title=House Member: Quang H. Nguyen|access-date=August 19, 2021|website=Arizona State Legislature}}{{Update inline|date=October 2023|reason=Needs information regarding committee membership since 2023}}
- Military Affairs and Public Safety (Vice-chairman)
- Appropriations
- Education
- Judiciary
=Electoral history=
{{Election box begin no change |title= 2020 Arizona House of Representatives District 1 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Judy Burges
|votes = 92,058
|percentage = 40.8%
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Quang Nguyen
|votes = 86,405
|percentage = 38.3%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Judy Stahl
|votes = 47,204
|percentage = 20.9%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 225,667
|percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Arizona Republican Party
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Arizona Republican Party
}}
{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=2022 Arizona House of Representatives District 1 general election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Quang Nguyen (incumbent)|votes=75,106|percentage=33.18}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Selina Bliss|votes=74,731|percentage=33.01}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Cathy Ransom|votes=39,665|percentage=17.52}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Neil Sinclair|votes=36,867|percentage=16.29}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=226,369|percentage=100%}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Arizona Republican Party}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=Arizona Republican Party}}
{{Election box end}}
Personal life
Nguyen is Catholic.{{cite web|title=New Catholic Elected Officials Hope to Lead with Faith|url=https://www.ncregister.com/news/new-catholic-elected-officials-hope-to-lead-with-faith|first=Jonathan|last=Liedl|date=November 18, 2020|access-date=February 10, 2022|publisher=National Catholic Register}} He lives in Prescott Valley with his wife Mai, a registered nurse.{{cite web|url=https://www.azvoterguide.com/candidate/arizona-house-of-representatives/quang-nguyen/|title=Meet the Candidate: Quang Nguyen|access-date=August 19, 2021|website=Center for Arizona Policy}} Their daughter is in the United States Navy.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://ballotpedia.org/Quang_Nguyen Ballotpedia]
- [https://quangforarizona.com Campaign Website]
- [https://www.azleg.gov/house-member/?legislature=55&legislator=2063 Legislature Website]
{{Arizona House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nguyen, Quang}}
Category:American politicians of Vietnamese descent
Category:Republican Party members of the Arizona House of Representatives
Category:California State University, Long Beach alumni
Category:Asian-American state legislators in Arizona
Category:Catholics from Arizona
Category:Vietnamese anti-communists
Category:Asian conservatism in the United States
Category:21st-century members of the Arizona State Legislature