1. Vincent Karchi Fong was born on October 24,1979 and is an American politician who has served as the US representative for California's 20th congressional district since 2024.
16 Facts About Vince Fong
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Vince Fong is the first US congressman with a parent who immigrated from Hong Kong.
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Vince Fong was born on October 24,1979, in Bakersfield, California to Chinese immigrants.
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Vince Fong's father was an immigrant from Hong Kong and worked in a Bakersfield pharmacy.
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Vince Fong attended West High School and went on to earn an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles.
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Vince Fong later obtained a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton University.
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Vince Fong began his career as an aide to Congressman Bill Thomas, the then-chair of the US House Ways and Means Committee.
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Vince Fong then returned to Kern County to serve local residents, working nearly a decade as district director for McCarthy after he was elected to Congress.
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Vince Fong was actively involved in Kern County's community organizations and nonprofits, serving on the boards of Goodwill Industries of South Central California, the Jim Burke Education Foundation, and Honor Flight Kern County, supporting efforts to send WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam veterans to Washington, DC, to visit their memorials.
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In September 2016, Vince Fong announced his candidacy for the California State Assembly to succeed Assemblymember Shannon Grove in the 34th district, who was term-limited.
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Vince Fong was the first Asian American to ever represent Bakersfield in the state legislature, a notable achievement considering the Central Valley's long history of conservative Asian-American political involvement.
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Vince Fong was re-elected in 2018,2020, and 2022, with Fong being redistricted to the 32nd district in 2022.
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Vince Fong resigned his Assembly seat on May 24,2024, after winning the special election to the US House of Representatives.
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Vince Fong appeared on both ballots for the US House and Assembly in the general election.
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Vince Fong was sworn in as a member of the US House of Representatives by Speaker Mike Johnson on June 3,2024.
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Vince Fong is married to Amanda Boschma, whom he met at a Bakersfield area foster care non-profit.