Huy “Henry” Nguyen, a Los Angeles Unified administrator who has never held public office, won the Area 5 seat on Long Beach City College's Board of Trustees, receiving 53.1% of the vote in the Nov. 3 election. He defeated businesswoman Susana Gonzalez Edmond by 2,481 votes, despite her endorsements from the mayor and much of the City Council. Area 5 covers parts of Lakewood, East Long Beach and California Heights.
Gonzalez Edmond raised more cash donations than Nguyen, according to the Long Beach Post. She has more than two decades of higher-education experience, including leading the Cal State Student Association. The outlet's voter guide listed endorsements from Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, much of the City Council, Congressman Robert Garcia and most sitting trustees. Gonzalez Edmond has since conceded and congratulated Nguyen.
The Los Angeles County registrar released semi-official results shortly after 3 a.m. on Nov. 11 and planned to continue updating them as outstanding ballots were counted, the Press-Telegram reported. Final results were expected Nov. 27.
Campaign Support and Spending
The Long Beach City College Faculty Association endorsed Nguyen in June. Cal-Access records show the association contributed more than $78,000 to his campaign, primarily through in-kind support such as mailers, photos and phone-banking; nearly $32,000 of that support came from the California Teachers Association PAC. Jeff Sabol, an LBCC librarian and the association's political action committee chair, said the group was drawn in part to Nguyen because he was not a career politician.
Sabol said voters saw Nguyen as a candidate offering change, according to the Long Beach Post's account of the campaign. Nguyen has also credited the faculty association's support as necessary to his win, and he canvassed door to door. In his LAUSD administrator job, he is represented by the Teamsters.
Nguyen's Priorities and District Connections
Nguyen's daughter took classes at LBCC through its dual-enrollment program, an experience he has cited in discussing his priorities for the board. He has said he wants to keep the college affordable, expand basic-needs support and ensure veteran students connected to the college are treated fairly. His platform, outlined on VoteStack, also includes expanding dual enrollment and career pathways, along with services for veterans and students facing food, housing, transportation or mental-health needs.
Student programs and the Area 5 seat’s history
Long Beach City College says its Early College Initiatives office offers four programs through which middle and high school students can take college courses for credit; the college description does not state how participation has changed or how many local students the programs serve. The college says its Basic Needs Program connects students with food, housing referrals and transportation resources. Long Beach City College’s Early College Initiatives information and its Basic Needs Program page describe those services.
Nguyen will succeed outgoing trustee Ginny Baxter, who did not seek reelection after decades in the Area 5 seat. Two sitting trustees, including board president Uduak-Joe Ntuk, endorsed Nguyen, breaking with the rest of the board; Ntuk declined to comment on his endorsement. Nguyen has said he plans to work across the board and build relationships with trustees willing to work with him.
Long Beach City College’s profile says Virginia Baxter was elected to the LBCCD District 5 trustee position in April 2014, succeeding Dr. Tom Clark. The profile does not provide the opponent or vote totals for that contest.
