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Check out the outsiders running for Congress in Orange County

May 10, 2026

As you vote in the June 2 primary, make sure to check out all the candidates. Because of the undemocratic top-two system, the Green, Peace & Freedom, Libertarian and No Party Preference candidates will be frozen out in the Nov. 3 general election.

I talked with two outsider candidates running for Congress. Libertarian Derrick Michael Reid is listed on the ballot for the 47th Congressional District as a “Military Geopolitical Commentator.” He’s an engineer who spent 10 years in aerospace/defense and as an attorney for 25 years specializing in patent litigation and prosecution. Opponents include Democratic incumbent Rep. Dave Min, four Republicans and three others.

Like many Libertarians, he was boiling over with proposals. He said his plan is to win a seat in Congress this year, then be elected president in 2028.

“I’m the guy who is capable of eliminating the income tax, the national debt, the Federal Reserve Board and federal socialism,” Reid said. “And unless it is done soon, we will end up in a great depression. The main concern is the exponentiating national debt.”

As I was writing this, the running U.S. National Debt Clock just pushed over $39.2 trillion, rising at a $1.67 trillion annual clip. Republicans and Democrats keep promising to cut the debt, but to no avail.

On Social Security and Medicare, he promised, “We will not stiff grandma.” His plan is to transfer social services to the states. To pay for a shrunken federal government, he would tax the states themselves. That would provide competition among the states on how best to raise the revenue for the federal levy.

The main benefit would be getting rid of the federal income tax. He said, “People are tired of the IRS engaging in a colonoscopy.”

On foreign policy, unlike most libertarians he favors the current war with Iran. But he objected that President Donald Trump did not first get approval from Congress, “a straight-up violation of the Constitution.” Second, “I’m a military scientist. And it became obvious that the war was not sufficiently war-gamed.”

A quite different candidate is Nina Linh, listed on the ballot as “Businesswoman/Nonprofit Executive,” and running in the 40th Congressional District as No Party Preference.

“People are absolutely exhausted,” Linh said, explaining why she’s running. “And I’m exhausted. But I’m just not one to sit on the sidelines.”

When former Democratic Rep. Mike Honda asked her to run as a Democrat, she first said no. But at the end of 2024, “I was at an inflection point in my life, and I said, You know, let me consider it.” She first ran as a Democrat. But she became disillusioned with the party because of the Proposition 50 redistricting initiative it pushed into law last November, “because I do not believe in gerrymandering.”

Like Reid, she called for reducing the debt. She said, “Coming from business, it’s so, so, so critical to understand money management and how you balance the federal budget.”

And she criticized President Trump’s Iran War. “Number one, I don’t believe there was an imminent danger from Iran” attacking the United States, she said. “I believe it is a war of choice and there is no exit strategy. My concern is that it will end up being a war of attrition.”

Linh’s two main opponents are incumbent Republican Reps. Ken Calvert and Young Kim, whose support for the war I criticized in a recent column. They were jammed into one district due to the Prop. 50 initiative Linh criticized. Also running are five Democrats.

Linh founded WonderSeed Foundation, a nonprofit helping at-risk youth. From that background, she opposed cuts to education, Medicare and Medicaid.

Although both Linh and Reid are hopeful they will make it to the Nov. 3 general election, alas, their chances are slim. Too bad. Because third parties often percolate ideas later adopted by the major parties. For example, the Libertarians long advocated for school choice and marijuana decriminalization, which since have been advanced in many states.

With the major party candidates habitually breaking promises, Reid, Linh and the other outsider candidates deserve your attention.

John Seiler is on the SCNG Editorial Board

Orange County Register

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Check out the outsiders running for Congress in Orange County

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