Tony Lam

Tony Lâm (born 1936) is a politician from California. He made history in 1992 when he became the first Vietnamese-born person to be elected into a political office in the United States, winning a seat on the Westminster City Council. Prior to his political career, Lam had lived in America for 17 years and owned the Vien Dong restaurant in Garden Grove. He was also a respected community leader, serving as the secretary of the Vietnamese Lions Club in Westminster and the first vice president of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce in Orange County. Lam's campaign for the city council seat received support from the police, the Mayor, and local mobile-home owners. He defeated another Vietnamese candidate to secure the position.