Who will replace Tran?

Van Tran, the 68th District assemblyman, is being termed out of office and running for Congress, leaving two Republicans and two Democrats to vie for his vacated seat.

The 68th Assembly District includes all of Costa Mesa and Fountain Valley; most of Garden Grove, Stanton and Westminster; and slivers of Newport Beach and Anaheim.

The Republican candidate has won more than 60% of the vote in each of the last three elections, so it appears the Democratic candidate that emerges from the primary could have an uphill battle.

Here are brief profiles of the candidates who will appear on the June 8 primary ballot:

Republican Allan R. Mansoor, mayor, deputy sheriff, Costa Mesa

Mansoor describes himself as a conservative Republican who wants to restore “common sense” values to Sacramento. He lists his priorities as balancing the budget, bringing jobs back to California and stopping illegal immigration.

Mansoor prides himself on being the first mayor in America to place a full-time Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in a city jail so criminal illegal immigrants can be deported quickly. He says he opposes the regulations, taxes and lawsuits that drive small businesses out of California, and he wants to cut wasteful spending in Sacramento.

Mansoor has scored endorsements from leading Orange County conservatives such as Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, state Sen. Tom Harman and the Family Action PAC.

Republican Long Pham, education trustee, engineer, Fountain Valley

Pham describes himself as a fiscally and socially conservative Republican ready to deal with the state’s complex issues.

“The state fiscal crisis indicated that we have a flawed regulatory structure, which requires a state representative with an engineering and business background to make decisions on issues that greatly affect the future of our state,” his website says.

Pham served on Gov. Pete Wilson’s regulatory reform task force that repealed thousands of outdated regulations, and he says that experience make him the best candidate to help reduce California’s growing government.

If elected, Pham says his top priority will be to revitalize business and job growth by providing tax incentives and streamlining regulations. He also wants to push for a bill to improve K-12 math and science education and an energy policy bill to promote investment in new nuclear and desalination plants.

Pham and his wife have four adult children.

Democrat Phu Nguyen business owner, entrepreneur, Fountain Valley

Nguyen is a Democrat with a successful remittance business with more than 50 employees. He says he is the best candidate to help California deal with its growing deficit, rising unemployment and mounting foreclosures and bankruptcies.

“I have first-hand experience on budgeting and economic forecasting, and will bring real live solutions to California’s budget problems,” his website says.

Nguyen supports health-care reform, saying accessible and affordable health care is a right, not a privilege. He wants to give tax relief to the middle class and small businesses and roll back tax breaks for large corporations.

He also wants to stop further cuts to the state’s education funding.

Nguyen has received endorsements from leading Democrats such as Rep. Loretta Sanchez and state Sen. Lou Correa.

He also has the backing of the California Federation of Teachers.

Nguyen lives with his wife, Yen Knanh. They have a 2-year-old son, Christopher, and another baby on the way.

Democrat Joe Dovinh, media and communications businessman, Garden Grove

Dovinh is a journalist, television anchorman and federal court interpreter who describes himself as a Democrat with fresh ideas and independent thinking.

If elected, Dovinh says he will help implement policies to speed up the economic recovery, preserve affordable education and supports quality, universal health care. He said he also believes in a two-thirds majority vote to balance the budget.

Dovinh has generated some skepticism among mainline Democrats because he was registered as “decline to state” until 1998 and supported Republican Sen. John McCain in the last presidential election. Dovinh insists he’s always been a Democrat and supported — but not necessarily voted for — McCain out of respect for what he did for the Vietnamese people.

Dovinh lists his address as Garden Grove. A check with the Orange County Registrar of Voters shows it’s the same address as that of Garden Grove Councilwoman Dina Nguyen, a Republican and known ally of GOP congressional candidate Van Tran.