Anthony Van Dang

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Anthony Dang completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dang's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-406362-2026-02-20\" id=\"heading-bio-406362-2026-02-20\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-406362-2026-02-20\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-406362-2026-02-20\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-406362-2026-02-20\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-406362-2026-02-20\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI grew up in Foster City, the son of a Vietnam War refugee who came to this country with nothing. In 2004, my brother Andrew was killed in Iraq. I enlisted in the Marine Corps at 18 with Combat Assault Battalion and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion. I fought in the 2nd Battle of Ramadi, where I was shot, survived two IED blasts, and lost close friends in combat. I came home with a 100% permanent disability rating from the VA and wounds that don't fully heal.\r\n<p>After nearly not surviving the transition home, I rebuilt my life through education and service. I earned my degree in Political Science from UC San Diego and a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard, where I studied national security, public finance, and evidence-based policy. I've worked at nonprofits serving combat veterans, at the Pentagon analyzing defense budgets and national security programs, and in the defense industry, where I reported waste and fraud and was terminated in retaliation.\r\n</p>\nI live in Belmont with my wife, Anne, a fellow Marine, and our two sons, one of whom has special needs. I'm the founder of ProConcordia, a civic technology startup focused on making government more transparent and accessible to everyday citizens. My background spans government, defense, aerospace, technology, and nonprofit work, and my career has centered on accountability, evidence-based decision making, and fighting for people the system overlooks.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-406362-2026-02-20\" id=\"heading-key-message-406362-2026-02-20\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-406362-2026-02-20\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-406362-2026-02-20\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-406362-2026-02-20\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-406362-2026-02-20\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>Working families in San Mateo County are being priced out of the communities they built. My own family has experienced financial instability after I was terminated for doing the right thing. I know what it feels like to wonder whether you can stay in the place you call home. In Congress, I will push for federal incentives to build affordable housing, renter protections, and cracking down on corporate landlords who treat our neighborhoods like investment portfolios. The people of this district should not have to choose between staying close to their jobs and schools or being able to afford rent.</li><li>Accountability for the rich and powerful. I've seen corruption from the inside. I worked at the Pentagon, then moved into the defense industry, where I witnessed waste and fraud on programs funded by taxpayer dollars. When I reported it, I was fired. That experience taught me something this district already knows: the rules don't apply equally. The wealthy and well-connected operate by a different set of standards, and the people who speak up pay the price. In Congress, I will fight for transparency in government spending, stronger whistleblower protections, and real consequences for those who abuse public trust. Accountability is not a talking point for me. It cost me my career.</li><li>I'm raising two sons on the Peninsula, one of whom has special needs. My wife and I have fought for every service and accommodation our family needs, and we know how broken the system can be for families like ours. My father came to this country as a Vietnam War refugee. I know what is at stake when the government turns against its own communities. In Congress, I will work to expand disability services, strengthen protections under IDEA, and defend immigrant families from federal overreach. I'm running to protect the people this system was built to overlook.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-406362-2026-02-20\" id=\"heading1-406362-2026-02-20\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-406362-2026-02-20\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-406362-2026-02-20\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-406362-2026-02-20\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-406362-2026-02-20\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tGovernment accountability and anti-corruption. Accountability in this country flows downward. Working people lose their jobs for being late. Executives lose nothing for losing billions. I got into public policy because I believe government should work for everyone, not just those with the money and connections to rig it in their favor.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nAnthony Dang completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dang's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. I grew up in Foster City, the son of a Vietnam War refugee who came to this country with nothing. In 2004, my brother Andrew was killed in Iraq. I enlisted in the Marine Corps at 18 with Combat Assault Battalion and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion. I fought in the 2nd Battle of Ramadi, where I was shot, survived two IED blasts, and lost close friends in combat. I came home with a 100% permanent disability rating from the VA and wounds that don't fully heal. After nearly not surviving the transition home, I rebuilt my life through education and service. I earned my degree in Political Science from UC San Diego and a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard, where I studied national security, public finance, and evidence-based policy. I've worked at nonprofits serving combat veterans, at the Pentagon analyzing defense budgets and national security programs, and in the defense industry, where I reported waste and fraud and was terminated in retaliation. I live in Belmont with my wife, Anne, a fellow Marine, and our two sons, one of whom has special needs. I'm the founder of ProConcordia, a civic technology startup focused on making government more transparent and accessible to everyday citizens. My background spans government, defense, aerospace, technology, and nonprofit work, and my career has centered on accountability, evidence-based decision making, and fighting for people the system overlooks. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? Working families in San Mateo County are being priced out of the communities they built. My own family has experienced financial instability after I was terminated for doing the right thing. I know what it feels like to wonder whether you can stay in the place you call home. In Congress, I will push for federal incentives to build affordable housing, renter protections, and cracking down on corporate landlords who treat our neighborhoods like investment portfolios. The people of this district should not have to choose between staying close to their jobs and schools or being able to afford rent. Accountability for the rich and powerful. I've seen corruption from the inside. I worked at the Pentagon, then moved into the defense industry, where I witnessed waste and fraud on programs funded by taxpayer dollars. When I reported it, I was fired. That experience taught me something this district already knows: the rules don't apply equally. The wealthy and well-connected operate by a different set of standards, and the people who speak up pay the price. In Congress, I will fight for transparency in government spending, stronger whistleblower protections, and real consequences for those who abuse public trust. Accountability is not a talking point for me. It cost me my career. I'm raising two sons on the Peninsula, one of whom has special needs. My wife and I have fought for every service and accommodation our family needs, and we know how broken the system can be for families like ours. My father came to this country as a Vietnam War refugee. I know what is at stake when the government turns against its own communities. In Congress, I will work to expand disability services, strengthen protections under IDEA, and defend immigrant families from federal overreach. I'm running to protect the people this system was built to overlook. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Government accountability and anti-corruption. Accountability in this country flows downward. Working people lose their jobs for being late. Executives lose nothing for losing billions. I got into public policy because I believe government should work for everyone, not just those with the money and connections to rig it in their favor.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it."}]