District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan pulls ahead

San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan looks to have broken the District 7 curse, becoming the first incumbent to be reelected in more than decade. As of 8 p.m. on Election Day, early results show Doan appears to be ahead with 62.8% of the vote, or 5,316 votes. Van Le, an East Side Union High School District trustee, trails with 37.1% of the vote, or 3,145 votes. The county s voter turnout is at 23.20%. District 7 encompasses parts of central and East San Jose, including the Little Saigon Business District, a cultural and business hub for the estimated 145,000 Vietnamese residents in the city. The district also has a sizable Latino voter base. An incumbent hasn’t won reelection in District 7 since 2010. San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan is all smiles as he watches the first set of returns roll in. Photo by Joyce Chu. Cheers erupted as people came to hug and congratulate Doan for his lead. Doan said his campaign team knocked on every door in his district twice. He felt in his gut that he would