Hoang Nguyen

Hoang Nguyen

Democratic Party

Utah House of Representatives District 23

Tenure

2025 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

0

Predecessor

Brian King

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

East High School

Medical

University of Utah, 2006

Personal

Profession

Small business owner

Contact

Official website

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Hoang Nguyen (Democratic Party) is a member of the Utah House of Representatives, representing District 23. She assumed office on January 1, 2025. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027.

Nguyen (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Utah House of Representatives to represent District 23. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Nguyen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Hoang Nguyen's career experience includes working as a small business owner. She has served as the managing partner of Sapa Investments and the chief executive officer of Dragonfly Wellness. Nguyen has earned an MBA.

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2024

See also: Utah House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Utah House of Representatives District 23

Hoang Nguyen defeated Scott Romney and Cabot Nelson in the general election for Utah House of Representatives District 23 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Hoang Nguyen (D)	71.7	17,821
		Scott Romney (R)	26.4	6,566
		Cabot Nelson (United Utah Party)	1.9	481

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 24,868
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Utah House of Representatives District 23

Hoang Nguyen defeated Jeff Howell in the Democratic primary for Utah House of Representatives District 23 on June 25, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Hoang Nguyen	56.3	2,283
		Jeff Howell	43.7	1,769

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,052
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Scott Romney advanced from the Republican primary for Utah House of Representatives District 23.

United Utah Party primary election

The United Utah Party primary election was canceled. Cabot Nelson advanced from the United Utah Party primary for Utah House of Representatives District 23.

Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Utah House of Representatives District 23

Hoang Nguyen defeated Jeff Howell in the Democratic convention for Utah House of Representatives District 23 on April 27, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Hoang Nguyen (D)	57.4	39
		Jeff Howell (D)	42.6	29

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 68
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican convention

Republican convention for Utah House of Representatives District 23

Scott Romney advanced from the Republican convention for Utah House of Representatives District 23 on April 27, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Scott Romney (R)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

United Utah Party convention

United Utah Party convention for Utah House of Representatives District 23

Cabot Nelson advanced from the United Utah Party convention for Utah House of Representatives District 23 on April 20, 2024.

		Candidate
✔		Cabot Nelson (United Utah Party)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To view Nguyen's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Nguyen in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Hoang Nguyen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Nguyen's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Hoang Nguyen has invested in and led Utah’s community through family owned businesses: Sapa Sushi, Purgatory Bar, Fat Fish Sushi, and Dragonfly Wellness. Hoang came to America as a young child with her family as refugees from Vietnam. Hoang grew up on the west side of Salt Lake and later moved to the east bench where she lives with her husband and two sons. Hoang has spent the last decade building a business that is people-centric by putting others first. Hoang believes that leadership is about taking care of others, the people and community around you. These lessons have shaped the very foundation of who Hoang is as a mother, a business owner and a community leader.

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?

• Utah’s breathtaking landscape is second to none, and that is evident in the explosive growth the state is experiencing. Utah's unparalleled natural beauty attracts visitors from around the globe and is a driver of our economy. However, the continued degradation of our environment poses a significant threat to both our way of life and our economic prosperity. The Great Salt Lake is experiencing significant water loss and is at risk of collapse. Protecting its water supply is crucial for our air quality, and our health. Utahns deserve clean air. I am committed to championing policies aimed at reducing emissions, conserving water, and advocating for clean air regulations to protect both the environment and health of all Utahns.
• Did you know our state ranks at 49th in per-student spending? As a youngest sibling of seven who was raised on assistance programs, I've experienced firsthand the inequities in access to quality education resources. Over the years, we have seen an attack and dismantling of our public education system. The very education system that my family and I heavily relied on and credit for getting us out of poverty. Quality education often increases chances for upward economic mobility. That is why I am committed to crafting policies that prioritize investments in our schools. I will propose education policies that move past party and ideology—a plan focused on investing in our students, educators, and learning environments across Utah.
• Growth is an essential part of becoming an economically thriving city, and Utah is growing at a rapid rate with no signs of slowing. This means more jobs for our residents—more opportunities to pursue passions and explore new ideas, but we cannot sustain that growth if we are not responsible throughout the process. As a business woman, I understand the importance of responsible growth—remembering that at the core of expansion are the people who each play a vital role in achieving success. We must create jobs while also advocating for affordable housing. We must encourage and celebrate diversity so that the vibrancy of this community expands and reverberates throughout the state and beyond.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Policies around saving and preserving the middle class. When we do not have a strong and thriving middle class we do not have a healthy and balanced economy. We need to deploy policies that guarantee livable wages, provide good benefits, opportunities for career-driven training and education, affordable housing, and policies that promote upward mobility. In order to achieve a healthy middle class, lawmakers need to take a holistic approach that involves government policies, corporate social responsibilities, and mechanisms in society that will support these structures.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, Equity, Sense of Duty

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

My family are first generation immigrants from Vietnam. Our father was a soldier fighting alongside Americans against the communist regime. After the war, we were granted political asylum to immigrate to the U.S. However, in order to do this, we first had to escape from post-war Vietnam. People who fought on the American side were watched very closely after the war. Our father devised a plan where he secretly stockpiled enough gasoline to make it to Hong Kong, the closest port to seek asylum. A year later, we were able to escape on our father’s small fishing boat along with several other families. After six tumultuous days at sea, we finally made it to the port of Hong Kong. We lived in a refugee camp for more than a year awaiting clearance to come to the U.S. We arrived in Oakland, California in the Spring of 1983. The nine of us lived in a two-bedroom apartment in the projects. Our mother worked part time as a dishwasher and a seamstress. Our father delivered newspapers and studied to be an automotive mechanic at the local community college. In 1987, four years after arriving in the U.S., our father was killed during an armed robbery by a 16-year old boy. Our mother was 35 years old and widowed with seven children in a country where she did not speak the language. We moved to Utah in 1992 and settled on the west side of Salt Lake City in the Glendale area. Our mother found work as a line cook at Little America working long hours. Our eldest sister, Mai, was responsible for raising all the siblings. Eventually, our mother was able to save money and opened up the very first pho restaurant in Utah. Fast forward to nearly thirty years later, our family owns and operates Sapa Investment Group. We employ more than 500 employees in Utah. We’ve always been well-supported here and grateful to have the opportunity to build a business that helps drive the local economy. Moreover, we are so proud to be able to give back through our philanthropic efforts.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

SLC Mayor Erin Mendenhall

SL County Mayor Jenny Wilson
South Salt Lake Mayor Cherie Wood
Senate Leader Senator Luz Escamilla
Senator Nate Blouin
Jani Iwamoto, former Senator
Rebecca Chavez-Houck,
former Representative
David Litvack, former Representative
Jackie Biskupski former SLC Mayor
Ralph Becker, former SLC Mayor
Councilman Dan Dugan
Councilwoman Victoria Petro
Councilman Darin Mano
Councilman Chris Wharton
Councilwoman Sarah Young
County Councilwoman Ann Granato
Former Councilwoman Ana Valdemoros
AFL-CIO
Teamsters Local 222
Operating Engineers Local 3
UA Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 140
Laborer’s Union Local 295
American Federation of Teachers Union
Professional Firefighters of Utah

Utah & Salt Lake Education Association

Note: 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.

Campaign finance summary

---

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

---

Hoang Nguyen campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Utah House of Representatives District 23	Won general	$175,567	$-126,481
Grand total			$175,567	$-126,481
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Utah

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Utah scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

See also

2024 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Utah House of Representatives District 23

YouTube

Website

Twitter

Officeholder

Utah House of Representatives District 23

Website

Personal

Facebook

LinkedIn

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Brian King (D)	Utah House of Representatives District 23 2025-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

Current members of the Utah House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Mike Schultz

Majority Leader:Casey Snider

Minority Leader:Angela Romero

Representatives

District 1

Thomas Peterson (R)

District 2

Mike Petersen (R)

District 3

Jason Thompson (R)

District 4

Tiara Auxier (R)

District 5

Casey Snider (R)

District 6

Matt Gwynn (R)

District 7

Ryan Wilcox (R)

District 8

Jason Kyle (R)

District 9

Jake Sawyer (R)

District 10

Jill Koford (R)

District 11

Katy Hall (R)

District 12

Mike Schultz (R)

District 13

Karen Peterson (R)

District 14

Karianne Lisonbee (R)

District 15

Ariel Defay (R)

District 16

Trevor Lee (R)

District 17

Stewart Barlow (R)

District 18

Paul Cutler (R)

District 19

Raymond Ward (R)

District 20

Melissa Ballard (R)

District 21

Sandra Hollins (D)

District 22

Jen Dailey-Provost (D)

District 23

Hoang Nguyen (D)

District 24

Grant Miller (D)

District 25

Angela Romero (D)

District 26

Matt MacPherson (R)

District 27

Anthony Loubet (R)

District 28

Nicholeen Peck (R)

District 29

Bridger Bolinder (R)

District 30

Jake Fitisemanu (D)

District 31

Verona Mauga (D)

District 32

Sahara Hayes (D)

District 33

Doug Owens (D)

District 34

Carol Moss (D)

District 35

Rosalba Dominguez (D)

District 36

Jim Dunnigan (R)

District 37

Ashlee Matthews (D)

District 38

Cheryl Acton (R)

District 39

Ken Ivory (R)

District 40

Andrew Stoddard (D)

District 41

Gay Lynn Bennion (D)

District 42

Clint Okerlund (R)

District 43

Steven Eliason (R)

District 44

Jordan Teuscher (R)

District 45

Tracy Miller (R)

District 46

Cal Roberts (R)

District 47

Mark Strong (R)

District 48

Doug Fiefia (R)

District 49

Candice Pierucci (R)

District 50

Stephanie Gricius (R)

District 51

Leah Hansen (R)

District 52

Cory Maloy (R)

District 53

Kay Christofferson (R)

District 54

Kristen Chevrier (R)

District 55

Jon Hawkins (R)

District 56

Val Peterson (R)

District 57

Nelson Abbott (R)

District 58

David Shallenberger (R)

District 59

Mike Kohler (R)

District 60

Tyler Clancy (R)

District 61

Lisa Shepherd (R)

District 62

Norman Thurston (R)

District 63

Stephen Whyte (R)

District 64

Jefferson Burton (R)

District 65

Doug Welton (R)

District 66

Troy Shelley (R)

District 67

Christine Watkins (R)

District 68

Scott Chew (R)

District 69

Logan Monson (R)

District 70

Carl Albrecht (R)

District 71

Rex Shipp (R)

District 72

Joseph Elison (R)

District 73

Colin Jack (R)

District 74

Neil Walter (R)

District 75

Walt Brooks (R)

Republican Party (61)

Democratic Party (14)