Hung Cao is one of five Republican candidates running for Tim Kaine’s US Senate seat. He first appeared on the Virginia political scene in 2022 when he ran for Congress against incumbent Rep. Jennifer Wexton, losing to her 46.7% to 53.1%.
The next year, Hung Cao decided to run for US Senate. During an interview with the Washington Examiner in July 2023, Cao was asked what made him want to run again. This is what he replied: “I’ll be honest with you. Nobody should want to run for office. It’s the worst thing in the world, and I went from a career of honor to politics. So it’s a different animal.”
“From a career of honor to politics.” Whoa! Maybe this describes just how far the reputation for public service has fallen in our country. Is there no honor left in politics? Can Hung Cao restore some sense of honor to public office? Maybe. He has a chance to prove it while on the campaign trail. I’ll explain.
Hung Cao is a compelling candidate when he speaks about his background as a legal immigrant from Vietnam, escaping with his family before Saigon fell to the Communists. He is a compelling candidate when he speaks about his admirable service in US Navy special operations. He is a compelling candidate when he speaks about burgeoning crime and deep political corruption that now threatens the very fabric of America.
But something is dogging candidate Cao on the campaign trail and he doesn’t seem to be handling it well. That something has to do with a federal Super PAC called Unleash America, which he served as honorary chairman when it was created in February 2023 until he left the organization in June that same year.
While associated with Unleash America, in numerous radio and print interviews Hung Cao pledged to support Republican candidates for office, singling out Virginia candidates who would flip the State House to help advance Governor Youngkin’s agenda. He also touted his national fundraising success that could help candidates to victory.
But according to Virginia State Board of Elections filings and Federal Election Commission records, no funds from Unleash America went to candidates for state or local office. In this article, a reporter with the Staunton News Leader detailed what Hung Cao said about his PAC efforts and the failure of Unleash America to deliver: https://tinyurl.com/39hhazuj
That article has generated angst for the Cao Senate campaign. Rather than address specifics of his fundraising plans vs outcomes, Cao has lashed out at the Staunton News Leader, calling it a “podunk local newspaper.” On several occasions, he has dismissed the article as a “hit job.” A friend of mine recently asked him about the allegations and he dismissively replied, “It’s been dealt with. It’s not an issue.” But it IS an issue and remains an issue as long as Cao deflects and blames others for bringing it up.
As a political ingenue – and an attractive one at that, with a compelling personal story — was Hung Cao coopted by the Consultant Class who saw him as a potentially lucrative fundraiser?
When Cao was brought on as honorary chairman of Unleash America, did he understand fully how the PAC would operate, how he would be expected to promote the PAC, and how PAC funds would be raised and spent?
During a podcast interview with Alec Lace, Cao stated: “I’ve had a top secret clearance and I continue to have one for 30 years. You think I’m gonna do something illegal, immoral or unethical? So they had this lady write a hit job on Hung Cao. …. I didn’t promise anything.” But in other radio/print interviews, he left no doubt that he was raising funds to help candidates, funds that never went to candidates. In the same interview he declared, “Honor means your word is your bond and what you say means something.”
Democrats have been hammering Cao over this issue of fundraising. I agree with him that they see his candidacy as a threat to Tim Kaine. So get this issue off the table.
Unlike the Consultant Class, I offer advice at no charge. This is the advice I offer to Hung Cao — If you didn’t fully understand the arrangements with Unleash America and how your fundraising proceeds would be spent, just be honest about it and say so. Say you’ve learned a valuable lesson. You’re new to politics. People will understand. And maybe that career of honor you enjoyed in military service will bring a new dawn of honor into politics. Lord knows the American people are hungry for honor.
