Vang Takes Jabs at Matsui In End-of-Year Fundraising Video

As elected officials and candidates often do, they use end-of-month or end-of-quarter campaign financial reporting periods as fundraising devices. As the last quarter of 2025 approached, Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang used the end of the quarter and year-end reporting period to fund her upstart Congressional campaign.

Vang, a Democrat who has aligned herself with progressives, is challenging longtime Democratic representative Doris Matsui for California's 7th Congressional District. On the last day of the year, Vang posted a fundraising video on her social media platforms (see below).

As candidates often do, Vang highlighted campaign talking points to appeal to potential contributors and distinguish herself from Matsui, who has been labeled the entrenched Democratic Party establishment. Among Vang's most frequently used appeals has been that she does not accept corporate donations, unlike Matsu, who has been a beneficiary of corporate donations since taking office over 20 years ago.

Aside from the talking points, there were features of Vang's video that could be interpreted as subtle digs at Matsui. The footage shows Vang running, as in running for office, but it can also be interpreted another way.

Vang, who is about 40 years younger than Matsui, who is 81, shows vigor and activity. Although Ms. Matsui appears to be in good physical and mental health, it would be a stretch for any 80+ year-old, even in good condition, to run like a person 40 years their junior.

That implied differentiating brings up a point supporters will say about loud, but most candidates will not - their opponent is too old to hold office, and should give way to a younger generation. In several social media posts, there have been numerous comments about Matsui's age and that the time for her to step aside has arrived.

Even though Vang is unlikely to broach this difference, her video could be a subtle reminder - or a dog whistle to supporters - of her relative youth and vigor compared to Mastui. Naturally, Matsui supporters and the Congresswoman herself could use her age and length of service to benefit constituents.

Interestingly, another subtlety may not have been intentional. Vang's appeal for donations as small as five dollars to help her campaign contrasts with Matsui, who generally receives large corporate and political action committee donations.

For Matsui's part, we could not find any other end-of-period financial appeals to small donors. If Vang is correct in her assessment of Matsui's establishment status, those large donations were automatically received.