Asian Americans Win Big In National, State and Local Elections

By Jennie L. Ilustre

 

Some 150 Americans of Asian cultures won impressive victories in the November 6 midterm elections at the federal, state and local levels – even making history along the way.

 

In the national races, Asian American lawmakers in the U.S. Congress handily won reelection, helping the Democratic Party retake the House of Representatives. Representatives Judy Chu, Ted Lieu, Doris Matsui, Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, and Mark Takano, all Democrats in California, posted victories.

 

Other Democrats who cruised to reelection in the U.S. Congress were Representatives Bobby Cortez Scott (Virginia), Grace Meng (New York), Stephanie Murphy, a member of the Executive Board of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus or CAPAC, (Florida), Pramila Jayapal (Washington), Raja Krishnamoorthi (Illinois), and Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii).

 

Andy Kim (D) made history as New Jersey’s first Asian American Congressman in winning the tightly-contested race. In California’s 45th district, in another close race, CNN/CBSLA reported on November 16 that rising star Young Kim (R), who has led the vote tally since Election Night, has been overtaken by former Navy officer Gil Cisneros (D). Cisneros was leading by a mere1,000 votes, but the remaining votes are in Latino counties, which could favor Cisneros.

 

Kim would be the first Korean American woman to become a member of the U.S. Congress if elected. She is running for the seat left open by Ed Royce, who retired rather than run for reelection. She is a former staffer of Royce, who endorsed her candidacy.

 

In Hawaii, seasoned U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D) easily won reelection.

 

 

When the 116th U.S. Congress opens on January 3 next year, the nation will see a divided government in the legislative branch, and factor in the executive branch. Democrats will take control of the 435-member House of Representatives. Needing only 23 seats to retake the House, the Democrats are poised to win 39 seats.

 

The Republicans, who easily prevailed in the contest for the 100-seat Senate, also expanded their majority by two seats, probably three. The final tallies for both chambers are still up in the air. At press time, some races are still too close to call, or are subject to runoff or recount.

 

Political experts are already predicting gridlock in passing legislation. Mix in the 2020 presidential elections, and it gets more complicated. However, hope springs eternal, and there are the usual calls for both parties to work together in Congress, quite probably on infrastructure legislation.

 

Asian Americans Made History

“This election, Asian Americans made history,” the Democratic National Committee posted on its website on November 15.  The Asian American Action Fund (AAAFund), an American Democratic political action committee, ran this posting in its website, elated over the first-ever winning candidates and others who triumphed in the midterm elections.

 

AAAFund congratulated all its endorsees who ran for office last November 6, and noted significant wins, including Andy Kim as New Jersey’s first Asian American Congressman.

 

Remarked AAAFund Endorsements Co-Chair Irene Bueno: “The Asian American Action Fund board is incredibly proud of Andy Kim and the incoming elected officials, and we look forward to them representing our community well on issues including education, health care, the economy, and immigration. Their lived experiences add so much value to crafting policy and decision-making.”

 

Founded   in 1999,   AAAFund’s goal is “to increase the voice of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in every level of local, state and federal government in the U. S.”

 

The AAAFund congratulated other candidates who made history. Two immigrants became the first Asian Americans elected to New York State Senate. They are former New York City Comptroller John Liu (D), born in Taiwan, and Indian American attorney Kevin Thomas, who immigrated to the U.S. when he was 10 years old, beat out Republican incumbent Kemp Hannon. In Connecticut, William Tong became the first Asian American to win a statewide office with his election as Attorney General.

 

Kentucky elected its first Indian American as state representative. Democrat Nima Kulkarni is an attorney and community activist who wants “to protect public education and fight for better healthcare.”

 

In other news, Lily Qi made history as “the first Chinese-born state legislator in Maryland” in her first foray in politics. She will represent District 15 in the General Assembly. Delegate-elect Qi joins a stellar group of other Asian American lawmakers: Kumar Barve, Mark Chang, Susan Lee, Kris Valderrama, Clarence Lam, Jay Jalisi and David Moon.

 

Vietnamese Americans

Madalene Mielke, Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) President & CEO, congratulated “the Vietnamese American community, which has built strong representation in Southern California, Washington, and across the nation.”

 

CALIFORNIA: Xavier Nguyen, Westminster School District board; Khanh Nguyen, incumbent re-elected to Westminster School District board; Janet Nguyen, a California state senator 34th District was re-elected; Tyler Diep, vice mayor of Westminster elected to the 72nd Assembly district;

 

Michael Vo, Fountain Valley mayor who was re-elected to the City Council; Phat Bui, an incumbent re-elected to the Garden Grove City Council; Thu-Ha Nguyen, incumbent re-elected to the Garden Grove City Council; Lan Quoc Nguyen, Garden Grove school board member; Dina Nguyen, a former Garden Grove council member re-elected to the Orange County Water District, and Andrew Nguyen, a former Westminster School District board member elected to the Midway City Sanitary District board

 

WASHINGTON: Joe Nguyen, elected to State Senate, WA34 and My-Linh Thai, elected as state representative in the 41st legislative district

 

Hmong Candidates Elected to Office

APAICS expressed “special congratulations to the Hmong Community for electing 11 candidates to office in Minnesota, California, and across the nation!”

 

The 11 elected candidates are: Samantha Vang, MN House District 40B; APAICS Alumnus Jay Xiong, MN House District 67B; Kaohly Her, MN House District 64A; Tou Xiong, MN House District 53A; Fue Lee, MN House District 59A;  Adam Yang, MN Second Judicial District Court House 11 and P. Paul Yang, MN Second Judicial District Court House 20; Thai Vang, NC District Court 20A; Sheng Thao, Oakland, CA City Council, and Kou Thao, Tracy, MN City Council.

 

APAICS is “a national non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting Asian Pacific American participation and representation at all levels of the political process, from community service to elected office.”

 

Diversity

Advancing Justice/Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) Executive Director John Yang stressed that the victories of all Asian American candidates who ran in the midterm elections were at the national, state and local levels. “And that’s an important message to carry to the Asian American community,” he stressed. “Because we need to run for office at every level so we can reflect not only the diversity within our community, but also the diversity within our country.”

 

APAICS leader Mielke also noted this: “On behalf of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), I’d like to congratulate the extremely diverse spectrum of candidates from the Asian American Pacific Islander community that ran and won in the midterm elections.”

 

“We’re proud of the candidates that ran on local, state, and federal levels – whether they were elected or not,” she added. “At APAICS, we are working to build a government that represents the diversity in our country, and we’re getting closer each day.”

 

“APAICS would like to congratulate all the Asian American and Pacific Islander candidates that won their respective races, as well as those that ran strong campaigns,” she said.

 

Indeed, even those who ran and fell short deserved congratulations, said community leader Bing Branigin, noting their strong showing. She emailed on Nov. 7 that Filipino American Gina Ortiz Jones (D) nearly prevailed against incumbent Rep. Will Hurd (R, Texas). “In her first foray in politics, Gina was able to raise a staggering $2 million and what’s more, she almost toppled an incumbent,“ she pointed out. “We are proud of what she has achieved.”

 

Hurd won 49.1 percent of the vote (102, 903). Ortiz Jones won 48.8 percent (102, 214). Branigin also said Christopher Cabaldon won as Mayor of West Sacramento, in California 52%-48% against his opponent.

 

List of Asian American Winners

Below are the Federal, Statewide, and State office Asian American and Pacific Islander winners, 150 officially known at press time, listed alphabetically. For more details, visit http://apaics.org/aapi-candidates-new/

 

ALASKA

Jo-Ab M. Chung, Local 3rd district

 

ARIZONA

Kimberly Yee

Amish Shah

 

CALIFORNIA

U.S. Representatives Judy Chu, Doris Matsui, Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Ted Lieu (APAICS Alumnus) and Mark Takano

Steve Ly

Betty Yee

Fiona Ma

David Chiu (D)

Robert Bonta

Phillip Ting

Kansen Chu

Ash Kalra

Evan Low

Vince Fong

Ed Chau

Sydney Kamlager-Dove

Phillip Chen

Al Muratsuchi

Steven S. Choi

Tyler Diep

Richard Pan

Janet Nguyen

 

CONNECTICUT

William Tong

Tony Hwang

 

FLORIDA

Stephanie Murphy

Anna Eskamani

 

GEORGIA

Bee Nguyen

Sam Park

Sheikh Rahman

 

GUAM

Lou Leon Guerrero

Michael San Nicolas

 

HAWAII

U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono

Governor David Ige

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

Mark M. Nakashima

Richard H.K. Onishi

Joy San Buenaventura

Troy Hashimoto

Kyle T. Yamashita

Lynn DeCoite

Nadine Nakamura

James Kunane Tokioka

Dee Morikawa

Mark J. Hashem

Bertrand Kobayashi

Calvin K.Y. Say

*Scott Y. Nishimoto (APAICS Alumnus)

Tom Brower

Dale Kobayashi

Della Au Belatti

Sylvia Luke

Scott K. Saiki

Takashi Ohno

John M. Mizuno

Daniel Holt

Romy Cachola

Aaron Johanson

Linda Ichiyama

Sam Satoru Kong

Gregg Takayama

Roy M. Takumi

Val Okimoto

Ryan I. Yamane

Henry J.C. Aquino

Ty J.K. Cullen

Rida Cabanilla

Sharon Har

Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli

Cedric Asuega Gates

Lauren Kealohilani Matsumoto

Sean Quinlan

Lisa Kitagawa

Scot Matayoshi

Noe Galea’i

Kaiali’i Kahele

Dru Kanuha

Lorraine R. Inouye

Jamie Kalani English

Sharon Moriwaki

Breene Harimoto

Clarence K. Nishihara

Michelle N. Kidani

Maile S.L. Shimabukuro

Jarrett Keohokalole

 

IDAHO

Susan “Sue” Chew

 

ILLINOIS

Raja Krishnamoorthi

Theresa Mah

Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz

*Ram Villivalam (APAICS Alumnus)

 

KENTUCKY

Nima Kulkarni

 

MARYLAND

Jay Jalisi

Lily Qi

Kumar Barve

David Moon

Kris Valderrama

Mark Chang

Clarence Lam

Susan Lee

 

MASSACHUSETTS

Tackey Chan

Donald Wong

Tram Nguyen

Rady Mom

Sonia Chang-Diaz

Dean Tran

 

MICHIGAN

Padma Kuppa

Stephanie Chang

 

MINNESOTA

Tou Xiong

Fue Lee

Kaohly Her

Jay Xiong

Samantha Vang

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Latha Mangipudi

Julie Radhakrishnan

Aboul Khan

 

NEW JERSEY

Andy Kim

 

NEVADA

Jacky Rosen

 

NEW YORK

U.S. Representative Grace Meng

Yuh-Line Niou

State Senator-elect Kevin Thomas

State Senator-elect John Liu

Ron Kim

 

NORTH CAROLINA

Nasif Majeed

Jay Chaudhuri

Mujtaba Mohammed

 

OHIO

Niraj Antani

 

OKLAHOMA

Cyndi Munson

 

PENNSYLVANIA

Patty Kim

 

TEXAS

Angie Chen Button

Gene Wu

Hubert Vo

 

UTAH

Karen Kwan

Jani Iwamoto

 

VIRGINIA

U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott

 

WASHINGTON

U.S. Rep Pramila Jayapal

Cindy Ryu

Mia Gregerson

Sharon Tomiko Santos

State Representative-elect My-Linh Thai

Vandana Slatter

Monica Jurado Stonier

State Senator-elect Joe Nguyen

Steve Hobbs

Manka Dhingra

 

WISCONSIN

Josh Kaul

 

WYOMING

Mike Yin