ELECTION 2026: Mixed bag for AAPI candidates in New York’s primary drama

STEVEN RAGA / FACEBOOK

Incumbent Steven Raga got caught in Democratic Socialist wave and lost his Assembly sesat.

The dust is finally settling on the high-stakes June 23 Democratic primary, and for Asian American candidates, it was a night of historic holds, heavy heartbreak, and high-dollar celebrity defeats. 

From the streets of Flushing to the halls of Lower Manhattan, Asian American communities proved once again that we are not a monolith — neither in how we vote nor in how we fare at the ballot box.

Two Asian Americans incumbents lose their offices

The biggest shockwaves of the night were felt across Queens, where the political muscle of the newly minted Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) completely reshaped the borough's leadership by defeating two Asian American legislators.

Moderate South Asian incumbent Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar suffered a staggering defeat in Assembly District 38. Rajkumar, the first South Asian American woman elected to the state legislature, had closely aligned her political brand with disgraced former Mayor Eric Adams—a gamble that backfired heavily as Mamdani voters prioritized socialist policy over identity politics.

Rajkumar made history as the first South Asian woman and first Hindu elected to New York State office when she was elected in 2021.

DSA-backed challenger David Orkin unseated Rajkumar in a landslide, capturing 59% of the vote to her 41%.

Meanwhile, history-making incumbent Assemblyman Steven Raga faced his own heartbreak. Making a bold gamble to vacate his Assembly seat to run for State Senate District 12 in Western Queens, New York's first Filipino American state legislator ran straight into Mamdani's organizing machine.

Even though Raga had backed Mamdani's mayoral race, the Indian American mayor chose to endorse progressive Aber Kawas, who swept the district with 60% of the vote. 

Both Kawas and Raga were considered "progressive," but the difference being their position on Palestine. Despite co-sponsoring a bill that would cut New York support of nonprofits supporting the Israeli settlements. In the end, critics felt that Raga was not pro-Palestine enough compared to Kawas, who is Muslim and Palestinian American, which appealed to the large Arab population in the district.

Raga vowed to his supporters that his fight for the people of Queens “will not end tonight. 

“I will continue fighting for affordable health care, housing, immigrant justice, and human dignity, because no child in New York should have to endure what that seven-year-old boy endured,” he told his supporters as he conceded. 

“This campaign may be ending, but our work is not. I will never stop fighting for the communities that raised me, and I remain hopeful about what we can build together. The movement we built belongs to the people of Western Queens. And its story is far from over.”

Here’s the breakdown of how the AAPI political landscape shifted on primary night.

Meng fends off insurgent challenge

In New York's Congressional District 6, incumbent Representative Grace Meng proved why she remains the gold standard of Queens politics. Facing a spirited, progressive challenge from former U.S. diplomat Chuck Park, Meng locked down the Democratic nomination with 56.8% of the vote. 

Surrounded by a sea of blue-and-orange "Grace Meng for Congress" Knicks-style shirts at her downtown Flushing watch party, New York’s first and only Asian American congressmember thanked a community that stood by her even on a rainy election day. With the district rated as solidly Democratic, Meng is smoothly cruising toward November.

FACEBOOK

New York's Rep. Grace Meng with her family and supporters celebrate her primary win.

“This victory belongs to every volunteer, organizer, and neighbor who believed that the work we’ve been doing together matters, and I want to congratulate Chuck Park on running a hard and spirited campaign,” said Meng on election night.

“November is next, and I am asking every New Yorker who believes in what we’re fighting for to stay engaged, show up, and help us take back Congress so we can take back this country from Donald Trump and his corrupt regime.”

Meng, chair of the Congreassional Asian Pacific American Caucus, is also co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.

In November, she will face an immigrant from Taiwan, Joseph Chou, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Grace Lee triumphs

Down in State Senate District 27, we saw a battle of titans. Assemblywoman Grace Lee — the historic first Korean American woman elected to the state Legislature—handily defeated former Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou. 

The open seat, left vacant by retiring Senator Brian Kavanagh, saw both progressive women clash over local issues like affordable housing and the controversial Chinatown jail site. Ultimately, Lee commandingly secured the nomination, defeating Niou 62% to 37%.

George Conway fails to launch

In the high-income NY-12 spanning Manhattan’s Upper East and West Sides, high-profile anti-Trump pundit and Lincoln Project co-founder George Conway (who is of Filipino descent) learned that national media fame doesn't always translate to local love.

Aiming to succeed retiring liberal icon Jerry Nadler, Conway’s hyper-focus on fighting Donald Trump failed to resonate deeply with local primary voters. 

In a jaw-droppingly expensive $26-million primary dominated by tech-backed Super PACs, Conway finished a distant fifth place with just 6% of the vote. Assemblyman Micah Lasher ultimately claimed the victory in a crowded field of Democrats that included fellow Assemblyman Alex Bores and Kennedy family scion Jack Schlossberg.

Conway, who changed parties from Republican to Democrat, also was a newcomer to the district. He lost in the crowded campaign field, won by Assemblyman Micah Lesher, who had the endorsement of the Democratic Party. Lasher emerged from a very competitive field of Democrats that included fellow Assemblyman Alex Bores and Kennedy family scion Jack Schlossberg.

When asked about his single-issue campaign to fight Trump and fascism, Conway didn't back away. "That was the thrust of my campaign, and I think a lot of people are, you know, getting the message."

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump were issues in New York's primary.

View from the edge

Establishment Democrats are reeling after a historic, progressive clean sweep in New York, proving that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s political playbook has rewritten the rules of the game.

The progressive, democratic socialist wing did not just compete in Tuesday's congressional primaries—they staged a absolute takeover, shattering the status quo and sending shockwaves directly through the national party leadership.

For years, party insiders claimed progressives couldn't win broad, institutional primary matchups against deep-pocketed incumbents. Tuesday's results proved those outdated myths entirely wrong. Despite heavy backing from party titans like House Minority Leader Hakeems Jeffries, the establishment slate collapsed.

Perhaps the biggest blow was the victory of progressive veteran Brad Lander who completely dismantled two-term incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in New York's Congressional District10, walking away with an overwhelming 30-point victory over the liberal.

In NY-13, democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier toppled five-term veteran Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the powerful chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Mandami-endorsed State Assemblymember Claire Valdez ccaptured the open seat in NY-7, beating out Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

This election wasn't just about local neighborhood issues; it was a defining mandate on the war in Gaza. All three of Mamdani’s backed winners ran unapologetically on platforms demanding Palestinian rights and an end to unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel. Avila Chevalier, a prominent anti-war organizer, successfully translated grassroots activism into electoral dominance, proving that progressive voters are demanding a massive shift in American foreign policy.

The ripple effects stretch far beyond the borders of New York. As Mamdani boldly declared on election night, this sweep effectively fires the opening salvo for the 2028 Democratic presidential primary cycle. Any candidate looking to lead the national ticket will no longer be able to ignore or dismiss this heavily organized, ascendant wing of the party.

Mamdani and the DSA victories showed that they are a new factor in the big-tent Democrats. But it is still a question mark whether or not the sentiment in New York reflects the rest of the country. That's the question the Democrats must answer before 2028 if and when we must choose the whether or not our country will continue the American experiment.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

AANHPI candidates flex their muscle in California primaries

AANHPI voters are starting to assert themselves politically.

If anyone is still clinging to the outdated myth that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are politically quiet, the June 2 California primary results should cause them to rethink that misconception. From historic statewide defenses to high-stakes intra-party showdowns and redistricting dogfights, AANHPI candidates didn't just show up to the ballot — they dominated.

Because of the Golden State's top-two primary system, the top vote-getters advance to November regardless of party line. In many of the races, especially those for statewide offices or Congress, Donald Trump was the reason most of the Republicans lagged behind against their Democratic rivals.

For AANHPI communities, the November results could be historic with 30 AANHPI candidates vying for political elected offices. California is seeing record-breaking representation of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) candidates running for office, with nearly 500 AANHPI individuals seeking state and local positions, according to NBC.

Following are the results for AANHPI seeking state and federal offices as of Jan. 25 with about 99% of the votes counted. 

The statewide standard: Bonta holds the line

Rob Bonta, who already made history as California’s first Filipino American Attorney General, cruised smoothly through his primary with 56% of the vote. The Democratic incumbent is locked, loaded, and heading to November, where he will face off against Republican challenger Michael Gates, the former Huntington Beach City Attorney. During his time in office, Bonta has pumped up his progressive record with 55 lawsuits against the Trump regime.

Democrat Fiona Ma , with a resume as a former Assemblymember and member of the Board of Equalization, will run for Lt Governor against  Republican Glorea Romero in the contest for Treasurer.  Each of the top two vote-getters won 19% and 18% of the vote, respectively.

Former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, a Democrat, successfully advanced in her competitive open-seat bid for Insurance Commissioner. In November, she'll have a tight contest as she faces another Democrat, state Sen. Ben Allen who received about 20% to Kim's 27%.

In the races for Congress and the state legislature, there will be 27 AANHPI candidates. 

Capitol Hill bound

The fight for Washington ran right through AAPI strongholds, serving up both predictable dominance and a few fascinating intra-community face-offs. 

• The new frontier (Ami Bera - CA-03): Also navigating the post-Proposition 50 redistricting map, Democratic Rep. Ami Bera shifted over to the newly drawn 3rd District and comfortably punched his ticket to the general election with 34.3% of the vote. He will battle Republican Robb Tucker with 29.9%.

• Democrats seek to turn district (Michael Matsuda - CA-05) Democrat Michael Matsuda , who won 24.3% pf the vote, will have a rough road ahead in unseating  incumbent Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Modesto), who ed with 61.3% of the votes.

• The Sacramento Comeback (Dr. Richard Pan - CA-06): Former Democratic State Senator Dr. Richard Pan emerged with 23.2% of the vote from a brutal, highly competitive primary in the Sacramento area. He’s heading into a  November matchup against Independent incumbent (former Republican) Representative Kevin Kiley, who wound up with 24.4% of the ballots. 

• Progressive vs. veteran (Doris Matsui vs. Mai Vang - CA-07): Talk about a fascinating dynamic. In a heavily watched, intra-party Democratic clash in the Sacramento area, long-time progressive champion Doris Matsui and powerhouse Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang both advanced out of the primary with Vang eking out 32.2% of the vote versus Mtsui's 29.1%. This sets up a captivating November showdown between an iconic veteran of the Hill and a surging voice representing the community's next generation.

• The Pelosi Open Seat (Connie Chan - CA-11): In the hyper-visible race to fill the massive shoes of retiring Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan secured her spot in the finals, grabbing 30.0% of the vote to set up a heavyweight bout against State Senator Scott Wiener, who won 41% of the ballots.

• Indian Americans face off (Ro Khanna vs. Ritesh Tandon - CA-17) No one can deny the presence and influence of South Asians in Silicon Valley. Incumbent Khanna garnered 62.3% . He will face Republican tech entrepreneur Tandon who received 14.8%. A third candidate, Republican Jennie Phan won 10.7%. 

• Republican stays strong (Rep. Vince Fong - CA-20) Republican  Fong had a comfortable lead with 68.2% of the votes, followed by Democrat Sandra Van Scotter, a healthcare worker, with 28.8%. 

• The Trailblazer (Judy Chu - CA-28): Rep. Judy Chu, the chair emeritus of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), reminded everyone why she’s a powerhouse. Chu locked down a commanding 62.2% of the vote over 32% of the vote for Republican April Verlato in her San Gabriel Valley district, entering the fall as a massive favorite.

• West L.A. a Democratic stronghold (Rep. Ted Lieu - CA-36) The Democratic incumbent garnerd 61% of the vote followed by Republican Houston Brignano, a technology executive, with 15.3% of the ballots.

• History in the making (State Sen. Aisha Wahab  - CA-14) The Democrat seeks to be the first Afghan American woman elected to public office in the US, led with 59%, followed by Democrat Melissa Hernandez, with 17.2% of the vote. Republican Wendy Huang ended up with  13.2%. This is the district occupied by incumbent Eric Swalwell who opted to run for Governor butl ultimately left the race amid sexual misconduct allegations.

• Voters favor incumbent (Rep. Mark Takano CA-39) The incumbent had the lead over Republican challenger Steve Manos, a member of the Lake Elsinore City Council, 60% to 40%.

• The resilient Incumbent (Young Kim - CA-40): On the other side of the aisle, as a result of California's redrawn districts, Republican Rep. Kim, formerly representing the 39th district, will face a tough race against another Republican, Ken Calvert, who moved from district 41. In the primary, Calvert won 35% vs. Kim's 21%.

• Vietnamese voters have a say (Rep. Derek Tran,D, (CA-45) District 45 is mostly in Orange County and part of the San Gabriel Valley, is home for Little Saigon. Five of the six candidates were Vietnamese Americans. incumbent Rep. Derek Tran, a Democrat, was on top with 53.8%, followed by Republican Chuong Vo, former Cerritos mayor with 30%. 

• Upset sought. (David Pan - CA-46) Republican Pan had only 33.2% in his challenge against Democratic incumbent Rep. Lou Correa who had 51.8% in a district with where 65% of the population is Latino and Asians make up 15%.

• Democrat fends off conservative (Rep. Dave Min - CA-47) In 2024 Democrat Min was able wrest the district from Republicans in conservative Orange County garnered 45.3% of the vote over Republican business owner and DOGE fan Jenny Rae La Roux, with 25.1%.

UC BERKELEY

Attorney General Rob Bonta leads a record number of AANHPI candidates in California.

State Senate & Assembly

The momentum carries all the way down to the state legislature, where the bench of future AAPI leadership is growing deeper by the day.

• Scott Sakakihara (SD-10): In an absolute masterclass of grassroots momentum, the Union City Councilmember self-funded his way to a first-place finish in this East Bay/Santa Clara district. He goes into November against Republican Linda Price as the heavy favorite to claim the seat.

• Dan T. Tran (AD-45): Tran is the Republican challenger who won 34.8% of the votes. He will go against incumbent, Democrat Rep. Blanco Rubio who led all candidates with 65.2% of the ballots cast.

• Rep. Mike Fong vs. Long David Liu (AD-49):Two Chinese Americans will campaign for the conservative-leaning district represented by Democratic Rep. Mike Fong with 58.2% who is being challenged by Republican Long David Liu who won 38.7% of the vote.

• Jessica Caloza (AD-52): The powerhouse Filipino American Assemblymember glided effortlessly through her Los Angeles primary with an almost insurmountable 85.5% of the vote, setting up a fall showdown with Andrea Lee Anderson, who wound up with 14.2%.

• Phillip Chen (AD-59): The incumbent Republican Assemblyman took care of business in his primary winning 65% of the votes. He will defend his seat against Green Party challenger Victor Hernandez with 33.7% of the votes.

• Fatima Iqbal-Zubair (AD-65): Backed by a powerful progressive coalition including AAPI Force, Iqbal-Zubair successfully cleared the primary hurdle and is ready to bring the heat to her Los Angeles-based Assembly district this fall.

• Tri Ta (AD-70) The Vietnamese American incumbent, Republican Tri Ta with 53.2% of the ballots will face strong opposition by Democrtic challenger Paula Swift who was able to win 46.2% of the vote.

• Darshana Patel (AD-76). The incumbent Indian American Democrat is facing strong opposition from Republican Carrie S. Espinoza Villanueva, who was able to win 44.2% of the vote in the conservative district, home of Camp Pendleton.

View from the edge

According to recent data from the Public Policy Institute of California, California is home to an estimated 7.2 to 7.5 million AANHPI residents, or about a third of all AANHPI in the US.. To put that into perspective, that is roughly 15.5% to 17.5% of the state’s entire population.

If you want to see where the future of local politics and representation is being written, look at the regional concentrations. In Orange County, AANHPIs make up a quarter of the population. Up north in Santa Clara County — the heart of Silicon Valley — that number skyrockets to a massive 36%.

For years, mainstream media and political strategists treated the AANHPI communities as an afterthought or a "swing" variable. But with over 40 distinct ethnicities spanning language, culture, and history, these numbers prove that in California, we are the baseline.

As we look toward upcoming election cycles and the ongoing fight for authentic cultural representation in media, education, executive boardrooms and the halls of government, California's data shows we aren't just waiting to be heard anymore. We're driving the conversation.

California's political landscape is shifting, and our community is driving the change. County election offices have until July 10, 2026, to officially certify these tallies, but the message is already loud and clear: November is going to be historic. Keep your eyes on the prize, folks.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.