John Chiang's bid for California governorship cannot be ignored

John Chiang, front right, joined demonstrators protesting President Trump's Muslim ban.

ASAM NEWS
STATE TREASURER JOHN CHIANG'S campaign for Governor of California is picking up speed after winning the endorsement of an influential Democrat.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Chiang’s most recent financial report revealed that he raised $4.2 million in 2016, almost matching the amount raised by Democratic frontrunner Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom in the same year.

Chiang, the state treasurer, has less name recognition than several of his opponents, but he picked up the early endorsement of Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) on Tuesday. Though not a household name, Rendon is one of the most influential politicians in the state.

“[This] makes John Chiang the candidate to watch in the race. Between an endorsement like this and the fundraising string that John Chiang has shown in the campaign, it’s clear that this is at least a two-person race — it’s probably going to be a three- or four-person race,” Democratic political consultant Katie Merrill said to the Los Angeles Times. “There is no clear front-runner now.”

Newsom announced he was running for Governor in January 2015, almost four years before the election in 2018. He currently leads in fundraising.

Chiang jumped into the race in May 2016, followed by former California superintendent of public instruction Delaine Eastin in November, then former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Despite winning three statewide elections, one for treasurer and two for controller, Chiang is less known statewide than Newsom and Villaraigosa, who became top contenders as soon as they entered.

“Even though Chiang has had a lower profile than Newsom and Villaraigosa, his fundraising and endorsements like this make him an even bet in the field,” said Dan Schnur, Professor at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication, according to the Los Angeles Times. “He’s the undervalued stock in the governor’s race.”

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A record number of AAPI lawmakers could be elected to Congress

Either Roh Khanna, left, or incumbent Mike Honda will be Silicon Valley's Congressional representative.

By Louis Chan
REPRINTED FROM ASAM NEWS

AN ANALYSIS of the Congressional elections by AsAmNews has projected it’s possible, even likely, a record number of Asian/Americans will serve in Congress in 2017, tying or surpassing the record 12 Asian/Americans currently serving in Congress.

Thirty Asian/American candidates are running on the November ballot in congressional elections from California to New York, according to information compiled by the non-profit, non-partisan Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies.

Twenty-one of those candidates are Democrats, five are Republicans, two are Libertarians and one is a member of the American Shopping party.

First let's talk about the path to tying the record of 12 Asian/Americans currently serving in Congress (this excludes the two non-voting members of Congress from U.S. territories)

Ten of those running are incumbents. Two are facing tough races. Longtime Rep. Mike Honda is facing an extremely tough challenge from high-tech entrepreneur and Indian/American Ro Khanna in California’s Silicon Valley. Khanna narrowly defeated Honda in the primary, but under California’s open primary system, both democrats advanced to the general election. Although many thought Khanna would beat Honda, analysts are now saying the race is too close to call. The race is a rematch of the 2014 election which Honda won 52 percent – 48 percent.

With two Asian/Americans running against each other, in terms of number of AAPI elected officials, the race is a wash.

California Rep. Ami Bera (D-Sacramento County) has narrowly won two Congressional elections and is going for a third term. This time he’s facing Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones. Bera is given the advantage of this race because Democrats outnumber Republicans in this district, but the race is expected to be a close one.

In the District 1 Congressional race in Hawaii, Colleen Hanabusa is running to replace the late Mark Takai who died of cancer. Hanabusa used to represent the district, but gave it up in a failed bid for the Senate. She is running against two other AAPIs, Republican Shirlene Ostrov and Libertarian Alan Yim.

In California, Kamala Harris is favored to win the U.S. Senate race to replace Barbara Boxer. The current California State Attorney General is running against Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove).

Harris would be the first Indian/American ever elected to the U.S. Senate and only the second Asian/American woman senator. Her victory could potentially give Asian/Americans a record tying 12 voting seats in Congress.

Here’s how Asian/Americans candidates could surpass 12 and set a new record.

Rep. Tammy Duckworth is running for U.S. Senate against GOP incumbent Mark Kirk. Illinois polls show Duckworth is the clear favorite to unseat the incumbent. Kirk didn’t help himself when he was forced to apologize for snide remarks he made about Duckworth’s family which many considered racist.

S Raja Krishnamoorthi is the Democrat running to replace Duckworth in the House of Representatives. The Chicago seat is considered safely Democrat due to the high number of registered Democrats in the district.

In addition there are three Asian/American Pacific Islanders running to be non-voting members of Congress from U.S. Territories.

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Say, what? President Rock?

Is Dwayne Johnson eyeing a new role as President of the U.S.?

AN ACTOR as President of the United States? How outlandish does that sound?

Oh, wait a minute. That's already been done, right?

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is not rejecting the idea after an article in the Washington Post said that he might actually win if he ran for president.

'I can’t deny that the thought of being governor, the thought of being president, is alluring," said the Samoan/American actor. "And beyond that, it would be an opportunity to make a real impact on people’s lives on a global scale. But there are a lot of other things I want to do first.'

Could this be the first nudge of the boulder that will start gaining momentum until it can't be stopped? The retired wrestler seemed very intrigued by the opinion piece written by The Washington Post, which supported his background and skill set as a good fit for the POTUS. So much so, that he actually commented back on it.

“I care DEEPLY about our county… and the idea of one day becoming President to create real positive impact and global change is very alluring," Dwayne wrote. "Buuuuut until that possible day, the most important thing right now is strong honest leadership from our current and future leaders of this country.”

Since the San Andreas actor is a registered Republican, the author of the piece, Alyssa Rosenberg, argues that since the party is desperate for nonwhite voters, The Rock could be a viable option.

This political speculation began earlier this month when the 44-year old Johnson hinted at the possibility of a career in politics in an interview with British GQ.

"I’ll be honest, I haven’t ruled politics out." he said. "I’m not being coy when I say that, but at the moment I am not sure."

The popular actor has mastered the first step in being a politician -- ambiguity.

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For more news about Asian/Americans & Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

John Chiang throws hat into California governor's race

California State Treasurer John Chiang

STATE TREASURER John Chiang is stepping away from the back of the room and into the spotlight with his decision to open a campaign account to run for California's governorship in 2018 when Gov. Jerry Brown terms out.

Chiang's announcement was not a surprise. He made it known for several months that he was considering a run for governor of the country's biggest and wealthiest state.

If elected, he would be California's first Asian/American governor.

It won't be an easy road for the 53-year old Democrat. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has already thrown his hat in the ring, Also expressing interest is L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigrosa, former State Controller and eBay executive Steve Wesley and billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, who made his fortune managing hedge funds.

Facing such formidable opponents, it was crucial that Chiang declare his intentions early so that he could start raising funds and tap into the growing and increasingly influential Asian/American electorate, where he is expected to draw support. He is just the fifth Asian-American elected to statewide office in California.

Asians can provide Chiang, the son of Taiwan immigrants, votes and campaign contributions, but he'll have to find broader appeal to win, said Karthick Ramakrishnan, a professor of public policy and political science who studies Asian-Americans at the University of California, Riverside.

"This could be a game-changer in getting Asian-Americans more interested and involved in politics in California," Ramakrishnan told public radio station KPCC.

Asians comprise about 15 percent of California's population but only about 10 percent of registered voters. However voter registration among Asians is increasing this election cycle, spurred by the anti-immigrant stances of the Republican party and that is likely to increase by 2018.

In a statement today (May 17), Chiang’s campaign promoted his experience as treasurer and, before that, state controller, touting decisions to publish public employees’ salaries online and to withhold pay from lawmakers amid a budget standoff in 2011, which the courts later ruled he didn't have the authority to do.

A moderate and a tax lawyer, Chiang told reporters, “Ninety percent of what goes into (government) decisions should be based on expert knowledge. That’s how (I’ve) tried to do it as controller and treasurer. But in politics, decisions are often 90 percent political and just 10 percent based on expertise. I don’t like that.”

That's the kind of statement that might prove attractive to moderate Republicans and independents tired of the left-leaning rhetoric coming out of the Golden State.

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For more news about Asian/Americans & Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

Kamala Harris’ career choice inspired by civil rights giants

Atty. General Kamala Harris accepts the endorsement of California's Democratic Party.

KAMALA HARRIS, California's Attorney General, hopes to become the state's first Indian/American U.S. Senator. If she wins, she would also become the state's first African/American U.S. Senator. She's running for the seat being vacated by Sen. Barbara Boxer, who is retiring after 24 years in the Senate.

UPDATE: Earlier versions of this post incorrectly said Kamala Harris would become the first Asian/American Senator. Sen. S.I. Hayakawa served in the U.S. Senate, 1977-1983.

Of mixed parentage, the state's top law enforcement officer, also give her parents credit for her desire for justice and equity.

“My parents met when they were graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley, while they were active in the civil-rights movement,” said Harris in an article by  public radio station KPCC.

Harris’ father is from Jamaica and taught economics at Stanford University. Her mother was an endocrinologist and breast cancer researcher from India.

"I grew up in a family where I had a strong sense of my culture and who I am, and I never felt insecure about that at all," she said.

RELATED: Kamala Harris seeks to make history

“My sister Maya and I, we joke that we grew up surrounded by a bunch of adults who spent full time marching and shouting for this thing called justice,” said Harris, who grew up in Oakland, California.

She said the people she looked up to were civil-rights icons: Thurgood Marshall, Charles Hamilton Houston and Constance Baker Motley. They were all lawyers, with Marshall eventually becoming a U.S. Supreme Court justice. Harris said their heroism inspired her to study law.

She went on to graduate from Howard University and received her law degree from Hastings College of Law of the University of California.Overwhelmingly endorsed by California's Democratic Party last month, Harris is ahead of all her rivals in the polls. Her top challenger is another Democratic, Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Orange County, who - if not for Harris - likely would have been the Democrats' favorite.

Considered a rising star in California politics, her name was mentioned as a possible candidate for the vacant Supreme Court seat. Before President Obama nominated Merrick Garland, Harris withdrew her name for consideration so she could concentrate on her Senate bid.

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For more news about Asian/Americans & Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

AAPI political candidates step into the spotlight

By Louis Chan
Reprinted from AsAm News

FROM THE Pacific Islands to Virginia, Asian/American and Pacific Islander candidates dot the political landscape in the United States.

Research from the Asian and Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies found that 123 AAPI candidates are running for state or federal office in 2016. That total does not include the Hawaii State Legislature because the filing deadline there is June 7.

“Asian/American representation is on a steady upward path, in line with the growth of the Asian/American electorate,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan to AsAmNews. Ramakrishnan is a professor and associate dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of California, Irvine. “There is still a big gap between the Asian American share of the population and the Asian American share of Congress. Much of this gap is narrowed, however, when we look at the Asian American share of the voting population.”

AAPI candidates are running in 28 states, the North Mariana Islands, America Samoa and Guam. Democratic candidates outnumber Republicans by two to one with 24 Democrats, 12 Republicans, two libertarians and one independent running for Congress. On the state level, the gap between Democratic and Republican candidates is even greater with Democrats outnumbering Republicans 58 to 25.

Not surprisingly, the survey also reveals a gender gap with men outnumbering women 80 to 43.

One prominent Asian American women elected official is Rep Judy Chu (D-CA).

“Building a strong leadership pipeline for AAPIs is something that I have prioritized in my capacity as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus,” she said to AsAmNews. “I hope that as more AAPIs see people like themselves in leadership positions, the more they will believe that they too have a place at the table.”

The number of Asian American voters is expected to grow by 107 percent by 2040, according to a study from the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge and APAICS. As the number of voters increase, so does their political strength. The number of AAPI candidates is increasing along with that voting power.

APAICS also released a map showing where all AAPI elected officials are located on the local, state and federal levels.

“We are not only showing up in densely-populated AAPI communities, but in new areas where AAPIs have not traditionally been represented in the political sphere,” said Floyd Mori, President and CEO of APAICS. “The database helps us understand to a fuller extent, the status of AAPIs holding political influence– including where our voices are most strongly represented and where there is still room for growth.”

Chu says she is encouraged that Asian Americans have become a “deciding demographic in key states like Virginia and Nevada. That means more candidates are paying attention to issues that matter to us. It also means we’re seeing more AAPI candidates running for office at all levels.”

Perhaps surprising to some, many Asian/American candidates are coming from districts that are minority Asian American. Ramakrishnan told AsAmNews it will be important for these candidates to reach out to other racial and ethnic groups, including African/Americans, Latinos and White voters if they are to succeed.

“We can’t just assume that the number of Asian/American representatives will automatically grow along with population growth,” he said. “Asian/Americans need to participate in much greater numbers than we are doing today, and our participation needs to be strong in midterm and elections as well as presidential elections. In fact, getting more involved in school board and local elections may be the best way for Asian Americans to steadily build their power base in order to gain visibility and influence, both the short and long term.

The APAICS Political Database is the first and only database of currently elected AAPI officials. The numbers are based on data as of March 21, 2016.

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Indian/American running for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont

State Rep. Kesha Ram is running for Lt. Governor of Vermont

Reprinted from AsAm News

A WOMAN who got her first big break in politics from Bernie Sanders is the first woman of color to run for statewide office in Vermont.

Kesha Ram, 29, is the daughter of a father from India and a Jewish American mother. She was elected to the Vermont state House of Representatives at the age of 22 and is now running for Lieutenant Governor as a Democrat.

She ranks early education, higher education, high speed broadband access and affordable housing as high priorities which she feels can help stimulate the economy.

RELATED: Asian/Americans are hard to find in New Hampshire

"We need to invest in the things we know grow our economy at the same time we’re getting some foundation under Vermonters,” she said to the Deerfield Valley News. “The lieutenant governor can be the ‘connector-in-chief,’ building solutions and bringing folks together to help advance the agenda.”

She thinks the state should explore Bernie Sanders' idea of free public college education on its own as an investment in young people.

Sanders invited her to introduce both him and President Obama during Sanders first run at the Senate, a moment which she says helped shape her political career.

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Duckworth wins Democratic primary; eyes Illinois' U.S. Senate seat

Daily Herald

Rep. Tammy Duckworth thanks her supporters after winning the Democratic primary March 15.

AS EXPECTED, in the Illinois primary last night (March 15), U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth won 63% of the vote with the balance split between former Chicago Urban League CEO Andrea Zopp and Napoleon Harris, a state senator and former NFL player in the Illinois primary. 

By winning, the 5-term House member Duckworth becomes the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. Her victory sets the stage for a heated contest versus the incumbent, Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk.

The already contentious race between Duckworth and Kirk has been going on informally for months. Democrats see Kirk's seat as very vulnerable as a Senate seat they can turn blue by the popular Duckworth, a Thai/American.

If Duckworth wins in November, she could change the balance in the Senate and break the logjam Republicans have put up against Obama proposals and could be a factor in deciding who could be the next Supreme Court justice.

RELATED: GOP removes tasteless tweet vs. double amputee

Last week, the National Republican Senatorial Committee went after Duckworth tweeting that she "didn't stand up for veterans." The GOP quickly removed the tweet after the committee was heavily criticized. Duckworth, who lost both legs during a combat mission in Iraq, fired back with a long list of the bills she sponsored on behalf of veterans.

Prior to the primary, the GOP was already running TV ads against Duckworth.

Both Kirk and Duckworth have made compelling personal stories part of their campaign. Kirk suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2012, but returned to work in Washington a year later following intense rehabilitation. Duckworth, who grew up poor and attended college with help from federal grants, is the first veteran double amputee to serve in Congress.

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For more news about Asian/Americans and Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

Gov. Bobby Jindal drops out of presidential race

THERE ARE many reasons why Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal run for the Presidency failed. Suffice it to say, thank goodness!

Jindal, 44, announced his decision late today (Nov. 17) on Fox News Network.

The ultra-conservative politician was the only Asian/American candidate making a run for the nation's highest office. But backing a candidate because of their ethnicity was never in the cards for the Indian/American since his platform - especially his stance against President Obama's immigration reform - runs counter to what pollsters say is important to Asian American voters.

Jindal's departure from the race was no surprise - it's a wonder he lasted so long - since he had raised little money, failed to capture the imagination of the big-money PAC's despite his platform supporting their agenda and he was supported by less than one percent of Republican voters.

Following is Jindal's statement from his campaign website:

I cannot tell you what an honor it has been to run for President of the United States of America. My parents came to this country 45 years ago searching for freedom and a chance. 

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal

When I was born, we lived in student housing at LSU, and never in their wildest dreams did they think their son would have the opportunity to serve as Governor of Louisiana or to run for President. 

They raised me to believe Americans can do anything, and they were right, we can. But this is not my time, so I am suspending my campaign for President.

Going forward, I believe we have to be the party of growth and we can never stop being the party that believes in opportunity. We cannot settle for The Left’s view of envy and division. We have to be the party that says everyone in this country - no matter the circumstances of their birth or who their parents are – can succeed in America.

One of the things I will do is go back to work at the think tank I started a few years ago - where I will be outlining a blueprint for making this the American century.

We must show the way forward on growing our economy and winning the war against terror, and especially defeating radical Islam.

I realize that our country is off on the wrong track right now. Everyone knows that, but don’t forget, this is still the greatest country in the history of the world – and every single one of us should start every day by thanking God that we are fortunate enough to be US citizens.

Now is the time for all those Americans who still believe in freedom and American exceptionalism to stand up and defend it. The idea of America – the idea that my parents came here for almost a half a century ago - that idea is slipping away from us. Freedom is under assault from both outside our borders and from within. We must act now, we do not have a moment to spare.

Going forward, I believe we have to be the party of growth and we can never stop being the party that believes in opportunity. We cannot settle for The Left’s view of envy and division. We have to be the party that says everyone in this country - no matter the circumstances of their birth or who their parents are – can succeed in America.

One of the things I will do is go back to work at the think tank I started a few years ago - where I will be outlining a blueprint for making this the American century.

We must show the way forward on growing our economy and winning the war against terror, and especially defeating radical Islam.

I realize that our country is off on the wrong track right now. Everyone knows that, but don’t forget, this is still the greatest country in the history of the world – and every single one of us should start every day by thanking God that we are fortunate enough to be US citizens. 

Now is the time for all those Americans who still believe in freedom and American exceptionalism to stand up and defend it. The idea of America – the idea that my parents came here for almost a half a century ago - that idea is slipping away from us. Freedom is under assault from both outside our borders and from within. We must act now, we do not have a moment to spare.

Jindal was the third governor to drop out of Republican race for president. Preceding him was Wisconsin Gov. Scott Perry and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

It is not certain what Jindal's future will be since Louisiana is slated to elect a new governor this month in a runoff election. Both candidates for governor have criticized Jindal's administration.

In a last hurrah, of sorts, Jindal joined other Republican governors in banning Syrian refugees in his state. Whether or not the governors have a legal basis for their action remains to be seen.

“Let’s be really honest about this: Immigration without assimilation is not immigration; it’s an invasion,” he said. 

With statement's like that, it is amazing that he considered himself a viable enough candidate to run for President. Even his own Indian/American community was embarrassed by him.

Goodbye Bobby, we hardly got to know you, but we knew enough ... 

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Asians in Politics: Tale of two cities

Ed Lee wins re-election in San Francisco.

THE RESULTS of the Nov. 3 off-year election put two Asian/American politicians from opposite coasts in the spotlight for entirely different reasons.

Ed Lee was easily reelected as Mayor of San Francisco, the propositions that he supported passed and the measures he opposed were rejected by the voters; so you would think he'd be riding high. His victories were offset by his single loss. One of his supervisors, Julie Christensen, lost to long-time critic and former president of the board of supervisors, Aaron Peskin. Peskin's victory could make Lee's next term a little rocky.

Peskin's upset of Christensen for the District 3 seat gives the progressives a 6-5 edge on the board of supervisors. During the campaign, he lost one of his top allies, power broker Rose Pak, who wanted him to endorse another candidate. 

The new majority among the 11 supervisors is more likely to temper Lee's efforts to woo more high-tech firms. It is also more likely to take positions that would slow or halt the gentrification of working class neighborhoods like the SoMa, the neighborhood where thousands of Filipinos have made their home, and Chinatown, supposedly Lee's base but where his candidate lost to one of his harshest critics.

RELATED: Filipino district proposed

Both those neighborhoods, along with the predominantly Latino Mission District, are under siege by developers and landlords who are eager to raise their rents, driving out the very people who make those neighborhoods unique.

The importance of affordable housing was evidenced by the passage of Proposition A, the affordable housing bond strongly supported by the mayor. It provides up to $310 million for below-market-rate housing for low- and middle-income residents.

RELATED: Chinatown fights gentrification

Lee, despite his personal history of fighting for tenants rights, was backed the traditional power brokers including the developers, the high-tech industry, Democratic Party, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Peskin drew his broad-based support from organized labor and tenants' unions.

With the new Board of Supervisors, Lee will find it harder to find approval for his megaprojects that bring in loads of revenue to the city coffers. But a stronger emphasis will be put on protecting existing affordable housing, building more low-rent units. So expect developers to put up a howl when stronger conditions are put on them to add affordable housing to their projects.


The hurdles ahead for Lee can be in this quote, from Peskin: “It’s really about whether we are going to have a Board of Supervisors that is independent, that’s willing to stand up to the tech billionaires.”

Lewiston, Maine received the attention of Asian Americans when its mayor's race turned nasty.

Meanwhile, three-thousand miles away, in a city about as different from San Francisco as can be, mayoral candidate Ben Chin garnered the most votes but he didn't get enough win the mayorship of Lewiston, Maine. Underlying the mayoral contest was the question of race.

Chin, a Democrat running for mayor in Maine's second-largest city who was targeted last month with signs viewed widely viewed as racist, will face a runoff with the GOP incumbent on Dec. 8.

The 30-year-old, who is half-Chinese, was one of five candidates for mayor. As of early Wednesday morning, Chin had received 44 percent of the vote, according to the local newspaper, the Sun Journal. Incumbent Mayor Robert E. Macdonald received 37 percent. 

The Lewiston city charter says a runoff is needed when no candidate receives a majority of all votes. The runoff election is scheduled to take place on Dec. 8.

The mayor's race in Lewiston, (pop. about 36,000) grabbed national headlines when a McDonald supporter put up racist posters on buildings asking voters to "Don't vote for Ho Chi Chin," along with an image of a hammer and sickle. 

Ben Chin

Joseph Dunne, the property manager of Sullivan Property Management, which owns the buildings, told the Portland Press Herald he put up the signs because Chin had labeled him a "slumlord." when, as political director for Maine People's Alliance, issued a report last summer calling Dunne and two others "three of the city's worst landlords." 

Dunne later apologized and took down the signs saying the signs were intended to oppose Chin's policies.

Lewiston, a former mill town with a dying economy, is a small city undergoing a dramatic demographic change with the arrival of immigrants from Africa. The new residents are changing the complexion of the city with an Anglo-French heritage. By some estimates, 4,000 new immigrants have moved to Lewiston since 2001, and dozens are still arriving every month. Downtown still has the traditional pawnshops and bars, but scattered between them are stores catering to the immigrants. The public schools which were losing students for years saw a sudden spurt in enrollment. Local colleges like Andover College saw its enrollment increase  because incoming students preferred the diversity of the town over predominantly white college towns.

Lewiston, like several other small cities in the Northeast, are seeing their cities revived by the arrival of immigrants. And because they are relatively small, the immigrants' impact is greater than, say, in a city like San Francisco, which likes to tout its diversity.

Sure, change in cities like Lewiston is inevitable but the way its older residents react to the newcomers, will point the direction America will likely take in handling the growing diversity of its people. 

Mae Cendana Torlakson might make some history as the first Filipina elected to the State Assembly

Mae Cendana Torlakson is running for the California Assembly, 14th District.

MAE CENDANA TORLAKSON could make history if she is elected to the California State Assembly. If she wins the seat representing part of Contra Costa County, the 14th Assembly District, she would become the first Filipina/American in that legislative body.

That's a big step for someone best known in her native Philippines as a recording rock artist.

I've known Torlakson since she moved to Contra Costa about 10 years ago. She immediately made it known that she wanted to be involved in her community. The issue that brought her to my attention was her interest in developing the waterfront of Bay Point for recreational purposes.

Rather than providing input from the peanut gallery, she realized that she needed to be part of the solution. That's why she ran to be a member of the board of the local park district, the Ambrose Park & Recreational District. She won.

The following is from her campaign webpage:

Mae Torlakson’s passion for providing young people with educational opportunities by building partnerships with business reflects the progressive and pragmatic leadership she brings to the issues of college affordability, environmental protection and economic opportunity.

As the Corporate Partnerships Liaison of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, Mae Torlakson helps educationally disadvantaged students pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Mae has served several roles at MESA since joining the University of California staff in 2000, including Program Coordinator and Manager of Marketing and Resource Development.

A longtime advocate for community parks and open space, Mae chairs and is serving her third elected term on the board of the Ambrose Recreation and Park District, which provides recreation services to 28,000 residents of Bay Point and the Oak Hills community of Pittsburg.

Mae also serves as chair of the Friends of the Delta Trail, and led advocacy and fundraising efforts that secured $4.5 million for the Great California Delta Trail, which seeks to create a continuous trail network through five Delta counties while protecting sensitive habitat. She also serves as President of the Bay Point Garden Club and has been a Neighborhood Watch block captain.

Born in the Philippines, Mae sang and recorded professionally, using her earnings to pay her tuition at the University of the Philippines, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree. She immigrated to the United States in 1988 and became a U.S. citizen in 1994. Mae raised two children, both of whom graduated from the University of California, Berkeley.

 Mae has long been active in Asian and Pacific Islander community organizations, including the Filipina Women’s Network. The first Filipina elected to public office in Contra Costa County, she was named one of the 100 most influential Filipinas in the U.S. 

Mae shares her passion for public service with her husband, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, who represented the region in the State Assembly and Senate before winning statewide office in 2010. They live in the Contra Costa County community of Pittsburg.

Being married to Tom Torlakson, California's Superintendent of Public Instruction, has its advantages. First off, name recognition is very high because her husband was also the area's county supervisor, assemblyman and state senator before taking on the education post. 

She's also worked hard to carve out a name in her own right. She has garnered the endorsements from just about all the Democratic office holders in the county. Those endorsements come in handy in a district that is heavily Democratic. She also has been endorsed by the lone Filipino/American assemblyman, Rob Bonta, of Oakland, who was the first Filipino elected to the state Assembly.

"I will work hard to represent our community well and be a voice for the working families of my district, concentrating on improving educational opportunity and college affordability, providing good jobs and protecting the environment," said Torlakson. 

Her opponents, thus far, include fellow Democrats: another Asian American, Satinder Malhi, who is currently the chief of staff for the 14th District Assembly member Susan Bonilla, who is being termed out; and Mayor Tim Grayson of Concord. 

During college, back in the 80s, she had a rock hit on Manila's record charts, "Hoy Lalake" (Hey, Man) - considered by some as an early tribute to the women's liberation movement in the Philippines. 

“I wanted to pursue my singing — and I loved doing it,” Torlakson said in an interview with the Philippine newspaper Inquirer. “But I made sure that my two children who were with me had the benefits, and so I needed a real job.”

Since then, she has limited her singing gigs to karaoke at family get-togethers with a preference for Gloria Estefan. "Right now," jokes Torlakson, "it would be Donna Summer's 'She works hard for the money,'" referring to her campaign fundraising efforts.

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Jindal announces formation of an exploratory committee in an expected run for U.S. president.

Gov. Bobby Jindal

REGULAR READERS of this Views From The Edge can easily get a sense of where I stand on the American political spectrum. It is no secret that I'm a little bit left of center, depending where the mythical "center" is at any moment in time and from your own political perspective.

However, I started this blog to report on Asian Americans issues and individuals so I would be remiss if I didn't mention any Asian American conservatives in the news.

So, take Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana ... PLEASE! (Sorry, I couldn't resist that one.) Last week the Indian American politician announced the start of an exploratory committee in preparation for a presidential run.

"If I run, my candidacy will be based on the idea that the American people are ready to try a dramatically different direction," Jindal said in a press release. "Not a course correction, but a dramatically different path.

"President Obama has started to redefine the American Dream, turning it into the European Nightmare. Because of this, I believe our country is in serious trouble and that the hour is late for America. Economic collapse is much closer to the door than people realize, our culture is decaying at a rapid rate, and our standing in a dangerous world is at an all-time low.

"However, the problems caused by 7 years of weak leadership and mistakes in the Obama administration can be corrected. But they won’t be fixed by just sending Republicans to Congress. It will only be fixed by a President who is willing to make hard decisions and who has the ideas to change our country's future.

"While other Republican leaders are talking about change, I've published detailed plans to repeal and replace Obamacare, rebuild America's Defenses, make America energy independent, and reform Education for our nation's children."

At first glance, Jindal seems to be the perfect GOP antidote to critics who say the Republican Party doesn't represent the views of minorities. As a Rhoades scholar, he is smart and articulate. He's Indian American and he's governor of Louisiana. He was introduced to the nation as the Republican's golden boy but since that dubious debut, he's attacked conservatives in his own party for not being conservative enough.

He's made some pretty troubling statements in his ongoing efforts to appease the far right of his party. These days, that direction is so right, its wrong. Here's a couple of examples:

On religion

In an article published in The Atlantic, he argued that people of faith must realize that they are fighting a “silent war” against the secular, liberal elite. And they must keep waging that war no matter how much of a cultural minority they become. “Our religious liberty,” he insisted, “must in no way ever be linked to the ever-changing opinions of the public." Is he saying Al Quaeda and ISIS are OK because they are defending their faith against the rest of us?

No-go zones

Talking about predominantly Muslim neighborhoods in Europe, he described: “There are neighborhoods where women don’t feel comfortable going in without veils - that is wrong, we all know there are neighborhoods where police are less likely to go into,” Jindal continues to say, referring to so-called “no-go” zones or areas that are too dangerous for non-Muslims to enter. Fox News jumped on this bit of fantasy but upon further investigation and finding no evidence of such neighborhoods, the right-wing mouthpiece has apologized for repeating this nonsense. Jindal continues to insist these areas exist to the extent that he's made the English and French governments, traditional allies of the U.S., attack him and that doesn't bode well for international relations.

There! I've done my duty in introducing the possibility of having an Asian American run for president. Note that I didn't use the hyphenated racial/political term in describing Jindal. He doesn't like the hyphen either!

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White House Summit on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

PLANS ARE being made to observe Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month this May and the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders is compiling the list of activities being planned throughout the nation. If you want your event included in the list, click here. 

In case you missed the second National AAPI Community Google+ Hangout last week, here's the link: View the Hangout here.

Below are links mentioned on the Hangout where you can check out some of the activities highlighted by the Summit on Asian Americans and Pacific Islander on May 12:

· White House Summit on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

· Federal Agency Accomplishments Report

· Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and #APAEverywhere

If you have further questions, please email the AAPI office at WhiteHouseAAPI@ed.gov. For WHIAAPI updates, please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter: @WhiteHouseAAPI.

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