Asian American community organizer running for L.A. mayor

As if the Los Angeles mayor's race wasn't crowded enough, a new player has stepped into the ring, and she's not pulling any punches against the "establishment" – that would include Democratic Mayor Karen Bass and the current city hall crowd.

Community organizer and deputy director of the non-profit Housing Now California Rae Huang hopes to ride the recent wave of Democratic Socialists victories, exemplified by Zohran Mamdani's victory for New York mayor which pitted the Indian American against the traditional political "establishment" of both Republicans and Democrats.

If Huang can pull off a victory, she would become the city's first Asian American ayor. She is running for Los Angeles mayor because, in her view, the city is prioritizing the wealthy while the working people struggle. She's critical of Bass's performance, pointing to the ongoing high cost of living, homelessness issues, and even the response to the January 2025 Palisades Fire.

“I am running because I can do the job and because Los Angeles has been ready for real leadership for a long time,” she told supporters as she launched her campaign last Sunday.

“This fight is not my own, but built on years of dedication and commitment of leaders before me who have fought to make LA more affordable, healthier, sustainable and safer for all,” Huang wrote in announcing her candidacy on Instagram. “My platform will be focused on housing for all, building an economy for the people - not billionaires, fast and free metro (mass transit), climate resiliency, and REAL safety through care first models - so that we focus on fighting poverty, not the poor.” 

Although considered a long-shot, Huang is running as a community organizer and an ordained Presbyterian minister, making her a potentially influential, albeit less known, figure in the race who could push the conversation to the left and potentially force the election into a runoff if no candidate achieves a majority vote in the June primary.

Like Mamdani, Huang is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and is running on a truly progressive platform, vowing not to take corporate donations. To traditionalist, some of her platform might appear radical to some, but as Mamdani proved in NYC and Seattle's mayor-elect Katie Wilson, shooting for the moon appeals to voters, especially young voters, tired of the same old thing. Here's a quick rundown of her key issues:

Universal housing: A long-time tenant rights advocate, she argues for "housing for all" and promises real, permanent solutions to the homelessness crisis, not just "band-aid" programs.

Free public transit: To tackle the second-highest expense for families (transportation), she wants to make public transit free, safe, and fast, complete with dedicated bus lanes and improved rail/bus/bike connections.

"Economy for the people": Her campaign is all about economic change that benefits everyone, not just billionaires.

"Real safety": She's pushing for a public safety model focused on prevention and care, fighting poverty at its roots rather than over-policing poor communities.
Huang's entry into the race is a definite challenge to Mayor Bass from the left.

 Political analysts are saying her run could be a game-changer, potentially forcing the June 2, 2026, primary into a costly November runoff if no candidate secures that magic 50% number.

Besides Huang and Bass, the declared and potential candidates for the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election are:

• Austin Beutner: A businessman and former superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District who has officially announced his campaign.

• Asaad Alnajjar: A Porter Ranch neighborhood councilor and civil engineer who has declared his candidacy.

• Vincent Wali: A musician who has also declared his intention to run.

• Rick Caruso (Potential): The real estate developer and 2022 opponent of Mayor Bass is reportedly considering another run for mayor or potentially for governor..

Huang is running as a long-shot candidate but could draw enough progressive votes to potentially force the current mayor into a runoff election if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the June 2, 2026, primary. If elected, she would be Los Angeles' first Asian-American mayor.

At least two other Asian Americans have run for Mayor of Los Angeles, albeit unsuccessfully: Michael Woo, who ran in 1993 and Andrew Kim in 2022.

As of 2024 population estimates, Asian residents make up approximately  12.0% of the population in the city of Los Angeles but Los Angeles County, which includes the San Gabriel Valley, has the largest Asian population of any county in the United States.

Huang doesn't have the name recognition of Bass so the key for Huang's race will be creating an organization to back her beyond the AAPI voters. But with seven months to go until the June primary, she will have plenty of time to promote herself.

Looks like things are heating up in L.A .politics. Stay tuned!

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. 

Filipino American candidate wins Democratic Primary in New York City

RAGAFORQUEENS

Rep. Gregory Meeks, left, Steven Raga, center, and State Sen. John Liu at a rally for Raga in May (Photo: RagaforQueens)

Steven Raga is on the precipice of history. He won the Democratic Primary for Assembly District 30 and this November could be the first Filipino American elected to the New York state legislature. 

Raga easily won the Democratic primary Tuesday with 71% of the vote over his opponent, Ramon Cando.

“It is an honor of a lifetime to be able to advocate for my community here in #AD30,” Raga tweeted Tuesday evening.

“I am proud to be elected as the first-ever Filipino American Democratic nominee for the New York State Assembly” he wrote.

Steven Raga, a Woodside resident and former chief of staff to the incumbent Brian Barnwell, has won the Assembly District 30 seat—making him the first Filipino American to hold elected office in New York State.

When Barnwell announced he would not seek re-election Raga was picked by the Democratic committee to run for the District 30 seat.

“Like so many immigrant families from so many cultures, my family came here in the 60s and took root. It is time that we take our voice to the Assembly and that we are represented by someone who understands the spirit and the needs of this amazing community,” he said after being selected.

As the Democrats' candidate, he was endorsed by Congressmembers Gregory Meeks and Grace Meng; State Senator John Liu; Assemblymembers Catalina Cruz, Ron Kim, Andrew Hevesi and Khaleel Anderson; Borough President Donovan Richards, Councilmember Shekar Krishnan and District Leader Melissa Sklarz.

As the election results showed Raga's certain victory, Meng tweeted: “We did it! We helped elect the first Filipino American ever in the state of NY!!!”

Born in Queens, New York, Raga has a long record as a community advocate. He was executive director of Queens On the Move before declaring his candidacy. Earlier he was the Northeast Regional Manager for Policy and Advocacy for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and served as Barwell's chief of staff for four years.

He is also on the board of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations and the founder of Pilipino American Unity for Progress (UniPro).

Assembly District 30 is one of the most diverse in the state and is majority Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). It encompasses the neighborhoods of Woodside, Elmhurst, Sunnyside and Maspeth where many Filipinos reside.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Seattle's new mayor joins Wu and Pureval as Asian Americans make political progress

Seattle's Bruce Harrell with his family and friends.

Bruce Harrell is Seattle's first Asian American mayor and second Black mayor after his opponent Lorena Gonzalez conceded Thursday.

Even though the votes are still being counted ,Bruce Harrell claimed victory as the first Asian and second Black mayor for Seattle.

"With today’s ballot drop, it’s clear that Bruce Harrell will be the next Mayor of Seattle," González said in a statement Thursday. "Earlier, I called him to congratulate him on a hard-fought race and wished him much luck in his efforts to make progress on the challenges Seattle faces."

From election night, Harrell was able to maintain his comfortable lead, a lead that will likely continue as counting of the ballots continue.

With a 24% leading margin, Harrell, whose mother is a Japanese immigrant who was incarcerated during WWII, called the election "history in the making,"

Harrell's win added to the victories of the Michelle Wu as Boston's first Asian American mayor and Aftab Pureval, Cincinnati's first Asian American mayor  marks a remarkable night that saw proof of the growing presence of the Asian American electorate and politicians.

Tuesday night, in her victory speech, Wu said, "I came to this city as a homesick college kid. But as soon as I stepped foot on the red line to Chinatown, tea token in hand, I knew I was home. Thank you, Boston." 

Wu's achievement was not lost  to her opponent,."She is the first woman, the first person of color, and as an Asian American, the first to be elected mayor of Boston," Essaibi George said. "I know this is no small feat, you know this is no small feat. I want her to show this city how mothers get it done." 

Aftab Pureval, of Indian and Tibetan descent, is Cincinnati's first Asian American mayor. He 

“Tonight, we made history in Cincinnati,” Pureval told a large gathering of supporters. “Cincinnati is a place where no matter what you look like, where you’re from, or how much money you have, if you come here and work hard you can achieve your dreams.”

The victories of the three mayors in major cities without a large AAPI constituency makes their wins all the more remarkable. Earlier AAPI mayors have occurred in cities that have a large Asian American constituency, usually in California and Hawaii.

New mayors, from left, Michelle Wu, Aftab Pureval and Bruce Harrell.

Meanwhile, in Michigan, Amer Ghalib was elected as the first Muslim and first Yemeni American mayor of Hamtramck, a city of 28,000 near Detroit. 

Ghalib unseated the 5-term incumbent, Mayor Karen Majewski, to become the city's first Arab American and Muslim mayor, according to unofficial results from the Wayne County clerk's office.

Ghalib captured 68% of the vote with 100% of precincts reporting. Majewski, who was running for a fifth term to lead the growing city of 28,000 residents, captured 31% of the vote.

A win for Ghalib represents a seismic shift in a city that did not have an Asian or Muslim council member until the 2000s, becoming majority-minority in makeup in the last decade. The city now boasts a foreign-born population of more than 41%. As many as 69% of residents speak a language other than English at home, the census reports.

Ghalib's win could be emblematic of  the trend of AAPI moving to the suburbs, a trend that will likely be more evident in the 2022 midterms as AAPI voter wield their growing political influence.

The Reflective Democracy Campaign, which looks at diversity in U.S. politics, recently released a study that found AAPIs make up over 6% of the U.S. population but less than 1% of elected offices.

“As the nation’s fastest growing racial group, Asian Americans are playing an increasingly vital role in determining electoral outcomes, running for office in record numbers and winning elections.,” said Jerry Vattamala, director of Asian American Legal and Education Fund's Democracy Program.

A new generation of Asian Americans win seats in NYC's city council

Top row left to right: Julie Won and Linda Lee. Bottom row left to right: Sandra Ung, Shahana Hanif,
and Shekar Krishnan

Asian American representation received a huge boost in New York City when five AAPI candidates won their contests for the city's City Council.

Four of the newcomers will represent portions of Queens, home to New York's largest and most diverse population of Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Bengladeshi, Filipino, Pakistani and Indian communities.

The neophyte politicians include: Julie Won, Sandra Ung, Linda Lee, Shahana Hanif and Shekar Krishnan.

“Having Asian American council members serve on various committees, advocating on behalf of Asian seniors, of Asian businesses, is really important,” said Asian American Federation's Howard Shih told NBC Asian America. “Having their voice on the inside pushing for budget changes, for resources for community organizations, for access to discretionary funds, is really important.”

Asian Americans make up 14% of New York City's population of 8.2 million. According to the 2020 Census, there were about 1.4 million Asian Americans residing in New York City. 

All the new council members are Democrats, young and hold progressive views. The new council members' wins come amidst a wave of anti-Asian hate incidents in New York's streets and subways. The rise in hate acts have also given a renewed activism and awareness in the AAPI community that has increased participation in politics.

The five newcomers represent the highest number of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) representation the council has ever had, according to NBC News.  In the past, only two members of the AAPI community had served on the 51-member city council.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, tips, rants and raves from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Asian Americans win mayorships in Boston, Cincinnati and -- perhaps -- Seattle

From left: Boston's Michelle Wu, Cincinnati's Aftab Pureval and Seattle's Bruce Harrell.

CORRECTION: Earlier versions of this post used a wrong photo of Aftab Pureval.

At a time when Asian Americans are experiencing a wave of hate nationwide, two AAPIs won their races for mayor in Boston and Cincinnati and when all the votes are  counted, a third AAPI mayor may be  named in Seattle.

Boston has its first Asian American mayor. Michelle Wu, 36, made history in so many ways when she was declared the winner of Boston's mayoral contest late Tuesday.

"From every corner of our city, Boston has spoken," Wu said to a crowd of supporters Tuesday night. 

"We are ready to meet this moment. We are ready to become a Boston for everyone. I want to be clear, it wasn't my vision on the ballot, it was ours, together."

In a contest featuring two Democratic women of color -- Wu and City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George -- Boston was going make history no matter who won.

In Cincinnati, Aftab Pureval, 39, may be the first mayor of Indian and Tibetan descent in the U.S. easily winning his contest against Congressman David Mann.

“Tonight, we made history in Cincinnati,” Pureval told a large gathering of supporters. “Cincinnati is a place where no matter what you look like, where you’re from, or how much money you have, if you come here and work hard you can achieve your dreams.”

As of early Wednesday morning, Bruce Harrell, who is Black and Japanese, was leading his opponent to become Seattle's mayor. Harrell had captured 65% of the vote after an initial round of votes were released on Nov. 2, and González had 35% of the vote. With votes still to be counted, the final outcome probably won't be known for several more days.

The AAPI Victory Fund, a Super PAC that mobilizes eligible Asian American and Pacific Islander voters and candidates, endorsed Pureval and Wu (They never heard back from Harrell’s campaign about a meeting). Varun Nikore, AAPI Victory Fund president, called Wu’s and Pureval’s wins “a new day in America at the local level.”

“This is now a newfound path for AAPIs to engage in public service,” Nikore said. “I think it’s going to be a beacon for those who wanna run for local office.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: These are developing stories. Check back later for updates on races across the nation.

 

New Jersey seeks to bolster AAPI lawmakers in the state legislature.

The New Jersey state legislature could add to the number of AAPI legislators Tuesday if the influential Asian American electorate exercise their right to vote.

Inspired by a surge of anti-Asian hate crimes that followed slurs about the "China virus," more Asian American candidates are shedding a cultural reluctance to make waves and stepping up to have their voices heard.

Rep. Andy Kim, the first Asian American elected to Congress in New Jersey in 20218, launched a political action committee to make sure he won't be the last. His In Our Hands PAC endorsed six Asian Americans running for office today, Tuesday, November 2

“This group of outstanding and diverse candidates are perfect examples of New Jersey’s growing AAPI population and diversity across the state,” Kim said. “When I started In Our Hands I wanted to focus on finding, recruiting, training, and building a strong, diverse pipeline of talent. These candidates show me that the future of AAPI leadership in New Jersey is bright, and I am confident each of them will make outstanding public servants.”

His PAC, launched to help Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders running for public officeis endorsing Edison mayoral candidate Sam Joshi and five Democratic candidates for the New Jersey State Assembly.

Kim’s PAC is backing former Montgomery Mayor Sadaf Jaffer for an open State Assembly 16th District, Tenafly Democratic Municipal Chair Shama Haider and former Englewood Cliffs Councilwoman Ellen Park for open Assembly seats in the 37th District.

Also earning endorsements from In Our Hands were two Democrats in more competitive districts: New Jersey NOW president Anjali Mehrotra for District 21, and Karlito Almeda, staff member of Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, in District 39.

“What I’m trying to do is really change what is possible," said Kim, who was elected in 2018 as the first Korean American Democrat in Congress. "I want Asian Americans to understand that we can be leaders in our communities.”

New Jersey already has three AAPI state lawmakers -- State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), Assemblyman Raj Mukherji (D-Hudson) and Assemblyman Sterley Stanley (D-Middlesex).

About 1.05 million New Jersey residents identified as Asian, either whole or in part, according to the 2021 Census, representing about 11% of the total population. 

Now Michelle Wu's real campaign begins for Boston mayor

Michelle Wu thanks her volunteers.

Just two hours after the polls closed Tuesday (Sept. 14), Michelle Wu declared her one of the two finalists for Boston Mayor.

An hour later, Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George  claimed the other spot to challenge Wu to become Boston's mayor on Nov. 2.

Wu, endorsed by Massachusett's progressive Sen. Elizabeth Warren, led in the polling leading up election day and maintained that lead as the votes were counted. 

“I’m overjoyed to share with you in our home neighborhood of Roslindale that we are confident that we are in the top two,” Wu told her supporters at Distraction Brewing Co. to await the results.

The 36-year old Wu, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, became the first Asian American councilor after winning election in 2014. If elected, she would become the first woman of color to hold that position.

The special election was necessary after Mayor Marty Walsh accepted President Biden's invitation to become the Secretary of Labor.

The final count is not expected until the 7000 mail-in ballots that were dropped off on the election day are counted.

"Tonight is not a victory celebration, it is a thank you for what we have been through together and a reminder we have 49 days to get it done,” Wu reminded her supporters.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional observations, tips or references, follow me on Twitter @dioknoed.

Vote today! Michelle Wu leading in race for Boston's mayorship

MICHELLE WU CAMPAIGN

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., right, campaigns for City Councilor Michelle Wu,
who is running to become Boston's mayor.

Boston's next mayor may be an Asian American woman reflecting the changing political landscape of the historical city.

Michelle Wu, a city councilwoman, has been running for Mayor for almost a year and of the polls are any indication, the chances are good that she'll be one of the two mayoral candidates vying for the city's top post on Nov. 2.

Wu, who has the endorsement of Sen. Elizabeth Warren leads the polls with the other candidates -- Acting Mayor Kim Janey, City Councilors Andrea Campbell and Annissa Essaibi George, and former city economic development chief John Barros. -- hoping to capture the second spot.

The election is nonpartisan so the finalists could very well be of the same party in the city that is heavily Democratic.

"Growing up, I never thought I would run for office one day. As the daughter of immigrants, I understood from my youngest days how my family and so many others feel unseen and unheard in our society," said Wu in a statement.

“I recognize the ways in which I’m not the typical mold of a Boston politician, but it’s really not just gender and ethnicity or age necessarily, although [it’s] all of those things,” she said.

Find your polling place, here.

Last Saturday, a rally with Warren was held in Chinatown, the neighborhood is where Wu first began volunteering and community organizing in Boston nearly two decades ago.

“If there was ever a moment when we needed to organize, to fight, to stand up to tackle impossible odds, it is right now. We are facing an ongoing public health crisis and a climate crisis and a displacement crisis. But this is a city, and a community, that stands up to fight," said Wu. 

Boston's Asian American population makes up 10% of the city's residents; White, 53%; Blacks, 25%; and Hispanic, 20%. 

"After eight years in the City Council, ten years in City Hall, we have seen the power we have to make that change at the local level. I’m so grateful to Senator Elizabeth Warren for being in this fight with me, and know that together, we will take on the big challenges to meet this incredibly important moment,” said Wu.

“I believe in Michelle because I know Michelle. I’ve known Michelle since she was my student, since she had the courage to step up and run for City Council. I’ve known her as a partner in the fight for childcare, more affordable housing and a Boston that works for working people," said Warren.

“We need more working parents in leadership roles. It makes a difference when moms are in charge, and for me, being a mom and raising two boys in this moment in our city and in our country’s history gives me an urgency to make sure that we’re getting things done,” Wu told Yahoo News. “You put a Boston public school mom in charge [of] our city, and we will see changes to match the scale and urgency of our community’s needs.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For further commentary, tips and recommendations, follow me on Twitter @dioknoed.

Who is speaking for you in Congress? Not many, it turns out

CAPAC

Most of the 18 elected AAPI members of Congress and some associate members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus are in this picture taken from the CAPAC webpage.

ANALYSIS

A recent study of Congress members' emails gives a broad picture of how much  AAPI interests are being mentioned or discussed in the electronic halls of Congress.

The results from a Pew Research Center analysis give some indication of which ethnic groups get the attention of the lawmakers. Not surprisingly, the Congressmembers seem to demonstrate a proclivity towards the issues affecting their own ethnic group. 

It is not  surprising that White concerns are overwhelmingly addressed because77% of the 535 members of the House and Senate are white. (That's a matter that should be a  topic for another column.) The Pew study finds that AAPI members of Congress, only 3% of the lawmakers, also follow the same tendency of paying attention to matters concerning their own particular ethnic group.

The four Korean American members of Congress make up 22% of the AAPI lawmakers. That could explain that why Korean American matters are mentioned in 23% of AAPI social media postings despite making only 8% of the AAPI population.

The apparent favoritism may be because of human nature: the tendency to pay attention to groups you are familiar with, give access to, or identify with and not a bias towards other ethnicities.

In contrast, Rep. Bobby Scott -- and in 2018-2020, TJ Cox, a California Democrat --  were the only members of Congress of Filipino descent. Social media postings of Filipino American issues actually dropped during the period of study from 10% to 7% even though Filipino Americans account for 18% of the AAPI population, the third largest group under the AAPI umbrella designation. 

After Cox's narrow defeat in 2020, that leaves Scott as the only remaining Congressmember with Filipino American heritage. Scott, who also has African American lineage, represents a diverse district with many competing interest groups. It is likely that Filipino American interests such as whittling down the long waiting list of Filipinos seeking U.S. visas, or naming a Navy ship after a Filipino American medal of honor winner, will get less attention in the 117th Congress.

That doesn't necessarily mean Filipino Americans are lacking champions in Congress. Sen. Hirano has championed the plight of Filipino WWII veterans for years and, thankfully, members of CAPAC seem to rally around AAPI causes no matter what ethnic group they benefit.

Following is Pew's a portion of the report on the social media tendencies of Congressmembers:

"Six major origin groups – Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese Americans – comprise the vast majority of Asians in the United States. And these same six groups also account for the overwhelming majority of references to Asian American origin groups by lawmakers on social media.

"But certain origin groups are mentioned disproportionately by lawmakers on social media relative to their share of the Asian American population. In particular, Japanese and Korean Americans have been overrepresented by this metric.

"From Jan. 1. 2016, to April 5, 2021, Japanese Americans were mentioned in 20% of posts that referenced Asian American origin groups, more than three times their share of the Asian American population (6%). And references to Korean Americans accounted for 23% of lawmaker mentions of Asian American origin groups, despite this group making up just 8% of the Asian American population.

"Notably, Korean and Japanese Americans are overrepresented in Congress itself in relation to their respective population sizes. Of the 24 Asian or Pacific Islander members who served over the entire time period, 10 of them are of either Korean or Japanese descent. And when Asian American lawmakers mention specific origin groups in their posts, they tend to reference their own more than any other.

"Some origin groups have grown more or less prominent in lawmaker mentions over time. Dating back to 2016, mentions of Chinese Americans have accounted for 20% of lawmaker mentions of Asian origin groups – a figure that is roughly in line with their share of the population. But in 2020 and 2021, mentions of Chinese Americans have made up nearly one-third (34%) of lawmaker origin group references. Conversely, since 2020 mentions of Indian Americans have made up a smaller share of lawmaker references to Asian origin groups than in the four years prior."

Following is the ethnic breakdown of AAPI voting members of Congress. There are 21 Members (16 Representatives, 2 Senators and 3 non-voting Delegates representing Guam, American Samoa and Northern Marianas) who are Asian Americans or Pacific Islander Americans. Except for California's Young Kim and Michelle Steele, they are all Democrats. 

• Chinese: Judy Chu, CA; *Grace Meng, NY; Ted Lieu, CA.
• Filipino: Bobby Scott, VA.
• Indian: Ami Bera, CA; Pramila Jayapal, WA; Raja  Krishnamoorthi, Ill; and Ro Khanna, CA.
• Japanese: Senator Mazie Hirano, HI; Doris Matsui, CA; and Mark Tanaka, CA
• Korean: Young Kim, CA; Andrew Kim, NJ; Yvonne Steele, CA and Marilyn Strickland, WA. 
• Native Hawaiian: Kai Kahele, HI.
• Thai: Sen. Tammy Duckwork, Ill.
• Vietnamese: Stephanie Murphy, FL.

* Meng's parents are from Taiwan, technically part of the People's Republic of China.

The Pew study also shows that Congress' social media postings increase every year during May, which is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

During the era of the pandemic, AAPI mentions spiked dramatically in 2020 and continues into 2021, the result of the surge of acts of hate and violence directed against Asian Americans that has spurred a new era of AAPI activism and awareness as all sectors -- political, educational, religious, business, labor and entertainment -- speaking out against the racist attacks coming predominantly from Whites.

With only 18 members of Congress, or 3% of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is clear that AAPIs, 23 million strong, according to the Census, needs more representation.

There are signs that the Congressional representation will change in the coming elections resulting in more conversations -- electronic and in person -- about AAPI concerns will occur.

The AAPI community, the majority of whom are first-generation immigrants, will only grow in influence as they become naturalized and become citizen activists. The results of the 2018 Midterms and 2020 presidential elections demonstrate that AAPI voters can influence outcomes. 

A slate of AAPI politicians gaining experience and expertise in the local and state legislatures has been steadily growing providing a bench of leadership who could take the next step in their political careers.

The silver lining of the current pandemic of hate has given a renewed interest in activism in the AAPI communities, especially among the Gen Z and Millennial generations, who are doing their best to destroy the model minority myth that has kept many preceding generations in line. 

Finally, the long AAPI history of fighting injustices and the heroes who dared stand up against oppression and speak out against inequality are being spotlighted giving lies to the stereotype that AAPI -- no matter the ethnicity -- won't rock the boat. Hopefully, the many activists, celebrities, business people, journalists and politicians who have dared to step into the public square, pick up a megaphone, question an employer, or tap "send" on a keyboard, will produce a new generation of leaders unhampered by the stereotypes of the past.  

Editor's Caution: This is an opinion piece. Readers are encouraged to seek out multiple sources of information to form their own opinions.

Andrew Yang: 'I am not going to be the next mayor of New York City'

Screen Capture / NBC

Updated, June 24.

As the votes came in Tuesday night, self-proclaimed "numbers guy" Andrew Yang knew what the numbers were telling him. He had to concede.

After being the frontrunner for months, Andrew Yang's mayoral campaign floundered in the last two weeks causing him to finished a distant fourth in a crowded field of men and women who wanted to be New York City's next mayor.

“I am a numbers guy, I am someone who traffics in what's happening by the numbers," said Yang. "I am not going to be the next mayor of New York City based upon the numbers that have come in tonight," Yang said Tuesday evening in a video filmed by Shant Shahrigian, a New York Daily News reporter.

"I am conceding this race, though we’re not sure ultimately who the next mayor is going to be. But whoever that person is, I will be very happy to work with them."

Brooklyn borough president Eric Adams was leading in votes early Wednesday morning but will likely not get the 50% needed for a clear-cut victory. Following Adams, were progressive favorite Maya Wiley and former Sanitation commissioner Kathryn Garcia. 

In NYC's ranked choice voting in which voters name their top five choices in order of preference, the second and third choice votes will be counted to determine who wins the Democratic nomination for mayor.

It wasn't supposed to end like this for Yang. Yang was supposed to win and become the city's first Asian American mayor.

When Yang entered the race for the Democratic nomination to become mayor of the nation's largest city, he enjoyed months as the frontrunner, campaigning as a nonpolitician bringing in new ideas and out-of-the-box thinking.

As months passed the excitement waned and interviews revealed that Yang was not into all the details of the policies and politics of the city and voters apparently lost confidence and voted for someone they've known for his years of public service as a borough president and a former police officer.

As of Thursday morning (June 24), Eric Adams remained in the lead, but none of the remaining candidates were able to win more than 50% of the votes. The final voting results will probably not be known until next month when all the ranked votes will be added to the totals.

And for the last word ...

Vietnamese American congressmember mulling a challenge to Florida's Senator Marco Rubio

Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Florida

Vietnamese American Congressmember Stephanie Murphy of Florida is considering running for the U.S. Senate  according to Axios, which broke the story. She would challenge incumbent Sen.Marco Rubio.

“Rep. Murphy has not made a decision on whether to run for the U.S. Senate,” said Lauren Calmet, a campaign spokesperson. However, it certainly looks like Murphy is  testing the waters for a potentially historic run. She's currently on a statewide "listening tour," telling her life story.

Donald Trump won Florida in 202o by 3 percentage points and the current governor and state legislators passed new restrictive voting laws that would make it harder to vote. The laws will certainly wind up in the courts and that might be selling point in favor of any Democrat running against the GOP-leaning state.

However, as a immigrant from Vietnam, Murphy is strongly anti-communist, a position that would endear her to the large Cuban community, and has expressed qualms about Biden's tax plans.

Murphy could be the second Vietnamese American campaigning for a high-profile political post. Last week, state Rep. Bee Nguyen, announced her candidacy for Georgia's Attorney General.

Murphy serves as co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of Democrats focused on fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense, and a principled and pragmatic approach to legislating.

Before her election to Congress in 2016, Congresswoman Murphy was a businesswoman and college instructor. She earned a M.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the College of William and Mary.

Sources close to the Democrat say Murphy plans to announce her candidacy in June, reports Axios.

If Murphy were to win Florida's Senate seat, she would be the third Asian American in the Senate, joining Illinois' Tammy Duckworth and Hawaii's Mazie Hirono.

Murphy also sounds like someone interested in moving from the House to the Senate. She  previously called Rubio a “career politician.” She describes herself as a "capitalist" and has criticized Rubio for being out of touch with his constituents “in the real world.”

Rubio, a Cuban American, ran for President in 2012 and 2016. As a candidate in 2020, he was a vociferous critic of Donald Trump. However, after Trump beat Hillary Clinton, he became one of Trump's ardent defenders.

“[Rubio] has used the Senate as a stepping stone for his political ambitions as opposed to serving the people of Florida,” she told the Orlando Sentinel. “And I happen to believe that the people of Florida deserve a senator, at least one, who is more focused on what their issues are at their kitchen tables than on their next political position.”

Mia Bonta running for her husband's former Assembly post

MIA BONTA

 

Assemblymember Rob Bonta had to resign his seat when he became California's first Filipino American Attorney General last month, but the 18th Assembly District could still be represented by Bonta -- Mia Bonta, that is.

Mia Bonta, the wife of AG Bonta and president of the Alameda Unified Board of Education, has announce her intention to run for her husband's former seat.

Several candidates are running for the East Bay district but Bonta's name recognition, a long list of political endorsements that include the state's Secretary of State Shirley Weber and a long career aiding the less fortunate could give her an edge.

"My background and experiences as a child advocate and as a youth advocate and as an advocate for working families stand on their own," Mia Bonta said. "And I'm extremely qualified to serve the communities of the East Bay in the state Assembly."

“I’m running on behalf of East Bay children and working families to push open California’s door of opportunity for communities that have for too long been locked out. The pandemic has further exacerbated systemic inequalities, while exposing once again the precariousness of so many people’s livelihoods," said Bonta, who is of African American and Latino heritage.

Among those campaigning for the district is Filipino American, Malia Vella.

Since 2012, District 18, which represents about 500,000 residents and includes most of Oakland, along with the cities of Alameda and San Leandro, has been represented by her husband Rob Bonta, with whom she has raised three children.

The Bronx-born Mia Bonta has dedicated over two decades to public education and providing youth and families with quality educational opportunities at the local, state, and national level. She has done strategic planning for school districts, run middle school to career youth development programs, advocated for children with special education needs, worked in education policy and philanthropy, and currently runs an educational technology startup that supports early learners and their families throughout the Bay Area.

She met her husband when both were first-year students at Yale. They have been married for 30 years and have three children.

Other candidates that have already announced their intention to run are Malia Vella, the first Filipina on the Alameda City Council, San Leandro Unified School District board trustee James Aguilar and social justice attorney Janani Ramachandran. 

Vella, who teaches at Mills College, had previous political experience at the state level, serving as the district director of former 18th District Assemblymember Bill Quirk. If Vella wins the legislative contest, she would become the only Filipino American in the State Legislature.

If elected, Mia Bonta said she'll prioritize education and housing affordability.

"These issues ... are personal for me, I grew up and my family moved 13 times in 16 years," said the 49-year old Bonta. "I have built into me the experience of feeling that housing insecurity, and I know the impact that has on one's ability to be able to get work, to keep work, to keep an education, to be focused on an educational pathway.

"I am ready to go to Sacramento to fight for our East Bay communities and ensure Californians of all backgrounds get a fair shot.” 

The special election for the 18th Assembly District seat will be held June 29. If no candidate has a plurality, a runoff election between the top two vote-getters will be held later in the summer.

CORRECTION: Earlier versions of this post incorrectly stated that Mia Bonta is of Filipino descent. This assumption was never claimed by Bonta in any of the source material used to write the post. This article has been edited May 28, 12:15 a.m. to reflect Bonta's racial heritage, which is Afro-Latino American, according to her campaign manager. We apologize for  the error and any confusion it may have caused.

Four new AAPI members of Congress "representing" in the House of Representatives

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Rep. Marilyn Strickland wore a traditional Hanbok for her swearing-in ceremony.

Four new AAPI members of the 117th Congress were sworn in Sunday, joining the 15 re-elected House members and two sitting Senators of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage.

The four included the first three Korean American women elected to Congress: Kim Young and Michelle Steele from Southern California's Orange County and Marilyn Strickland from the state of Washington.

Kai Kahele won Hawaii's District 2 seat previously occupied by Tulsi Gabbard, who opted to concentrate on her unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for President rather than campaign for re-election. Kahele's election marks the return of a Native Hawaiian to Congress since Sen. Daniel Akaka died while in office in 2018.

For her swearing-in, Strickland, whose father is African American, honored her Korean American mother by wearing the Hanbok, a traditional Korean garb worn during significant events.

“Today, I was honored to be sworn into one of the most historically diverse Congresses in history, joining a record number of women, and women of color, serving in our Democratic Majority. As a woman of both Korean American and African American descent, it was deeply personal to wear my Hanbok, which not only symbolizes my heritage and honors my mother, but also serves as a larger testament to the crucial importance of diversity in our nation, state, and the People’s House,"  Strickland stated in a press release.

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Hawaii's Rep. Kai Kahele brought a bit of the islands with him for his swearing-in ceremony.

For his swearing in ceremony, festooned in a bevy of Hawaiian leis, Kahale used the same Bible that was used by the late Akaka, the first Native Hawaiian elected to Congress.  

He thanked his supporters and fellow Hawaii Representative EdCase, and said, “For those of you whom I don’t know yet, I hope to gain your trust and confidence. As your representative, I will work across the aisle when possible, and I will fight for our kupuna and our keiki to ensure a better Hawaii for all.”

“It was incredibly emotional and was just beaming with pride and I’m sure Senator Akaka, with my dad, so many others that have come before us, were just looking down and smiling,” Kahele said.

“In Washington, I will practice the important values we hold dear, including integrity, honor, cooperation and aloha in all I do,” Kahele said.

Symbolically, in a powerful moment, Kahele's first official words spoken in the House chambers were spoken in Hawaiian. He said, “Lunamaka’āinana ʻo Nancy Pelosi.” (Congratulations to the People's Leader, Nancy Pelosi.)

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The first three Korean American women, from left, Young KIm, Michelle Steel and
Marilyn Strickland,  elected to Congress met during orientation last year.

California's Kim drew criticism from some in the Republican Party when she criticized Donald Trump's use of racial slurs in referring to the coronavirus pandemic and some of his positions on immigration. “I do hope that my voice can be heard,” she said, “and that I can represent not only my district but also represent the underserved and underheard communities like the Asian American voice.”

Steel, whose husband is a high-ranking official in California's Republican Party, drew support from a lot of Orange County's conservatives when she criticized mandating the wearing of masks in public and the health restrictions placed on businesses.

“This is my American dream and I am honored and humbled to serve my community as one of the first Korean American women ever elected to Congress," said Steel in a press release. "Taking the oath of office to represent the nation that has blessed me with so many opportunities is a moment I will never forget. This is a responsibility that I will never take for granted, especially as so many families and businesses continue to fight back against the COVID-19 pandemic."

The four brings the total number of AAPI Congress members to 21, the most to serve at one time.

Record number of AAPI candidates running for state legislatures

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The Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus of Calif. is made up Assembly and Senate members.

This blog has written extensively on the efforts of AAPI candidates running for Congress and -- of course -- the historic bid of Democratic Vice President nominee Kamala Harris. 

There is another political wave generated by AAPIs that is occurring almost unnoticed by media focusing on the big, national picture: A record number of AAPI candidates are running for state legislatures.

The heightened interest in running for office could perhaps be attributed by the highly visible Democratic presidential primary that featured three AAPI candidates, Tulsi Gabbard, Andrew Yang and Harris. For whatever reason, there is a record number of AAPI candidates running for state legislature seats across the country this year whose candidacies should be noted. AAPI Data points out that 158 Asian Americans are running for state legislatures, an increase of 21 Asian American state legislature candidates since the 2018 midterms.

Local political races, from city councils and school boards to state legislatures is where the next generation of politicians will learn the ins-and-outs of politicking and hone their political muscles for the next level of law making.

Out of the 158 candidates, 75% (117) are Democrats and 25% (39) are Republicans, a reflection of a national trend moving the AAPI political views to left of center, according to AAPI Data. 

The Republican candidates are not necessarily concentrated in red states; many Asian Americans, such as June Yang Cutter and current State Senator Ling Ling Chang, are running for state legislatures in Democratic states like California.

The non-partisan data collection initiative, AAPI Data, reports that Chinese and Japanese Americans make up the largest portion of the state candidates: 42 are Chinese and 36 are Japanese. Perhaps because they have been at this political game longer and better established in their respective communities, East Asians -- which includes Chinese and Korean Americans -- are only about one third of the Asian American population, they nevertheless make up about 61% of the Asian American state legislature candidates. 

South Asians show the biggest increase in political involvement compared to 2018, according to AAPI Data. South Asians -- mostly descended from India and Pakistan -- make up and 23% this year as are South Asian, compared to 14% in the 2018 midterms. These changes may be reflective of changes in the overall Asian American population, as South Asians continue to be a growing share of all Asian Americans.

At the state level are Southeast Asian -- primarily from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia and the Philippines -- make up 22% of this year's state-level candidates.

Diving down deeper, AAPI Data finds that about 60% of the 158 Asian American state legislature candidates are running for re-election. In addition, about 60% of the candidates are men and 40% are women. Out of the 95 incumbents, 63 are men and 32 are women, while 33 of those who are either challengers or pursuing open seats are men and 30 are women. 

Most are from Hawaii and California where the largest AAPI populations live. About 66% of Hawaii's voters are AAPI while they make up about 16% of Caliofrnia's total electorate.

What AAPI Data's analysis finds is that many are also running for state legislatures in all the regions of the United States, including the South and the Midwest. According to it's analysis, there are Asian Americans running for state legislatures in 30 states.

What we also learned from AAPI Data's newest findings is that a purt of nonpoliticians are making the leap from the sidelines into the field, despite the negative image emanating coming from the White House.  The candidates for state legislatures also come from diverse occupational backgrounds: teachers, small business owners, community orgnanizers to healthcare professionals. 

For example, service industry worker Francesca Hong is running for the Wisconsin State Assembly in District 76, marketing professional Emily Weber is running for Missouri House of Representatives in District 24, and anesthesiologist Michelle Au is running for Georgia State Senate in District 48. 

Perhaps more than any other ethnic group, Asians and Asian Americans are perceived as perpetual foreigners by mainstream culture. One way of ridding ourselves of that harmful image is to make ourselves more visible through the soft power of the movies, TV and other entertainment venues and extend our presence as well in the corporate board rooms, classrooms, courtrooms and lawmaking chambers. As AAPI candidates run for office, from water district boards, city council and county boards, they are interweaving their unique experiences and cultures into the fabric of America.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution, this is news sprinkled with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news sources to formulate their own positions.