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.

Jenifer Rajkumar

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.

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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.

George Conway

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.

2020 Election: Next generation of AAPI politicians make history at the state level

While the Presidential election sucked all the media attention, a new generation of mostly young Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders began their political careers at the state level, building up a bench of up-and-coming AAPI lawmakers. 

Among this year's group of AAPI lawmakers -- all Democrats --  who won seats in state legislatures also made history with some "Firsts.' Among their ranks are:

• The youngest AAPI legislator in California;
• The first South Asians in New York's state legislature;
• Hawaii picked its first openly LGBTQ lawmaker;
• Wisconsin elected its first Asian American to its state legislature;
• Pennsylvania will have its first South Asian in the state Senate;
• The first woman of color to serve in the Vermont Senate;
• Georgia picked its first Filipino American immigrant to the legislature.

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.

The increasing willingness to dive into politics is a testament to the growing political awareness of the AAPI community. Several sources say that turnout among AAPI voters increased 300% among early voters alone. In some swing states such as Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin, AAPI voters proved to be crucial.

AAPI Data points out that 158 Asian Americans were running for legislatures in 30 states, an increase of 21 Asian American state legislature candidates since the 2018 midterms.

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. 

Following are some of the new lawmakers who made history at the state level:

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Alex Lee, the youngest member of the California legislature.

Alex Lee made history in a few ways when he won California’s 25th District Assembly race on Nov. 3. At 25, he’ll become California’s youngest Asian American state legislator ever, the first openly bisexual state legislator and the first assembly member from Generation Z.

The district, which encompasses Fremont, Santa Clara, San Jose, Milpitas and Newark, and straddles the East Bay and Silicon Valley, is one of the heaviest Asian state legislative districts in the state.

“It’s incredibly exhilarating because our campaign was really the underdog, and we were outspent 15 to 1,” Lee told NBC Asian America. “The establishment didn’t support us, but after we knocked on 30,000 doors, it paid off and we had a great victory.”

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Zohran Mamdani,  left, and Jenifer Rajkumar

Two Indian Americans were elected to the New York state Assembly on Tuesday — making them the first South Asians voted into the lower house of the state Legislature.

Both Jenifer Rajkumar and Zohran Mamdani are Democrats representing parts of Queens, New York City.

The 2010 census reported that more than 300,000 South Asians lived in New York City — about a third of the total Asian American population with the largest concentration in Queens.

Mamdani, 29, who will represent Astoria, a multiethnic neighborhood in Queens, beat incumbent Aravella Simotas in the Democratic primary this year and faced no Republican opponent in the general election. Rajkumar, 38, who will represent parts of Queens that are largely made up of immigrants, won her primary in the state election cycle and defeated Republican Giovanni Perna on Tuesday.

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Hawaii's Adrian Tam beat a Proud Boy member.

Progressive Democrat Adrian Tam won the race for Hawaii’s District 22, becoming the first openly LGBTQ elected official in the state legislature, reported political action committee Victory Fund.

Tam, the son of immigrant parents from Hong Kong and Taiwan, defeated Republican Nick Ochs, who leads the Hawaii chapter of the Proud Boys, a far-right, neo-fascist and anti-LGBTQ paramilitary group. Tam garnered over 63% of the vote while Ochs took less than 30%, according to KITV.

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Chef Francesca Hong hopes to cook up new laws for small laws.

Chef and restaurant owner Francesca Hong is the first Asian American to be elected as a representative for Wisconsin’s state legislature, Wisconsin State Journal reports.

According to Madison365, election results from Dane County report that Hong won in a landslide, receiving 88% of the total votes, beating Republican candidate Patrick Hull for the 76th Assembly District seat.

Born and raised in Wsiconsin and the daughter of immigrants, she ran a campaign focused on racial justice. 

“We must strive to help working class individuals and families to improve conditions in housing, public education, job security and wealth building,” she said. “We must invest in our main streets, taking the lead from independent small business owners, to work towards more equitable economic infrastructure. But above all, we must prioritize racial equity and work to invest in communities that have been defunded and decimated by irresponsible and apathetic GOP leadership.”

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Nikil Saval, 37, became the first South Asian American elected to Pennsylvania’s state Senate Nov. 3. 

Elected to represent Philadelphia’s diverse District 1, Saval was co-editor-in-chief of the literary magazine n+1. From 2012-19, he helped lead the Brooklyn-based publication, prioritizing coverage of issues like social justice and labor unions. He also wrote about architecture, urban planning and design as a contributor at The New York Times and the New Yorker.

“I do think working at n+1 and writing about culture and politics intellectually helped give me clarity on how to think about these subjects together,” Saval told NBC News.

Saval, whose parents emigrated from Bangalore, India,, talked about what his victory means for Asian American representation.

“I feel the significance of that especially when I walk into a room with a number of white people in it, which is Pennsylvania’s state Senate, for the most part,” he said. “Even more so, it’s when I encounter other Asian Americans who get pleasantly shocked that I won. There’s a pan-Asian solidarity that immediately develops.”

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Marvin Lim's win was the result of the changing demographics of Georgia, especially the growth of the Asian American population.

Lim is the first Filipino American to be elected to the state legislature in the Nov. 3 elections. Lim won the primary with 62% of the vote and since the GOP didn't have a candidate to run against him. 

The Philippine-born Lim, 36, will represent House District 99, an Atlanta suburb comprised of 85% minorities, 53% of whom are immigrants.

* * *

Kesha Ram won in Vermont, a predominantly white state.

Democrat Kesha Ram, the daughter of an Indian immigrant father and a Jewish mother, made history Nov. 3 when she became the first woman of color to be elected to the Vermont Senate in a state that’s more than 94 percent white.

Throughout her campaign, Ram focused on a racial justice platform that included addressing disparities in access to health care, climate justice and support for criminal justice reform.

This is not her first foray into politics. At the age of 22, she became Vermont's youngest state legislature when she was elected to the state's House.

She hopes her win inspires other people of color to get involved in the political process.

“Particularly for young Asian American women, I think that we are really taught culturally and socially not to fail. And that it's a personal shortcoming if you fail,” she said. “That's just simply not true.” Ram knows this firsthand, as her 2016 run for lieutenant governor ended in her finishing third. “We can't live safe lives the way everybody wants us to if we want things to change,” she said. “Because, otherwise we won't change who's at the table.”

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.

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