Asian Americans make their case for Kamala Harris' soon-to-be available Senate seat

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Gov. Gavin Newsom must name a replacement for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

OPINION:

The ideal person to take California's Sen. Kamala Harris' Senate seat would be a seasoned politician with statewide appeal, a Democrat, a woman, a member of the LGBTQ community, come from a union family with roots in Northern and Southern California and be of Asian, Latino and African American heritage.

Unfortunately, for Gov. Gavin Newsom, no such person exists.

When Harris is sworn in as Vice President, Newsom will have the onerous task of choosing her replacement. As a woman and having immigrant parents from India and Jamaica, and being born in NorCal but presently residing in SoCal, Harris checked off a lot of those boxes so Newsom is being urged with a similar resume.

“This (selection) is not something that I wish even on my worst enemy," said Newsom prior to the Nov. 3 election. "because you create enemies in this process … not just friends. And it’s a vexing decision. It’s a challenging one.”

Newsom is under strong pressure to name a Latino to take Harris' place. California has never had an Hispanic represent the state in the Senate despite making up about 40% of California's population. The influential LGBTQ community wants someone who can speak for their issues and the relatively small but vocal African American community want someone who can build to their moral and political presence on Capitol Hill.

Former Congressman Mike Honda and Madakebe Suan-Trang Mielke, president and CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) and chair of ReflectUS wrote an oped for the San Francisco Chronicle listing a number of Asian Americans with the political credentials to fill that role.

Fortunately, there is a deep bench of qualified candidates who might check off some of the boxes. According to the authors, they include:

• State Controller Betty Yee, who previously served on the California Board of Equalization.

• State Treasurer Fiona Ma, who previously served on the Board of Equalization, in the State Assembly and on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

• Former State Treasurer John Chiang, a former candidate for governor. He previously served as state controller and on the Board of Equalization.

• Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. The first Chinese American woman elected to Congress, she previously served as mayor of Monterey Park, in the State Assembly and on the Board of Equalization.

• Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Santa Clara), who defeated incumbent Honda in 2016 to represent the 17th Congressional District. He previously served as deputy assistant secretary of commerce under President Obama and co-chaired Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign.

• Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who previously served as a California state senator and assemblyman.

• Rep. Mark Takano (D-Riverside), the first openly gay person of Asian descent in Congress. He previously served on the Riverside Community College Board of Trustees.

• Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell), who previously served as mayor and councilmember in Campbell. He was a national co-chair of Andrew Yang’s presidential campaign.

• Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D-San Diego), who is mayor-elect of San Diego, where he previously served as a councilmember and interim mayor.

To their list, I would add Assemblymember Rob Bonta, a Filipino American whose diverse district is across the bay from San Francisco includes Oakland and Alameda; who as chair of the California Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, he  has developed relationships with Latino political leaders in the southland. The son of union organizers for the powerful United Farm Workers, he has inherited those emotional ties with the Latino community.

In their opinion piece, Honda and Mielke reminded Newsom that the AAPI population is 16% of the state's population and is the fastest growing group in California.

With the exception of Harris, there are only two Asian Americans serving in the U.S. Senate: Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii.

It won't be easy, but Newsom can't please everyone.No matter who his choice is, he will offend some other group.

If Newsom picks a current officeholder, he can heal some of the bad feelings by picking a replacement to fill in the just-vacated spot.

In an interview with KQED, PBS' San Francisco affiliate, the governor said of his decision: "I do take it very seriously. It's a sobering responsibility to make that decision. And it has national, not just domestic, ramifications as it relates to the state itself. And so it's a weight of responsibility. And we'll figure it out."

That's politics, folks!

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.

Committee formed to screen AAPI applicants wanting to work in a Biden administration

Confident that former Vice President Joe Biden will win the November election against Donald Trump, a committee has been created to screen AAPI individuals wishing to work for the incoming Biden administration.

AAPI Progressive Action in partnership with AAPI Victory Fund formed “AAPI 46,” a screening committee to identify, vet and recommend highly qualified Asian American and Pacific Islander candidates for positions in a potential Biden administration.

“Government functions best when its leadership reflects the diversity of our great nation,” said Chris Lu, who will act as AAPI Progressive Action Board liaison to AAPI 46. “The Steering Committee will play an important role in identifying AAPIs who will fight to create a more just and inclusive society."

Despite being the fastest growing racial group in the U.S. and a population of 23 million strong, AAPIs are underrepresented in political leadership as well as at the federal level.  

The Screening Committee will conduct a nationwide search for the top 50 candidates whose names will then be submitted to the Biden Transition. Working closely with the Boards of the AAPI Victory Fund and AAPI Progressive Action, the Committee will also make a public endorsement for these senior positions by mid-September 2020.

The Screening Committee will be co-chaired by Seema Nanda, former chief executive officer, Democratic National Committee and Mike Honda, former Congressman and founder-chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. 

Committee members include Michelle Bonoan, Managing Director, Koya Leadership Partners; Grace Choi, former White House Liaison staff, U.S. Department of State; Ankur Goel, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery; Julian Ha, Partner, Heidrick & Struggles; and Doua Thor, former Executive Director, White House Initiative on AAPIs. 

Ginger Lew, former White House executive, will serve as advisor to the Screening Committee. The Board liaisons are Luisa Blue, executive vice president, SEIU; Christopher P. Lu, former Deputy Secretary of Labor; Katie Kalvoda, founder, G3 Ventures; and Dilawar Syed, President and CEO, Lumiata. (Organizational affiliations are listed for information purposes only.)

“In January, AAPI Victory Fund was the first national AAPI organization to endorse Vice President Biden,” said Katie Kalvoda, who will act as AAPI Victory Fund Board liaison to AAPI 46. 

 “This November, the AAPI community will carry the Vice President to victory and it is critical that AAPIs are represented at the senior levels of our government once he is elected. AAPI 46 will ensure that the Biden Transition has vetted highly qualified candidates from our community to fill those positions.”

For further informatin and to submit your qualifications, link to: https://www.aapiprogressiveaction.com/aapi46.

SF Bay Area's 'Asian American Pioneers' airs Sunday

SAN FRANCISCO'S NBC affiliate's Emmy-award winning documentary series, Revelations, presents "Asian American Pioneers" this Sunday (April 15). The prime time special will profile how the immigrants from Asia shaped the modern Bay Area.

The very first Asian immigrant arrived to the Bay Area before the Gold Rush and settled in San Francisco's Chinatown. The people of Asia have been excluded, imprisoned and vilified. Yet, they fought for their right to stay and work here. And, because of that, Asian Americans have made a big impact in Bay Area politics, arts, philanthropy and, of course, cuisine.

The untold stories of some of those Asian/American pioneers and how they're giving back to their communities make up the hour-long documentary.

Interviews include former Congressman Mike Honda, a survivor of internment camps; Vivek Ranadivé, the first Indian/American to own an NBA team, the Sacramento Kings; Dado Banatao, the Filipino/American entrepreneur who made personal computers possible; and the family who opened up the very first Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco.

"Bay Area Revelations: Asian American Pioneers" premieres Sunday, April 15 at 7 p.m. An encore presentation will air Saturday, April 21 at 9 p.m.

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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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