Coalition of APA Democrats Plays Role in Maryland Elections

By Michelle Phipps-Evans

The state of Maryland hosted their primary elections at the end of June. Reports put Maryland’s voter turnout as the lowest in years for a primary, many postulating that interest in the candidates were low.
However, one organization that wants to continue lending a political voice to the democracy of the state is the Coalition of Asian Pacific American Democrats of Maryland (CAPAD-MD).
“CAPAD-MD’s mission is to help promote, support, and advance the interests of the Democratic Party in Maryland by conducting activities and programs to

encourage and promote the education and participation of primarily Asian Pacific Americans in the affairs, activities, programs, and endeavors of the Democratic Party,” said Stan Tsai, one of CAPAD-MD’s two co-chairs.
Therefore, in the June 24, 2014 primary election, CAPAD-MD endorsed a series of candidates whose “commitment and proactive stance to promote diversity and fairness,” were recognized, said Tsai. It highlighted candidates who identified, and paid attention to, “the special needs of multi-cultural communities, and supported the economic empowerment of minority communities and the community at large,” he added.
One such candidate the coalition endorsed was former attorney general, Douglas Gansler, as the Democratic nominee for the gubernatorial election in November.
“We all recognize…Gansler’s outstanding track record of promoting diversity and fighting for a clean environment, for consumers, and for victims of crimes and injustice,” wrote CAPAD-MD co-chairs Tsai and Dr. Martin Ma in April. Most of the CAPAD-MD members had known Gansler for a long time since he served as State Attorney in Montgomery County 12 years ago, Tsai explained. Also, Gansler had established the first civil rights division in the attorney general’s office and formed the office’s first Asian American Advisory Council, composed of community leaders to help ensure that APA needs throughout Maryland were addressed.
Gansler lost to Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown who snagged 51.3 percent of the vote versus Gansler’s 24.2 percent. A third candidate received 21.7 of the vote while three other candidates received less than 2 percent each.
A day after the loss, Tsai was upbeat.
“The victory of Brown really reflects the great diversity trend of Maryland,” he offered. “He will be the first minority governor of Maryland if elected in November. Since the minority population is growing fast in the past decades, sooner or later, minorities will gain more important political posts. And the Asian group will definitely play a key role as well. I wish Mr. Brown will win the general election and do a great job for minorities in Maryland.” Brown will go head to head with Republican candidate Larry Hogan in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans two-to-one.
Established 1996, CAPAD-MD is the first and only state-wide Asian Pacific American
Democratic Organization whose charter is recognized by the State of Maryland’s Democratic Party.
CAPAD-MD’s leadership comprises a representative group of community leaders across the diverse APA and other ethnic communities in Maryland and the metro Washington, D.C., area, who serve as critical liaisons to respective community and grassroots organizations.
Besides Ma and Tsai, other leaders include Man Cho, Chung Pak, and Paul Tiao who all serve on the Candidate Endorsement Committee.
Tsai said he’s a first generation immigrant from Taiwan who has lived in the United States for more than 30 years, most of the time in Montgomery County, Md.
In May, CAPAD-MD, along with the African American Democratic Club, and Hispanic Democratic Club, held the first ever historic joint press conference in front of the Montgomery County Executive Building to highlight the candidates endorsed by all three organizations, including Del. Susan Lee, a Senate candidate for Dist. 16, who won the election on June 24 with 85 percent of the vote. She’s the first Asian-American woman and first Chinese American to be elected to the Maryland legislature.
In addition to Del. Lee, those attending the press conference included Gansler; Sen. Brian Frosh for Attorney General, who won 50 percent of the vote; and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett who won re-election for a third term.
More significantly, CAPAD-MD announced its endorsement for the Montgomery County
Court House Team, many of whom had appointed Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans as criminal prosecutors and deputies in the Montgomery Country State Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Office.
“The court house team members and circuit court judges have track records of promoting diversity and fairness, including ensuring justice for everyone,” Tsai said. “CAPAD-MD believes that the endorsed candidates’ vision and actions would help improve the state’s economic position, address and integrate the special needs of our immigrant communities, support minority small businesses, and continue to make Maryland one of the best places to live for working families.”