More Asian American Election Winners Seen

By Jennie L. Ilustre

 

More Americans of Asian ancestry are headed for election victories in November at the national and state levels. A top advocate, who has always stressed that political underrepresentation remains a concern, has hailed this welcome development.

 

Congress

State Rep. Shri Thanedar, a businessman and author, has won Michigan’s recent Democratic primary in the 13th District race for Congress. He prevailed in a crowded field for the open seat representing most of Detroit.

Varun Nikore, executive director of AAPI Victory Alliance, said in an email interview: “Shri Thanedar ran in heavy Democratic district in a five-way primary. He is highly likely to win in November as the next Asian American and Pacific Islander and Indian American in Congress.  This will add to our growing numbers.”

Currently, there are two AAPI senators and 15 House members, one representative and three non-voting delegates. The figures represent about 3 percent of the US Congress.

Nikore stressed that “the AAPI community is still underrepresented at all levels, and we must continue fighting for additional representation and train and encourage more candidates to run for office.”

 

Oregon Legislature

In Oregon, which tilted conservative in the most recent election cycle, something unique is happening.

Remarked AAPI Victory Alliance Nikore: “It is truly remarkable progress that there will be an additional five Vietnamese Americans elected this November in the Oregon legislature, all as Democrats.”

He added: “While there is some concern about the seemingly minor tilt rightward amongst that community in 2020, perhaps this is an indicator that on the electoral level, the community is still in flux from a partisan perspective. This bears further examination at what potential systems may have been in place to support such a unique phenomenon.

“Regardless,” he pointed out, “we should revel and celebrate the fact that the Oregon legislature will diversify itself and perhaps bring new perspectives to the state that didn’t exist before.”

AAPI Victory Alliance “works to build AAPI political power across the country by providing education on progressive issues; creating and advocating for policies that affect our communities; and building alliances with organizations to help AAPIs exert their power and be the margin of victory at the local, state, and national levels.”

 

APAICS

The AAPI community members face a systemic barrier in running for office, Marissa Martinez quoted APAICS president Madalene Xuan-Trang Mielke in Politico. Mielke said people may want to run for office, but they may be put off at “traditional ‘rules of engagement’ for elections or a lack of resources,” according to the Politico report.

APAICS stands for the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies. It was a pioneer in promoting the representation of Asian Americans through election and appointment.

Founded in 1994, APAICS is a national nonpartisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It is dedicated to “promoting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) participation and representation at all levels of government.”

Its programs focus on “leadership development and building the political pipeline for AAPIs to pursue public office at the local, state, and federal levels, as well as other careers in public policy.”

 

Historic Appointment

AAPI Victory Alliance has also lauded a recent historic, high-level appointment. Indian American litigator Roopali H Desai has been confirmed to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She is the first Indian American and South Asian woman to serve as a judge in the Ninth Circuit of the top US court.

”America is a country created by immigrants, refugees, and communities of color,” AAPI Victory Alliance leaders said. “We are the leaders shaping America to become a country of equality, diversity, and inclusion.”