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?️ BEE NGUYEN’S BATTLE FOR GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE: The junior state representative will face incumbent Georgia Sec. Brad Raffensperger (R) in the battleground race this November.
- Nguyen is the first Vietnamese American to hold a seat in the state legislature. She was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2017 to replace Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
- Key point: As secretary of state, Nguyen would oversee voting in a hotly contested swing state. Raffensberger drew national attention in 2020 when he refused to bow to Trump’s call to overturn election results in the state.
- Of note: Former President Barack Obama recently stumped for Nguyen, Abrams, and Rep. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) at a rally in Atlanta.
?️ POLITICAL NEWCOMER HUNG CAO SEEKS VIRGINIA SHAKE-UP: Cao (R), a retired Navy captain and first-time candidate, will face incumbent Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D) in the race for Virginia’s 10th congressional district, which is largely seen by analysts as an indicator of how the rest of the state will vote. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) lost the district by a slim margin last year.
- Criticizing the status quo: Cao has slammed Biden’s plan to relieve student debt, invoking the experience of his Vietnamese refugee parents whom he said “tucked away every single penny” to pay for his education.
- “A lot of American families are doing the same things,” he said during a debate earlier this month. “It’s unfair that what we’re saving for our kids, some kids get a free ride.”
?️ SHRI THANEDAR LOOKS TO GAIN AFTER REDISTRICTING: Thanedar (D), who currently represents the district including Detroit in Michigan’s House of Representatives, will face Republican Martell Bivings in the bid for Michigan’s 13th congressional seat. Thanedar, an Indian immigrant businessman, previously ran for Michigan governor in 2018, placing third in the Democratic primary.
- Notable: Thanedar won a crowded Democratic primary in June, beating out eight Black candidates. For the first time in almost 70 years, Detroit, the nation’s largest majority Black city, may not have a Black representative in Congress, writes Clyde McGrady for the New York Times.
- The winner would replace incumbent Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D), who is running for the seat in Michigan’s newly drawn 12th district. Thanedar, who is seen as a shoo-in at this point, has worked to reassure Black communities that “this seat is owned by the people,” Bridge Michigan’s Malachi Barrett notes.
?️ REPUBLICAN DEAN TRAN VIES FOR HOUSE SEAT: The former state senator will face two-term incumbent Lori Trahan (D) in the general election for Massachusetts’ 3rd congressional district this November.
- Tran became the first Vietnamese American to hold elected office in Massachusetts when he was elected to the Fitchburg City Council in 2005. He describes himself as a fiscal conservative and advocates for abortion restrictions, accusing Trahan of “killing minority babies” with her support for codifying Roe v. Wade.
- Remember: Tran was accused in 2020 of assigning staff in the state Senate to complete tasks that would help advance his re-election campaign, breaking legislature rules and violating state law. Tran lost his re-election bid that November.
- Tran drew heat earlier this year when he was accused of gun theft, among other charges in an incident involving an elderly constituent. Tran pleaded not guilty and filed a lawsuit against Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D), who is running for governor, for allegedly acting based on political motivations.
?️ JILL TOKUDA LIKELY TO REPLACE OUTGOING KAI KAHELE: The former state senator will face political newcomer Joe Akana (R), a Native Hawaiian who served 10 years as an intelligence analyst in the U.S. Air Force, in the House race for Hawai‘i’s 2nd congressional district.
- Tokuda was first elected in 2006 to represent the 24th state senatorial district. During her time in the chamber, Tokuda helped to expand access to publicly-funded preschools and chaired the powerful Ways and Means Committee, where she oversaw Hawai‘i’s budget.
- Her platform: She has made housing and affordability a key component of her campaign and also vowed to champion legislation that would lower the blood quantum requirements for beneficiaries of Hawaiian homelands, the Honolulu Civil Beat’s Nick Grube reports.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Shri Thanedar will face off against Abdul El-Sayed in the race for Michigan's 13th congressional district.
Catch up on other races we’re monitoring and follow our live election coverage next Tuesday, Nov. 8. This story appeared as "2022 Watch" in The Yappie's Oct. 31, 2022 newsletter.
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