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Allan Fung (R) conceded to Rhode Island Treasurer Seth Magaziner (D) Tuesday night after failing to rein in enough votes in the race to represent the state’s 2nd congressional district, The Providence Journal reports.
Fung, who ran a campaign as a self-identified moderate focused on curbing inflation and reducing crime, had aimed to become the first GOP candidate to win the district in over 30 years. He would've been the first Asian American to represent Rhode Island in Congress.
“I’ve always been that middle-of-the-road, common sense-type person,” Fung told POLITICO ahead of Election Day. “They’re talking like, ‘Oh, there’s this radical Republican.’ That’s not me.”
Magaziner and other Rhode Island Democrats hammered in on Fung’s stance on abortion, painting the Republican nominee as an extremist—but Fung repeatedly countered that he would not support a national abortion ban and supports exceptions in instances of rape and incest or cases where the pregnant person’s life is in danger.
He also diverged from many current Republican lawmakers with his support for the bipartisan infrastructure bill, gun safety, and Medicare expansion for vision care, dental care, and hearing aids.
In the weeks leading up to the race, Fung consistently pulled in support from men, independents, and older voters, according to a Suffolk University poll. Republicans poured millions into races across the U.S. ahead of this year’s midterms and made a consistent effort to highlight candidates of color like Fung.
In September, a super PAC with ties to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) spent $1 million on ads against Magaziner amid a slew of high-profile endorsements for Fung, including one from former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), Axios reports.
The super PAC, called the Congressional Leadership Fund, spent about $2.8 million supporting Fung over the election cycle.
Fung, 52, is the son of Chinese immigrants and as a child worked in his parents’ restaurant in Cranston, one of the state’s largest cities.
Fung held a seat on the Cranston City Council before becoming Rhode Island’s first Chinese American mayor in 2008, enjoying relatively high support until he was termed out in 2021. He is known for helping lift the city out of financial crisis, even after record-breaking floods in 2010 led to long-term challenges with business development and infrastructure.
Prior to entering civil service, Fung worked in the office of Rhode Island’s attorney general and also served as a government relations attorney for MetLife. He ran unsuccessfully for Rhode Island governor in 2014 and 2018 and is currently a partner at a private law firm.
His wife, Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung (R), was one of the state legislators that introduced the bill requiring Asian American history in Rhode Island public school curriculum.
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