This story first appeared in Power Shift, The Yappie's weekly newsletter on national AAPI power, politics, and influence. Subscribe for free here.
A record 23 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders will fill the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus’ ranks this January, ranging from first-time politicians who won close races in swing districts to incumbents who could take on new leadership roles in a Democratic-controlled House.
- Democrats Pia Dandiya (Florida’s 22nd congressional district) and Amish Shah (Arizona’s 1st congressional district) both flipped high-profile seats and will be the first South Asians to represent their respective constituencies.
- Other newcomers include Democrats Richard Pan (California), Dan Koh (Massachusetts), and Alicia Garrido Limtiaco (Guam).
Established Asian Americans retained power, concentrated in California.
- Democrats Judy Chu and Ted Lieu handily won reelection in their districts. Lieu, currently vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, announced shortly after that he’s running for caucus chair and is currently unopposed, Politico reports. Winning would make him the highest ranked Asian American lawmaker in the House—ever.
- Democrat Doris Matsui was leading progressive candidate Mai Vang, by about 11% as of Friday, per CapRadio. Nearly a third of votes still needed to be counted.
- Republican Vince Fong also solidly won his inland district against Democratic challenger Sandra Van Scotter.
- The only Asian American incumbent to lose as of Monday night: Young Kim, who struggled to fend off fellow GOP Rep. Ken Calvert in the contest for California’s redrawn 40th district. Her ousting means the handful of AAPI Republicans still in Congress will shrink once more.
Governor’s races looked very different, however.
- In Ohio, Democrat Amy Acton defeated former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy by about 7% of the votes. While his alignment with the Trump administration probably didn’t help, Ramaswamy faced bipartisan condemnation after running a controversial ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother, whose husband was indicted for raping Acton during her childhood.
- In Oklahoma, Democratic House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, who is Korean, lost to Republican Mike Mazzei by about 6% of the vote. Though Democrats made a surprise last-minute investment in her campaign, Trump’s low popularity wasn’t enough to flip the script for Munson, Oklahoma Voice reports.
- And in Vermont, Bernie Sanders-backed Democratic challenger Amanda Janoo couldn’t edge out GOP incumbent Phil Scott despite running a platform that called for universal primary care free of charge, according to Vermont Public.
What to watch: Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman will serve as the city’s next mayor after beating incumbent Karen Bass.
- The Democratic Socialist, who focused on housing availability and homelessness during her campaign, will be the first Asian American in the role and could open new doors for South Asian progressives, New Lines Magazine notes.
- Raman’s victory also means Asian Americans now hold all three citywide elected offices.
- Her rocky history with the local DSA chapter and the L.A. political establishment might pose some challenges along the way, per The Guardian.
Our take: The combination of old and new AAPI officeholders, especially Democrats, gives our communities influence over whether the progressive or centrist wings will steer the party moving forward.
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