As he savored his victory this week in the race for state controller, John Chiang couldn't help but reflect on how grim the political landscape had been for Asian Americans just a decade ago.
Back then, a fundraising scandal involving then-Vice President Al Gore and a Buddhist temple in Hacienda Heights embroiled the Democratic Party and in some eyes cast suspicion on Asian American donors and politicians.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Sunday November 12, 2006 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 0 inches; 24 words Type of Material: Correction
Asian American voters: An article in Saturday's California section said John Chiang had won the race for state treasurer. He was elected state controller.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday November 15, 2006 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 43 words Type of Material: Correction
Jim Webb campaign: An article in Saturday's California section about Asian American voters said that the campaign to elect Jim Webb for U.S. Senate in Virginia employed actor Daniel Dae Kim for a television commercial. Kim made the commercial independent of the campaign.
But in the decade since, the fortunes of Asian American politicians have rebounded in dramatic fashion.
Tuesday's election marked a watershed moment for the community, with more than two dozen Asian Americans running for state office. Nineteen candidates won, giving Asian Americans a record representation in Californian public office with a total of 20 elected officials. (Before the election, there were 17.)
Democrat Chiang's victory garnered the most headlines. But the election also resulted in a major shift at the State Board of Equalization: Four of its five members will be Asian American. They are termed-out Democratic Assemblywoman Judy Chu; board incumbent Betty Yee, a Democrat; newcomer Michelle Steel, a Republican; and Chiang, a member by virtue of being treasurer. The non-Asian is Republican incumbent Bill Leonard.
"There's a new generation of Asian Americans getting involved in the community, governance and public policy," said Chiang. "It speaks volumes about the resiliency of the community that a decade ago, it was under attack."
The victories come on the heels of a study released by the Asian American Pacific Legal Center that showed the Asian American electorate grew by nearly a third in Los Angeles County and more than two-thirds in Orange County in the last few years.
Chu and others say that, aside from general population growth, registration drives and efforts to translate voter and campaign material in recent years have helped increase the size of the Asian American electorate. She also credited the popularity of absentee ballots. Of 22 million eligible voters in California, about 2.5 million are Asian Americans.
"I think after a while, success breeds more success or at least encourages people to give politics a go," said Don Nakanishi, director of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. "I don't think running for office is in anyone's cultural DNA, even though a lot of Asian Americans will say they never had a tradition of political participation back in Asia."
