Asian Americans won statewide offices in at least four states Tuesday night including two governorships.
The biggest gains were in California which featured four Asian Americans running statewide campaigns. Three of them won.
California Attorney General Kamala Harris,(pictured) whose mother is Indian American, easily defeated Republican challenger Ronald Gold 56 -42 percent. Harris’s profile has been rising and has been mentioned as a future candidate for Governor and even a possible US Supreme Court nominee.
California State Controller John Chiang won the State Treasurers race over Greg Conlon 58 -42 percent and Board of Equalization member Betty Yee defeated Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearegin for State Controller 53 -47 percent.
Indian American Neil Kashkari opposed California Governor Jerry Brown. No one gave Kashkari a chance of winning including Brown who didn’t even bother to campaign. Brown won 59 -41 percent. Look for Kashkari to run for office again now that he has greater name recognition.
In the Hawaii’s Governor and Lt. Governor’s race, the team of David Ige/Shan Tsutsui beat James Aiona/Elwin Ahu 49-37 percent.
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In South Carolina, Indian American Nikki Haley easily defeated Democrat Vincent Sheheen 56 -41 percent.
There are now Three Asian American governors in the country. The third is Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal who will be termed out in 2015. The Republican is considering a run for president.
Allan Fung was defeated in the Rhode Island governor’s race. The Republican Fung lost 123, 450 to 111, 291 to State Treasurer Gina Raimondo.
In Utah Filipino American Sean Reyes (R) beat Democrat Charles Stormont 63 – 27% for attorney general, according to Fox 13.
RE: Asian Americans win statewide office: The new Governor of Hawaii is David Ige…not Doug Ige.
RE: Asian Americans win statewide office: The error has been corrected. Thank you.